Irish producer Chris W Ryan (Just Mustard, NewDad and his own Robocobra Quartet) began releasing music under the moniker SORBET in 2020 with the express intention to cleanse the palate; both for the listener and himself. Spending much of his time in the studio with other artists, Chris took inspiration from producer-led albums like Brian Eno's Another Green World: "I love the way you can hear the playful interaction be-tween friends on an album like that -- there are none of the constraints or rules that you might have when you're trying to represent the sound of a live band or artist". Exploring freely across genre bounds, the world of SORBET is informed by electronic music just as much as classical and alt-pop, with nods to artists like Laurie Anderson, Arthur Russell, Kate Bush and David Byrne. Inspired by this freedom of creativity, the debut SORBET album This Was Paradise features a host of collaborators orbiting around Chris' nucleus, in which he flexes his ability as a composer and technician in equal measure: "It's all the same to me: producing beats, writing lyrics, drawing up sheet music for classical musicians, EQ'ing snare drums - I'm just using everything I can to create something exciting to listen to". These collaborations include vocal features from Maija Sofia, Mark McCambridge (Arborist) and M?che?l Keating (Bleeding Heart Pigeons) as well as powerful instrumental performances from musicians working in the jazz and classical world poached by Chris. "There are so many great musicians on this record, some of which I've been friends with years and others that I've been admiring for a while and itching to work with like jazz saxophonist Lara Jones and upright bass player Jack Kelly". These two musicians feature on lead single I Heard His Scythe, a song which slices through the despair with an Optimistic Nihilism that is central to the record. Featuring a musical backing that nods to Kate Bush's Watching You Without Me alongside Maija Sofia's airy refrain rebutting the grim reaper - "I heard his scythe whoosh past my ear / it gets a little louder every year". All of this sonic looseness is bound tightly by the concept behind This Was Paradise: A rumination on humanity's precarious position in a living Purgatory. "We're stuck between Paradise and Hell, always swinging between the two as a result of how we behave towards each other and our planet. For ex-ample, climate change is sliding us towards an almost literal Hell" This duality is represented in the binary use of electronic and acoustic instruments, especially in the case of album closer Hell - a recording split right down the middle between a string quartet and four synthesisers. "Aesthetically I wanted to hang in the balance of electronic and acoustic composition: between the natural world and humanity's imprint on it". Therein lies the central theme of This Was Paradise - an album littered with references to Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost which opens with Adam being expelled
Release date:
July 9, 2021
Label:
Install our app to receive notifications when new upcoming releases are added.

Recommended equipment and accessories
-
Technics SL-1500C Turntable
Features a direct-drive motor, a high-precision tonearm, and a premium MM cartridge, delivering exceptional sound quality
-
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.
-
Edifier R1280DB Powered Speakers
Combining classic design with modern Bluetooth connectivity, built-in amplification and versatile inputs, these speakers deliver rich, balanced sound.
-
Pro-Ject Phono Box DC Pre-Amp
Compact, high-performance phono preamplifier for both MM and MC cartridges, delivering a clean, detailed signal with minimal noise.
-
Phono Preamps - Top Picks
A selection of the best phono preamps for your turntable setup
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
-
Ed Sheeran Play
Atlantic
September 12, 2025 -
Tatsuro Yamashita Big Wave 2025 Edition
Wea Japan
July 4, 2025 -
hard life onion
Mercury Records/Republic
July 18, 2025 -
Scissor Sisters Scissor Sisters 20th Anniversary [2xLP]
Republic Records
July 18, 2025 -
Amorphis Borderland [2xLP]
Reigning Phoenix Music America, LLC
September 26, 2025 -
Alfa Mist Roulette [2xLP]
Sekito
October 3, 2025 -
Royel Otis hickey (Platinum) (Alt Cover) (Amazon Exclusive)
Ourness/Capitol
August 22, 2025 -
Ted Olsen Violette
Shifting Paradigm
July 4, 2025 -
The Beths Straight Line Was a Lie
Anti
August 29, 2025 -
David Bowie & Mick Jagger Dancing In The Street E.P. 2025
Rhino / Parlophone
August 29, 2025 -
The Lowdown Alpha Omega (Grey)
Code 7 UK
July 11, 2025 -
Paul Weller Find El Dorado [2xLP]
Warner Records/Parlophone
July 25, 2025 -
Auri III (Candles & Beginnings Gold Incl. 16-Page Booklet) [2xLP]
Nuclear Blast
August 15, 2025 -
JADE THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY!
Rca Records
September 12, 2025