Dorset based Singer/songwriter Ralph Bishop has recently released his debut solo album The Path. The album is virtually a totally solo project as Ralph has written, arranged and recorded the whole project over last two years. He took the stems for the tracks that he had recorded at home into the Hangover Hill studio in Wimborne, where they were refined and reworked with the help of producer Matt Black. He played everything on this album except for the drums, which apparently he hopes to learn to play himself at some stage.
Ralph is an already highly accomplished guitarist and pianist; currently studying jazz guitar at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Ralph’s musical depth is clear. His debut single, “The Man Without Words” caught the attention of BBC Introducing with its intricate, mature sound — earning praise as “musically genius.” Influenced from an early age by artists like David Bowie, The Beatles and The Zombies; Ralph’s musical foundation is a rich mix of classic and modern, jazz and psychedelia with songwriting deeply inspired by the lyrical imagery and harmonies of Odyssey and Oracle, a lifelong favourite.
Following lockdown, Ralph emerged with new material that would shape his debut album The Path. The album, an amalgamation of two years of writing and recording was first crafted in his DIY set-up and later refined in the studio. Now in London, Ralph is ready to share The Path; an honest reflection of his journey from Dorset to the world stage, blending heartfelt lyrics, sophisticated musicianship and a lifelong love for music into a sound that’s uniquely his own.
This project has been rolled out over the last year, which involved a stream of singles including “The Man Without Words”, “Solstice”, “Long Lonely Day” and “More Than Ever”. As well as being a solo artist, Ralph can also found fronting his band “Reddle”. From an early age Ralph has felt the draw of music and has enriched himself with a wide range of influences and used these with musical aptitude. Rock is undoubtably at the heart of these tunes, with subtle twists featuring progressive and psychedelic flavours. There is an atmosphere, a depth, along with an air of mystic to these tunes.
Ralph Bishop is a musician living in the modern world – but belongs in an era when music was being discovered. His sound is always surprising and very non-linear, requiring high musical talent and knowledge to produce. He is not interested in perfection, but uses real instruments and no modern gimmicks with his old school recording techniques to capture not only the song, but also the performance – a rare balancing act which sees many less talented artists rely on modern tech to polish tracks almost artificially. That’s not Ralph’s way, what you hear on record is what you’ll hear live.
The tracks on this collection provide a small showcase to what this artist is really about and at just 18 years of age, it is clear this is just the beginning of a long musical journey.
Track Listing
Chakra (Prelude)
Chakra
More Than Ever
Humdrum Town
212
It’s Not Too Late
Solstice
Man Without Words
Long Lonely Day
Photographs
Morning News
Bankers Wages
The Path (Live)
You can find the album here.
Links:
https://linktr.ee/ralphbishop_music
https://www.facebook.com/ralph.bishop.161
