In October 2019, Australian alternative artist RY X stepped on stage at the Royal Albert Hall and completed a lifetime ambition. Not only was he performing in one of the most historic and dazzling venues in the world, but his tremulous voice and stark emotional songwriting was complemented by the London Contemporary Orchestra.
It was a special, once-in-a-lifetime event that has been documented in RY X’s album ‘Live at the Royal Albert Hall’, which is out now digitally via Infectious Music/ BMG. It will also be released on limited edition maroon smoke-effect double vinyl on May 14th.
After the opening strings and applause that herald ‘Sweat’, RY X’s voice emerges raw and vulnerable before the music that surrounds him flourishes into a crescendo of stirring strings, mournful horns and minimalist beats. As with much of the set, it uses the original song as a springboard for something far more expansive. The recording also showcases an artist who has a masterly control over the atmosphere he creates, whether on the meditative ‘Shortline’ or the continually escalating drama of ‘The Water’.
Hymnal and hypnotic, ‘Howling’ proves to be a highlight it infuses the vast venue with the intimacy that’s become a hallmark of RY X’s finest work. Those traits also resonate with fresh versions of two fan favourites: ‘Berlin’, which famously featured in the acclaimed BBC drama ‘Normal People’ and has exceeded 150 million streams, and the show’s power closer ‘Only’.
‘Live At The Royal Albert Hall’ not only captures the majesty, warmth and emotion that are hallmarks of RY X’s live performances, but it also provides a document of a show that will live long in the memory of everyone present. As one observer commented, the show was, “A true testament to just how incredible live music can be when it’s done right.”
RY X commented: “This was a very special night in a beautiful space surrounded by thousands of your eyes and breaths.
I hope it brings peace and an opening of heart to you. There is a lot to stand for in the world, right now, and always. I’ll be with you on the streets sharing my voice loudly, and I’ll be working to pour my heart and life’s essence into creating art and music that can seed change in any and all the ways it can. I hope you will lean in to do the same. Make the differences you can.”
