John Metcalfe, who arranges songs for big names such as Coldplay, Simple Minds and The Pretenders, has produced albums with Peter Gabriel and has been touring for decades as a member of the Duke Quartet. Now he releases his debut album on the Neue Meister label. Metcalfe has always been surrounded by music. As a child, he would listen to his father sing opera, before a love of Kraftwerk and Joy Division led to a stint as a drummer in a high school band. But it was a move to Manchester that really accelerated his development as an artist, and led to him finding his true calling. Joining cult band The Durutti Column, then signed to legendary label Factory Records, brought him into the orbit of Tony Wilson and the Haçienda, formative events that would help foster his renegade spirit. Unimpressed with the strictures demanded by the classical recording industry, Metcalfe persuaded Wilson to launch the ground-breaking Factory Classical Label, aimed at unearthing exciting - and unconventional - new British talent. It was here that Metcalfe found a home, and the group that would come to define his musical career; the Duke Quartet. For nearly 30 years, they've existed at the vanguard of contemporary British music, innovating and delighting in equal measure. As a solo artist, Metcalfe explores electro-classical soundscapes and the boundaries between genres. His finely tuned compositions are neat yet grand in scale, both in terms of sound and the conceptual ideas underpinning them. Absence, the fifth record to bear his own name, is something of a departure for Metcalfe, framing bold images and themes with some of the most conventional song structures he's ever employed. But it's also his most affecting, deconstructing a subject he's been interested in since his childhood in New Zealand: Dealing with loss.
Release date:
November 16, 2018
Label:
Install our app to receive notifications when new upcoming releases are added.

Recommended equipment and accessories
-
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO
Featuring a one-piece carbon fiber tonearm, precision-tuned motor, and a heavy steel platter with TPE damping, it ensures superior stability and sound quality.
-
Cartridges - Top Picks
A selection of turnatble cartridges that provide great performance and sound quality
-
Vevor Ultrasonic Cleaner
Thoroughly clean and restore your vinyl records, removing dust, dirt, and grime from every groove without damaging the surface
-
Nobsound Little Bear T7 Tube Preamp
Delivers rich, warm audio through its high-quality vacuum tubes, featuring multiple inputs and adjustable gain
-
Technics SL-1500C Turntable
Features a direct-drive motor, a high-precision tonearm, and a premium MM cartridge, delivering exceptional sound quality
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
-
Grinderman Grinderman Eco
Bmg
July 18, 2025 -
Kathleen Edwards Billionaire
Dualtone Music Group
August 22, 2025 -
Modern Nature The Heat Warps
Bella Union
August 29, 2025 -
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard King Gizzard (Live In Las Vegas '24; Triple Splatter) [3xLP]
Reverberation Appreciation Soc
July 25, 2025 -
Enuff Z'Nuff Xtra Cherries
Cleopatra Records
July 25, 2025 -
Maroon 5 Love Is Like (Orange; Amazon Exclusive)
Interscope/Geffen/A&M
August 15, 2025 -
El Michels Affair 24 Hr Sports
Big Crown
September 5, 2025 -
Disiniblud (Rachika Nayar & Nina Keith) Disiniblud CARNELIAN
Smugglers Way
July 18, 2025 -
James Yorkston Songs for Nina and Johanna
Domino Record Co
August 22, 2025 -
Marissa Nadler New Radiations (White)
Sacred Bones
August 15, 2025 -
Hayes Carll We're Only Human
Hwy 87 Records
August 8, 2025 -
The Divine Comedy Rainy Sunday Afternoon (Dark Green)
Divine Comedy Recs
September 19, 2025 -
Newton Faulkner OCTOPUS (White)
Cooking Vinyl
September 19, 2025 -
Jehnny Beth You Heartbreaker, You
Fiction Records
August 29, 2025