Staff Reviews

Windmill - Epcot Starfields

Review by James Lawrenson

The history of the concept album is one littered with follies and successes. There’s the mundane storytelling of A Grand Don’t Come For Free, and the cryptic lyrics of Sunset Rubdown. Then there’s I am... Sasha Fierce and everything Rick Wakeman’s ever been involved in. »

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sometimes, a single memory can sum up a pivotal moment in life, or even life itself. for windmill, aka newport pagnell-born matthew thomas dillon, a childhood trip to florida's epcot centre provided the inspiration for his entire second album, a record about 'embracing the perfect moments in life and recognising the sadness of everything passing in the moment of our death.'
those familiar with windmill's debut album, 'puddle city racing lights', will understand dillon's fascination with limitless ideas. 'epcot starfields' is expansive and imaginative, it was recorded in solitude, in a tiny bedroom with the lights dimmed, in a process dillon describes as being 'on the boundaries of madness', but sounds like it comes from a much a bigger, limitless place. the theme became all-consuming: opening track 'airsuit' tells of the end of a life here on earth, 'imax raceway' recalls that trip to the kennedy space centre, 'ellen save our energy' is named for the epcot ride ellen's energy adventure and 'epcot slow' is the fear-laden track that kick-started the creative process. elsewhere, 'epcotman' concerns walt disney's creative obsession, 'photo hemispheres' is dedicated to the ecologically minded astronomer carl sagan and
closing track 'spaceship earth' envisages our eventual demise. the album's cover is brilliantly realised by puddle city artist jonah buckley.
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