‘Beautiful Fantastic Planet’ is the latest release from keyboardist, singer, and songwriter Christopher Holland. Inspired by the shimmery, lush sounds of Stevie Wonder (80s Stevie to this writer’s ears), the song communicates that ‘love is the key‘ against a flowing, melodious arrangement. Katy Shotter’s vocals are delightful.
Holland explains:
“I had the chord sequence and melody for a while (just noodling around on my old Wurlitzer piano) and put it down with a couple of clavinets to a click track, just as an idea. Then one morning on the way to the studio (to record some vocals with Katy Shotter on another song ) I was listening to the radio in the car and David Attenborough was discussing the whole climate change thing and I think he ended by saying it was a beautiful and fantastic planet… Which must’ve stuck with me, as when I got to the studio, I scribbled down a few words about it and then at the end of the day before Katy left, I got the rough track up, gave her the words and she pretty much nailed it in one take! Then I added a Moog bass, Rhodes, Piano and Mellotron and later Ash Soan laid some drums down on top and that was pretty much it. I love the way she sings it as it was so fresh and has a sort of urgency about it which works really well I think”
