- Desert Island Cloud

NYC-based producer indie music veteran Charlie Nieland presents his new ‘Divisions’ LP, out March 5, as well as a new video for ‘The Land of Accidents’. Directed by NYC-based multi-faceted artist Hypnodoll, this expansive, visceral music video is inspired by our beautiful earth. She notes “Where we’re from can often feel as if it were projected onto us”.

“As the pandemic took hold, so did my plan to produce ‘Divisions’ and I began a listening expedition through my inspirations, from The Beatles to Yes, Cocteau Twins to Interpol, Peter Gabriel to Blur, U2 and The Flaming Lips. I wanted these tracks to be mini-epics, where you hear something new every time you listen. I started recording in my apartment this summer and reached out to drummer Brian Geltner and cellist Patricia Santos, who recorded their parts at home and shared them with me,” explains Charlie Nieland.

“As restrictions lifted, I started a marathon tracking process at my studio that included violinist Heather Cole, both Susan Hwang from my band Lusterlit and Billy Loose from Her Vanished Grace on drums and Susan on backup vocals. I called into service all my instruments, from lap steel, to 6 and 12 string electric and acoustic guitars; fretless, fretted and 8 string basses; analog synths, virtual mellotrons, TR-808s and more. This whirlwind journey is heard here in the obsessive and passionate, surreal and visceral, dream-like progressive rock and dream pop of Divisions”

Nieland’s musical backstory is extensive, having written and produced material with such notable artists as Debbie Harry, Rufus Wainwright, Dead Leaf Echo, Blondie and Scissor Sisters. He scored the feature film ‘The Safety of Objects’ (starring Glenn Close), the pilot episode of ‘The L Word’ on Showtime and the VH-1documentary ‘NY77: The Coolest Year in Hell’. Charlie was awarded a Gold record (UK) for his production work on Blondie’s ‘Greatest Hits Sight & Sound’ and achieved a Top 10 Billboard Dance Chart Position with Debbie Harry’s single ‘Two Times Blue’, which he co-wrote and produced.