Damon Albarn: Boiler Room Session

Performing music from his latest project "The Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream Flows"

The Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream Flows is the new project from singer, songwriter and composer Damon Albarn, inspired by the landscapes of Iceland. Albarn has been a frequent visitor to Iceland for almost three decades and has in this time found musical inspiration in its nature and landscapes.

This broadcast is the first performance of a selection of this new music and comes on the day Albarn was due to start a sold-out 15-date European tour which would have featured conductor André de Ridder and an ensemble of 14 musicians and 4 singers. The selection from The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows is performed by Albarn alone with materials from workshops which were interrupted by the global lockdown. The performance takes place in Albarn’s home studio The Barn and is his first live appearance this year.

Credits

Violin, Music Director and Conductor
André de Ridder

Viola
Alexina Hawkins
Shelley Soerensen

Cello, Voice
Joséphine Stephenson

Double Bass
Caimin Gilmore
Laura Nygren

Horn
Rakel Björt Helgadóttir
Bergrún Snaebjörnsdóttir

Horn, Percussions
Romain Bly

Trombone
Sigrún Kristbjörg Jónsdóttir

Bass trombone
Carol Jarvis

Guitar
Simon Tong

Visual Creative Director
Nathan Prince

Iceland Footage
Snorri Bros and Matt Cronin

Artwork
Einar Örn Benediktsson

Editors
Matt Cronin
Nathan Prince

Performance Filmed by
Missy Albarn

Recorded by
Samuel Egglenton

Special Thanks to George Ruthledge, Ishah Joseph and Stephen Sedgwick at Studio 13. Marc Cardonnel, Fanny Deroff at Rain dog productions and Bryn Ormrod. Niamh Byrne, Regine Moylett, Tanyel Vahdettin and Gaby Power at Eleven Mgmt. Damon Albarn is managed by Eleven Mgmt.