Switched On – Danalogue: Teleportations (Castles in Space)

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Reviewed by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

This is the first solo LP from Dan Leavers, a founding member of The Comet Is Coming and half of Soccer96, better known as Danalogue.

That name implies a healthy sense of humour, though there is a serious point behind his debut, too, as the press release informs us. “Conceived as a continuous, journey-based piece, Teleportations is a warm, playful and immersive album that transforms endings, grief and personal upheaval into a vivid science-fictional voyage of escape, healing and renewal.”

It taps into a musical upbringing or enormous variety, while being inspired by a number of Science fiction sources, including “astral travel, theta brainwaves, collective consciousness, the artist Jean Giraud, the writer Ernst Bloch and the film maker Miyazaki”.

What’s the music like?

This is a really enjoyable album, and fulfils Leavers’ wish to make a positive, warm-hearted record. This one has a cosmic tint to it, as well, with a number of the tracks making room for semi-improvised thoughts that are given just the right amount of room to breathe.

Showing off his versatility – though not for the sake of it – Leavers includes a slow, yacht-rock inspired jam (Far Beyond The Sun) and colourful, funky poolside house (Moebius Triptych) in the album’s early moments, allowing room in the latter for more extensive synthesizer noodling. Arrival At Rho Ophiuchi could be the theme to your newest sci-fi binge, while postlude Earth Remembrance Day is a deep blue ocean of sound.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HvuDDxA15I Theta Wave Convergence is especially good, a warm bath of minimal keyboard riffs tripping along on the deeper side of house, the synths bubbling just beneath the surface. In fact the Danalogue house credentials are strong, as the ebullient Onto The Next Dimension shows.

Theta Wave Convergence is especially good, a warm bath of minimal keyboard riffs tripping along on the deeper side of house, the synths bubbling just beneath the surface. In fact the Danalogue house credentials are strong, as the ebullient Onto The Next Dimension also shows.

Does it all work?

It does – and proves equally enjoyable when enjoyed in snippets or in one single span.

Is it recommended?

Enthusiastically. A reminder that electronic music can be a lot of fun, delivering more endorphins than we have a right to expect from a debut album. Music to put a smile on the listener’s face!

Listen / Buy

Published post no.2,946 – Monday 13 July 2026

On this day 165 years ago – the birth of Anton Arensky

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Otkrytoe Pismo Antonij Arensky Postcard-1910

by Ben Hogwood. Picture of Arensky used courtesy of Wikipedia, unknown author

On this day, 165 years ago, a lesser known Russian composer by the name of Anton Arensky was born. Regular readers of Arcana may know that I have something of a soft spot for his music, which at its best channels the poise and elegance of Mendelssohn with the passion of Tchaikovsky. Earlier this year we learned about his songs, in the company of soprano Anastasia Prokofieva and pianist Sergey Rybin.

Yet there are many strings to Arensky’s bow, the most prominent of which is his Piano Trio no.1, a fine piece which you can listen to below, in a fine version from the Beaux Arts Trio:

Published post no.2,945 – Sunday 12 July 2026

On this day – the death of George Gershwin

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by Ben Hogwood. Picture of Gershwin used courtesy of Wikipedia, unknown author

The great composer and songwriter George Gershwin died on this day in 1937. Here is his sparky Cuban Overture:

What tune does it use?

The first movement of the Sinfonietta, by Leoš Janáček (born on this day in 1854):

The Sinfonietta is a thrilling orchestral work, begun with a powerful brass fanfare but containing five incident-packed movements.

How does it work?

The main melody of the first movement Fanfare is the basis for Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s song, but in his keyboard part Keith Emerson refers to other parts of the work.

Then, on his solo from 2’40”, Emerson departs from Janáček’s blueprint with a characteristically incisive solo, backed by a virtuosic drum track. From 3’25” the style broadens to include explicit references to J.S. Bach, the Allemande of his French Suite no.1 in D minor:

What else is new?

You can hear the whole of the Sinfonietta below, in a thrilling performance from the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra under Sir Charles Mackerras, in a recording made in 1980:

Published post no.2,929 – Friday 26 June 2026

New music – Michael Brook: Cobalt Blue / Live At The Aquarium (4AD)

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by Ben Hogwood, from the press release

Today, Canadian musician Michael Brook, Grammy-nominated film composer (Heat, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Into the Wild) and inventor of the ‘infinite guitar’, releases the first vinyl reissue of his 1992 4AD record Cobalt Blue and the vinyl debut of Live at the Aquarium.

These underrated gems from the 4AD catalogue have been newly remastered by Rashad Becker and are presented on Crystal Clear 2×LP and 2CD with artwork by Alison Fielding based on the original v23 designs.

Cobalt Blue is a timeless and quietly stunning collection of instrumental pieces and shimmering dreamscapes, featuring contributions from ambient music pioneer Brian Eno, composer & multi-instrumentalist Roger Eno, and Grammy-winning producer Daniel Lanois. Recorded later that year, Live at the Aquarium captures Brook’s rare solo performance in London, highlighting the hypnotic sustain and atmosphere that define his work. 

Michael Brook’s Cobalt Blue & Live at the Aquarium is available from today, 10 July, digitally, on Crystal Clear 2xLP and 2xCD. To order, and for more information, head HERE.

Published post no.2,943 – Friday 10 July 2026