Today sees the release of ‘Revelations’ the new album from Daphne Guinness, produced by Tony Visconti and available now via Agent Anonyme/Absolute. Daphne recorded the new album at Les Studios Saint Germain, Paris – working once again with David Bowie producer Visconti, also at the helm for Guinness’ previous two critically-acclaimed albums, ‘Optimist in Black’ and ‘Daphne & The Golden Chord’. ‘Revelations’ is now available to stream across all platforms here.
Retaining the analogue recording techniques used on ‘Daphne & The Golden Chord’, ‘Revelations’ finds Guinness on playfully incisive form as she squares the circle between her asymmetric musical tastes and the uncertainties of the modern world. Guinness’ creative partnership with Visconti was forged via an introduction from Bowie, a fan of Daphne’s music.
Their first outing – Daphne’s critically praised 2016 debut ‘Optimist in Black’ – was a Sixties-influenced affair heavily influenced by the loss of two of her closest friends (both of whom referenced Guinness as a muse), Alexander McQueen and Isabella Blow, both to suicide. Visconti produced ‘Optimist….’ concurrently alongside ‘Blackstar’, with Bowie often dropping in on Tony’s sessions with Daphne.
Once more partnering with her musical director, Malcolm Doherty (the pair having met whilst touring with Visconti’s Bowie tribute outfit, Holy Holy), for ‘Revelations’ Daphne has brought together a band featuring Doherty and his Go-Kart Mozart bandmate Terry Miles amongst its ranks, alongside Roger Manning Jr (Air, Beck) and Rod Melvin (Brian Eno).
The album explores a French-flavoured disco sound, the band slipping into their white Repetto shoes to capture the nonchalant grooves of mid 70’s Gainsbourg, sprinkled with the dance floor decadence of Studio 54. It includes single release ‘Deviant Disco’, which also features in a new art-film project – nominated for this year’s Berlin Music Video Awards – created by Daphne with another long-term collaborator, David LaChapelle.
Though you’ve probably heard the name before, Guinness somehow resists definition. There’s the close friendships with McQueen and Blow, the various collaborations with artists & designers, alongside well-respected ventures in the world of film.
If you’re wondering at this stage what her reason for making albums with Visconti at the helm might be, a better question to ask is why she waited so long. A young Daphne trained professionally as a Lieder singer, gaining a place at the Guildhall School of Music before life for her took a left turn towards marriage and raising her children. “I began in music”, she reveals, “and now I’ve ended up there.”
Find Daphne Guinness online on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and her official website.
