Malcolm Galloway, best known as the creative force behind progressive rock band Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate, has had a contemporaneous career as a contemporary classical/minimalist composer since 2015. Stare is his eighth solo effort in this genre.
According to his Bandcamp page, “all the music on the album is written and programmed/recorded by [Galloway]. Other than the solo guitar part for Ostinato, the other sounds are produced entirely in silico.” If you find this description off-putting, one listen will change your mind. If you appreciate artists such as Philip Glass (particularly around the time of his Glassworks recording) and the orchestral works of Steve Reich, you will find much to savour on Stare. At times haunting, brooding, joyous and baffling, Galloway’s music rewards both attentive listeners and those who enjoy an instrumental background to their Sunday afternoon.
Stare begins with the monster epic, the thirty three and a half minute Under Countless Stars. Subtly shifting meters change the feel of what appears to be a simple, repetitive piano and strings motif. As the piece moves forward, the piano adds notes and other sounds peek through furtively. The orchestral parts occasionally swell into prominence, only to subside once again. The music is more mesmerizing than melodic. Tuned percussion joins the piano for more texture, and a second, slower piano line rises above the core line. A lone cello accompanies the piano, distant and tentative. The rapid flurry of keyboard notes provide momentum as the intermittent dominance of strings bless the song with heft. The music ebbs and flows, creating micro moods within the larger, busier framework. There is a superficial resemblance to Philip Glass, but without that composer’s clinical bent. The string sections become more fulsome as Stars progresses, constantly transforming the piece. In the last few minutes, the song returns to the piano-centric opening, bringing the epic full circle.
A bright flourish of strings and brass introduce Natrolite, a punchy and playful tune that belies a dark undertone. This time the piano plays a supporting role to the orchestral arrangement. Around the midway mark, the orchestration feels frantic, as if the listener is being chased by some malevolent, unseen force. The focus remains on mood as opposed to melody as the music skitters, bobs and weaves, creating a nervous, anxiety-filled tension that seems to heighten rather than resolve, ending as abruptly as it begins. The short Scherzo No. 1 is a hyperactive string piece which eventually breaks down for a short respite. As the piano enters, it picks up the nervous energy of the strings, even overtaking them for a while.
Brooding strings herald the arrival of Ice Fossils. The atmosphere is tense and cinematic, made all the more foreboding by the repetition of a single piano note. Around two minutes in, the strings swell emotionally but not forcefully, a bit reminiscent of Henryk Górecki. The piano plinks away gently and the string arrangement darkens and oozes like warm molasses. A lightly plucked harp provides distraction from the glacial pace while what sounds somewhat like an electric piano riffs as the strings stretch out the tension, no release in sight. The aforementioned riff both builds upon and folds in on itself, for a creepily jarring atmosphere. Ice Fossils will send chills down your spine. Imagine the piano riff of Feelin’ Alright performed by Vince Guaraldi and you are somewhere in the ballpark of A Lacquered Ceramic Owl. Accompanied by drums and keys and anchored by a simple bass riff, the song is an exercise in layering interest onto repetition. The piece has the feel of a seventies jazz fusion record, but the melody never strays far from its roots. Ceramic Owl is easily the album’s most immediate and catchy tune.
The album proper concludes with Ostinato For Electric Guitar And Laptop. An electric piano phrase and programmed drums set the floor for layered guitars, the only live instruments on the album. From percussive picking to four note phrases, the guitar eddies and swirls almost as relentlessly as the keys. The emphasis shifts at around five minutes in to create a new dynamic built with the same elements. There is a kinship with some of the Alan Parsons Project’s early instrumental excursions, but without the melodic adventurism.
A couple bonus tracks complete the album. Flugle Doodle is a short sketch for brass that is all manic energy and a fun roller coaster ride. Ostinato For Electric Guitar And Laptop (Backing Track Without Solo Guitar) is a reprise of the album’s closing number with the guitar part removed. However, the album includes a PDF of the music for the guitar instrumental so that you can play along.
Stare is not one of those albums likely to find a mass audience. And that’s a shame. For the prog minded among us, there is much to geek out on. For the more casual listener, the hypnotic quality of the music, even when it explodes in bursts of joyous sound, can be heard deceptively as a relaxing, warm aural bath. As Galloway explained in our chat, “I take the approach that we now have a huge range of compositional options available to use, and we are free to use whichever techniques we want to express what we want to express.” Whichever option he chooses, the listener wins.
[Malcolm Galloway kindly spoke with TPA’s John Giordano about his creative approach to Stare which you can find HERE]
TRACK LISTING
01. Under Countless Stars (33:27)
02. Natrolite (12:17)
03. Scherzo No. 1 (3:01)
04. Ice Fossils (16:56)
05. A Lacquered Ceramic Owl (6:45)
06. Ostinato For Electric Guitar And Laptop (9:17)
~ Bonus tracks:
07. Flugle Doodle (Bonus track) (1:01)
08. Ostinato For Electric Guitar And Laptop [Backing track without solo guitar] (9:16)
Total Time – 92:00
MUSICIANS
Malcolm Galloway – Guitar, Programming
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Independent
Country of Origin: UK
Date of Release: 11th August 2026
LINKS
Malcolm Galloway – Website (HOGIA) | Facebook | Facebook (HOGIA) | Bandcamp | YouTube
