The Return of Rhian Sheehan ...

Wellington composer Rhian Sheehan is a massive talent. I was drawn to his work more than a decade ago now after hearing his stunning debut album Paradigm Shift (2001) and its equally gorgeous follow-up Tiny Blue Biosphere (2004). Each of those releases raised the bar for the local “electronica” scene, and Sheehan looked to have a secure future as a producer of spacey club-orientated dance music should that be the path he chose to take.

Only it wasn’t, Sheehan’s horizons were much broader than that rather fickle fast-paced (and often superficial) scene, and in the years since he’s gone on to compose and produce work of a much more classical bent – electronic and orchestral soundscapes which mark him as an ideal “go to” guy for soundtrack work. He is, to all intents and purposes, one of those artists who has become impossible to pigeonhole.

Earlier this week Sheehan released a brand new live album (via Bandcamp) featuring music from gigs at the Wellington Opera House dating back to 2010 and 2013. Most of it being material from his popular Standing In Silence (2009) and Stories From Elsewhere (2013) albums.  For reasons best known to Sheehan himself, he’s released it on a “name your price” basis, so get in there and grab it and pay what you like. If you are unfamiliar with Sheehan’s work, this is an ideal starting point, and is highly recommended.