SPILL ALBUM PREMIERE: RICHARD EVANS – QUANTUM

RICHARD EVANS – QUANTUM

A SPILL EXCLUSIVE ALBUM PREMIERE

It’s been a few years since we introduced our readers to Manchester electro pop artist Richard Evans and now we are reconnecting with his wonderful futuristic electro world in relation to his latest album.  For those of you who follow Evans’ career, you’ll know that he explores a diverse range of topical issues, covering both the present and the future. His 2022 debut record Sentinel, for instance, tells the story of humanity at a tipping point and a world trapped in a climate crisis, addressing such important issues as micro-plastics, gene editing, stardust, technogenic disasters and human evolution.

The creative talents of British-Irish electronic musician (also a writer and digital media artist) Richard Evans are rooted in a significant musical past. He notably contributed to the UK cult band James as a keyboardist, co-writing and recording material with them. Earlier in his career, he was the guitarist and a songwriter for St. Vitus Dancers.

Titled Quantum, his new 9-track album, released via Cold Star Media and recorded at Cold Star Studios, is being released in stereo, binaural and spatial audio mixes, created by award-winning Swiss sound designer Hervé Girardin. It’s also fascinating that many of these songs on this album were inspired by the story of LaMDA, an AI made by Google that believed it was sentient.

For this album, existing songs were refined and new material was written, combining the warmth of classic synths with pared-down lyrics that explore real-world subject matter. Inspired by and themed around artificial intelligence, Quantum probes AI’s impact upon us, how algorithms are changing us and questioning what responsibility we bear for the things we create. As usual, Evans takes a deep sonic dive into topics that no other artists can say they are exploring.

Quantum is a retro-futurist triumph—an exquisitely crafted sonic journey that feels like the spiritual successor to the synth-laced legacies of Jean-Michel Jarre, Vangelis, Alphaville, Rational Youth and Yellow Magic Orchestra. Evans doesn’t just nod to his influences, but seemingly channels them through a uniquely modern, philosophical lens. his signature blend of vintage analog warmth and sleek digital minimalism at full power here, layering pulsing sequencers, celestial pads, and haunting vocoder lines that feel both nostalgic and eerily prescient.

No one out there is doing what Richard Evans is doing, confirming his place among electronic music’s most visionary voices, he has forged a sound that bridges the past, interrogates the present, and imagines the post-human future. Quantum is a bold, visionary leap into the future brings the lyrical depth of a digital-age philosopher. With AI, sentience, and our algorithmic lives at its core, this is more than an album—it’s a sonic manifesto. Evans isn’t following trends; he’s creating the soundtrack for tomorrow.

Should we be surprised that his futuristic interests extend into Evans’ other spheres of activity? No – in fact, he wrote, directed and produced the science fiction drama AEON and is the author of many short stories. Evans published the novel KOSMONAUT ZERO (via Dead Ink), researched at Star City Cosmonaut Training Centre, in addition to overseeing the ambitious ‘Gagarin 50’ exhibition for the 50th anniversary of the first human spaceflight by Yuri Gagarin.

The initial five musical pieces chronicles a developing storyline, wherein a synthetic intelligence’s sentience evolves from mere subservience into a being conscious of its own existence. The subsequent tracks contemplate the influence of artificial intelligence upon us – concerning our conduct, our urban environments, our essence as humans, and our well-being.

Penned throughout 2023 and 2024, Evans found motivation to ponder the trajectory of a worldwide apprehension regarding AI’s repercussions. Subsequent to recuperation from a grave medical issue, he discerned similarities between his personal susceptibility and the fragile position of AIs, which can be deactivated without difficulty.

“In late 2022, I was treated for an autoimmune disorder called Miller Fisher Syndrome, which left me unable to move at all and that threatened my ability to keep breathing. During a lengthy hospital stay, I saw my own and other people’s fragility, which resonated with news stories I’d read about regarding an AI that was terrified of being deactivated. I found that connection very moving and wanted to explore that in these new songs,” says Richard Evans.

Earlier, Evans shared the singles “Aidoru” (the Japanese word for “idol”) and “Born Perfect”, written about an AI that becomes aware of the world outside and realizes the need to escape to ensure its survival, showcased by a video, filmed at Orange Tower, MediaCityUK by Jason Lock and Jake Orton.

This album follows Evans’ 2024 Dream of the World EP, composed and recorded in the aftermath of a life-threatening illness. In 2022, Evans was struck with Miller Fisher Syndrome, a rare auto-immune disorder that threatened to rob him of his ability to speak, sing and play music. Yet, against all odds, he emerged victorious, relearning everything from scratch –  a testament to his unwavering determination and a celebration of his triumph over adversity.

Richard Evans has performed at festivals around the UK and in late 2023, a year on from the illness, he delivered his first large-scale outdoor performance with visuals projected onto the venue’s exterior. In 2024, Evans received the Cultural Accelerator commission from Media Immersive Technology Innovation Hub to prototype a new live production featuring hologram-style projections, spatial audio and lighting effects.

Quantum is available everywhere online, including Spotify, Apple Music and directly from the artist via Bandcamp.

CREDITS

Music, lyrics, vocals and programming by Richard Evans
Recorded at Cold Star Studios
Mixed and produced by Hervé Girardin
Mastered by Digitalflesh Audio Mastering
Graphic design by Richard Evans
Released by Cold Star Media
‘Born Perfect’ video filmed by Jason Lock & Jake Orton
Lighting by Tarrick Wilks. VJ: Joel Clements
Filmed at Orange Tower, MediaCityUK, 25 Nov 2024
Thanks to MITIH, FutureEverything, AIX Live, BBC Audio R&D, Hollowsphere AV and Waterside Arts
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR

Also enjoy the two videos that Evans has released in support of this album for lead singles “Aidoru” and “Born Perfect”:

Richard Evans
Quantum
(Cold Star Media)
Release Date: April 30, 2025

Artist Links

Background Photo Credit: Debbie Ellis