British artist Nick Hudson has just released a single entitled “Lights Svoboda” which translates as “Lights Freedom”. It was recorded with his Academy Of The Sun bandmate, Kianna Blue. It is an eerie, mesmerising piano-led tune with deeply dark, apocalyptic, and weird lyrics and I love it. Nick is not only a musician and composer he is also an author, a visual artist, and a filmmaker. The latter might explain the wonderful cinematic scope of the song. Nick said this of the track “The opening features a recording I made in Georgia, into my Soviet cassette recorder, of my 20-year-old Russian exile friend who fled to Georgia to avoid facing criminal charges for protesting Navalny’s imprisonment. I had him say “freedom, hope and truth” in Russian. He’s headed to join the Ukrainian army this week”. He added “It features myself on piano, voice, Soviet analogue synth, melodica and field recordings, and Kianna Blue on backing vocals and bass. Originally written for The Quiet Earth (the last Academy Of The Sun album) but now uncannily and undesirably relevant“. All proceeds from the single will go towards charities directly involved in humanitarian aid efforts in Ukraine. 100% of Bandcamp proceeds will be donated in support of two charities carrying out humanitarian work on the ground in Ukraine – Red Cross Ukraine and Razom For Ukraine – each of them covering slightly different areas of aid. Further, Revolut Bank will match contributions to Red Cross Ukraine over the next week. Download the single via Bandcamp and learn how you can support Ukraine and its people at this critical moment in world history. I know anything that you can do will be much appreciated by the Ukrainian people suffering the consequences of Putin’s vile actions.
Credits for “Lights Svoboda”
Written, arranged, and produced by Nick Hudson.
Piano, voice, Faemi M1, melodica – Nick Hudson
Bass, backing vocals – Kianna Blue
Piano and voice recorded at Church Road Studios by Paul Pascoe.
Everything else was recorded between Manchester and Brighton.
Mastered by Ian D. Breen/Yas Kween.
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With Just A Hint Of Mayhem 
[…] British artist Nick Hudson, now based in Georgia, Eastern Europe has released a new single “Khevsureti” as a taster for his new album, ‘Kanda Teenage Honey’, which is scheduled for release on 15th March. It is cinematic in scope and ambition and features some gorgeous, emotional, and at times spine-tingling music and orchestration. Vocally Hudson evokes the most soulful performances of David Sylvian, David Bowie, Robert Wyatt, and maybe Boy George. If you are interested, Khevsureti is a region in Georgia. The single and the album was recorded largely in Georgia under the shadow of the Ukraine war, featuring some incredible Georgian musicians in a huge former Soviet movie studio, this album was recorded and engineered in Tbilisi and mixed by Toby Driver, and mastered to analogue tape by Paul Pascoe at Church Road Studios in Hove. The video to accompany “Khevsureti” was directed, filmed, and edited by Nick Hudson. This bloke is good at everything! It was filmed in various locations in Georgia: Korsha, the Abudelauri Lakes, Roshka, the Datvisjvari Pass, Shatili, and Tbilisi. It is a stunning piece of work, I love it. The music is magnificent even without the visuals, but alongside the film, the whole piece moves to a higher level completely. Hudson has featured on these pages before, back in 2022, when I reviewed his song “Lights Svoboda“. […]
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