Moments of joy in July

Oh July, that joyful month when we dream of drifting in your arms, where the sun warms our skin and memories melt into each other to soothe your soul with gifts of love, food and friendship.

Aug 06, 2023

Hang on July - wait for me - because before any of the above shenanigans could happen, there was essential work to be done - namely rehearsing for the tour, making videos, podcasts and writing articles - plus learning and programming Ableton Live!

But what is Ableton and why are we programming it?

Well, Simon and I co-wrote and played all the instruments on our new album STARLITE.ONE except for the drums. We are touring the UK as a trio this September and between the three of us simply don’t have enough limbs to play everything that was recorded.

Ableton is a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) which we are using to playback and trigger sequences. It’s all about giving our audience a wonderful audiovisual experience and best serving the song.

Fortunately for me, programming is totally Simon’s department and I know how many hours he has studied to get to this point. Now I know where the phrase ‘steam coming out of your ears’ comes from - it’s been intense!!

Ableton Live computer screen programme — The arrangement view in Ableton Live! - the horror

Synthesiser heaven

Here are my new babies: the legendary Sequential Prophet-5 and Waldorf STVC.

On our song Shine The Light On Me I am playing both synths and singing all at the same time which is a first for me, but hey, life is for learning and living. Woohoo!

Waldorf STVC and Sequential Prophet 5 synthesisers — Sequential Prophet 5 and Waldorf STVC synthesisers

Lunch

We work long hours from our home studio and apart from our daily exercise, only stop for lunch, the occasional chat and numerous cups of tea. It’s our only meal of the day and we try and make it special.

Home-cooked food courtesy of my husband. Bacalhau (salt cod) with carrots, onions, tomato, green beans, chillies, garlic, bay leaves, black pepper, paprika and Carolina rice.

Moments of joy

Del Vecchio

We met up with our great friend Gabriele Del Vecchio, his partner Rachel and friend Claudia in Lisboa for the afternoon.

They had a stop-off whilst flying home from the Açores back to Valencia, Spain which gave us a good reason to take the train into the city and meet up for lunch and a wander through Portugal’s capital city.

Gabriele is a fine pianist who played three songs on our last studio album The Language of Curiosity and has toured Spain and the UK with us - we love this guy!!

Two men in Lisbon - Gabriele Del Vecchio and Simon Campbell — Gabriele Del Vecchio and Simon Campbell in Lisboa

Lisboa moments

I think it takes a kind of carefree abandon to hang out your knickers in public for all to see… Transient art in the streets of the quaint, but currently crowded, Alfama district.

A building in Lisbon with washing hanging from the first floor balcony and a shop door below — Knickers in Lisboa (check out the street name)

Lisbon, Portugal - city view — Classic Lisboa

Looking out to the River Teju from the city of Lisbon, Portugal — Looking out from Lisboa onto the Tejo estuary

Graffiti on a building in Lisbon — Celebrating grandmothers on the balcony - a sight that is becoming rarer in Lisboa

Simon Campbell in Lisbon and an empty icecream tub and sunglasses on the table — Wonderful Amorino ice cream

Tiago Cruz

We enjoyed a celebratory dinner in Samora Correia with our great friend Tiago who has started an exciting new job which takes him to Dubai for three months on rotation.

He did all the wonderful graphic design for STARLITE.ONE and along with his partner Daniela, are valued friends and very close to us. We will miss him but have plans with Dani to raid the wine cellar when he is away and send him live video footage of the evidence hehe….