Skydaddy - Anchor Chains, Plane Motors & Train Whistles (12")

Skydaddy announces new EP entitled Anchor Chains, Plane Motors & Train Whistles, out January 10 via Bathtime Sounds.

The EP takes its title from George Bailey’s famous line in It’s a Wonderful Life, where he names “the three greatest sounds in the world.” These sounds, representing a belief in technological progress, echo throughout the EP as metaphors for the anxieties of modern life. London-born Lebanese/Grenadian artist Rachid Fakhre, performing as Skydaddy, channels this sentiment, blending nostalgia with modern disillusionment. Fakhre closes the EP with an audio sample from the film, emphasizing its emotional weight. After the success of his debut mini-album Pilot, Fakhre recorded much of the EP at Church Studios with engineer Balasz Altsach, using a wide range of instruments, including grand piano, mellotron, harp, and choir.

While promoting Pilot in LA, he recorded “Allicin,” a love song inspired by Jessica Pratt and the compound found in garlic. Lyrically, the EP addresses themes of alienation and urban anxiety. “Age of Empires” reflects on existential dread, while “Albert Bridge” critiques the bleak cityscape with a sinister bossa nova backdrop. “Mushrooms,” inspired by the 2020 Beirut explosion, combines exuberance with terror, layering dark synths and choral screams. 

The EP serves as a reflection on both personal and societal fears, grounded in Fakhre’s distinct sound. George Bailey’s words ironically echo over the EP’s closing reprise - the singular moment of intimate, unpolished bedroom exotica. An examination of modern London, the EP also serves as a timestamp of its current scene, replete with choral contributions from Fakhre’s favourites such as Black Country, New Road, Ugly, Tapir!, Ethan P Flynn, heka, Silver Gore as well as Aga Ujma on harp.

1. Age of Empires

2. Albert Bridge

3. Allicin

4. Mushrooms

5. Age (Reprise)