Health & Fitness
Thomas Dolby returns to Martyrs in Chicago for rare preview appearance
The past-futuristic "A Map of the Floating City" is Thomas Dolby's first studio album in twenty years. On Friday, Dolby visits Martyrs to discuss his immersive Floating City online game and perform.
Thomas Dolby at Martyrs
Friday, October 7, 2011
3855 N.LINCOLN CHICAGO (773.404.9494)
6:15PM
Purchase tickets for $17
The past-futuristic scenes which unfold during A Map of the Floating City represent Thomas Dolby's first new studio album in twenty years. During the preceding two decades, the versatile Dolby has created music away from the pop charts and spent time as a successful silicon valley entrepreneur.
Best known for his 1982 single "She Blinded Me with Science," Dolby's music has ranged far beyond that single's roots in New Wave synth-pop. He has explored torch songs, funk, sweeping atmospherics, rock, folk and Cajun-inflected pop. Due October 25, A Map to the Floating City coalesces Dolby's broad palette into a single conceptual journey spanning three imaginary continents. It serves both as a standalone musical document and as a companion to Dolby's "social networking transmedia game" hosted at floatingcity.com.
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The new album finds Dolby in fine musical form. The banjo-inflected "Toad Lickers" is among his most whimsical work, while the sweeping "Oceanea" overflows with gentle, cinematic beauty. The propulsive "Spice Train" revels in snaky minimalism with a club-friendly beat. The majestic "17 Hills" features the fluid and understated guitar of former Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler. Other guests include contemporary favorites such as Regina Spektor and Imogen Heap.
On Friday, Dolby visits Martyrs to discuss Floating City, which he refers to as a "dieselpunk dystopia." Along with his band, he'll also perform new songs and old favorites. The mini-tour spans only seven cities. Dolby's stop in Chicago returns him to the same venue where he recorded his inventive one-man show for CD release in 2006 as The Sole Inhabitant.
