The Smoky God, by Neil Campbell

The Smoky God

by Neil Campbell

supported by

	/

Streaming + Download

Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

Purchasable with gift card

£8 GBP or more
Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
CD in attractive digisleeve package.

Includes unlimited streaming of The Smoky God via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

ships out within 3 days

£8 GBP or more
Full Digital Discography

28

releases

Get all 28 Neil Campbell releases available on Bandcamp and save 50%.

Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of The Smoky God, Those Roads, Journey Into Space, Particle Theory [15th Anniversary Remaster], Alive in Prohibition, Faldum, Berlin Suite & Other Short Stories, Collected Systems Music (2002-2006), and 20 more. , and , .

Purchasable with gift card

£85.50 GBP or more (50% OFF)

1.	Setting Sail 04:44	buy track
2.	Franz Josef Land 03:03	buy track
3.	Fresh Water Streams 02:57	buy track
4.	The Opening 03:50	buy track
5.	Anthem of the Giants 01:50	buy track
6.	The Smoky God 05:45	buy track
7.	Returning 06:11	buy track
8.	Recollection 03:18	buy track

about

A mini-album based on Willis George Emerson's 'The Smoky God'

Most of the music of 'The Smoky God' originated at the end of my work with Joey Zeb, Andy Maslivec and Marty Snape in the band Bulbs around 2013. Pre-production of this recording recommenced in around 2016 in collaboration with Marty Snape, who contributed electronics and assisted with the album's pre-production. After moving the project across to Liverpool's Crosstown Studios, Roger Gardiner (bass) and Viktor Nordberg (drums) and I pulled together all the additional tracking, which involved a great deal of overdubbing on my part. A continuation of my work with engineer/co-producer Jon Lawton, we've brought to this album many production and arrangement techniques developed across recordings made together over the last five years, culminating in an album that melds progressive rock with systems (minimalist) music in equal measure.

The book upon which the album is based, 'The Smoky God, or a Voyage Journey to the Inner Earth', written by WIllis George Emerson and published in 1908, is a story presented as a true account describing the adventures of Olaf Jansen, a Norwegian sailor, who sailed with his father through an entrance to the Earth's interior at the North Pole. In the story, for two years Jansen and his father lived with the inhabitants of an underground network of colonies who, Emerson writes, were 12 feet tall and whose world was lit by a "smoky" central sun - the Smoky God. At the end of the story our protagonist Jansen returns, via a South Pole passage, to the surface world. Nobody believes his fanciful tale and he is institutionalised for many years in an asylum. Only on his deathbed is his personal testimony transcribed by Emerson in the book.

I would like to express thanks to all the above-mentioned musicians for their help in the 'voyage' of this piece of music, culminating in this recording. I would also like to extend thanks to a.P.A.t.T. member, producer and electronic musician Stephen Cole who contributed electronics on a section of the title track, to Úna Quinn who created her own uniquely different version of this album’s final track 'Recollection' as her track 'Sin é', ahead of this release (the final track on her 2019 album 'Inside Out') and who has been greatly encouraging throughout the ongoing development of the album, to Martin Atherton, who has also lent his ears and his encouragement to the work in progress, and to Colin Maddocks, Adrian Wharton and Paul Hunt for the visual contributions they have made.

Neil Campbell, December 2023

--

"The Smoky God is an inspiring, fiercely stimulating, and above all moving record, a piece of music history that straddles both the Progressive nature of humanity, and one that understands the natural homage to a classical nurturing, outstanding in every way." - Ian D. Hall, Liverpool Sound and Vision

"... possibly the most progressive rock direction I’ve heard from this musician as he expands his instrumental armoury to include all manner of synths and keyboards along with ‘electronics’... 'The Smoky God' maybe stands tall as the best thing I’ve heard from this incredibly talented musician." 4.5/5 stars - Steven Reid, Sea of Tranquility

"Listening to The Smoky God is like playing a Choose Your Adventure story. This is music from the very realm it describes. Fabulous in the OLD sense, insistent, demanding to be heard, taking us deeper and deeper into its narrative, musical web. This is EPIC stuff... Listening to Neil cracks open your heart and does all that alchemical stuff that music is capable of. He turns your mettle into gold, basically." - Tom Calderbank, Nerve Magazine

"As with most concept albums, a greater appreciation is gained by listening from start to finish, however rest assured each and every track delivers its own charm. Another fantastic release from Neil Campbell and for those ‘still’ unfamiliar with his music then The Smoky God is an excellent place to correct this oversight." - Bob Mulvey, The Progressive Aspect

" The album has a sense of adventure about it, captured by track titles Setting Sail, Anthem Of The Giants and Returning. With so many guitar riffs, synths, keyboards, drums and more, there’s so much going on and it certainly takes you on a journey that takes your imagination into overdrive." - Justin Hopper, La Vida Liverpool

"As with all albums I have encountered by this fine UK artist so far, this is a high quality creation through and through. The acoustic guitar is arguably still the most striking singular element, but we get some fine examples of mesmerizing songs without the acoustic guitar present as a dominant instrument too, and many fine and brilliant moments where the acoustic guitar combines with additional dominant instruments in a brilliantly transfixing manner." 6/6* - Olav Bjornsen, Progressor.net

credits

released March 8, 2024

Neil Campbell (classical and acoustic guitars, bass, Godin MultiAc guitar, Roland VG99, Korg Monologue, Korg Kaoss Pad KP3, Boss SY1, EMS Synthi AKS, additional keyboards, electronics & programming)
Marty Snape (electronics and pre-production)
Roger Gardiner (additional bass)
Viktor Nordberg (drums)
Stephen Cole (electronics on track 6)
Jon Lawton (electronics and electronic percussion programming)

All Music Composed and Arranged by Neil Campbell
Engineered by Jon Lawton at Crosstown Studios, Liverpool
Produced by Neil Campbell and Jon Lawton

Cover Image by Colin Maddocks
Inner Photo by Adrian Wharton
Design by Paul Hunt

license

about

Neil Campbell Liverpool, UK

Liverpool composer and multi-instrumentalist.

‘One of the best acoustic guitar players of our time’ - Jon Neudorf, Sea of Tranquility

“Neil Campbell remains one the U.K.’s shamefully undiscovered contemporary composers, and I for one hope a larger audience awaits him soon” - Bob Mulvey, TPA

'music of serious quality and distinction' - Tom Robinson, BBC 6 Music ... more

neilcampbell.org.uk

contact / help

Contact Neil Campbell

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like Neil Campbell, you may also like:

Zopp
by Zopp

supported by 6 fans who also own “The Smoky God”

The new live EP by Ryan W. Stevenson's project reminded me, that this debut album must have been gone down the wishlist... If instrumental Canterbury stuff is your thing, this should be a no-brainer. Firmly rooted in the past (late 60s, 70s), nevertheless with a fresh sound. Guests incude The Tangent's Andy Tillison and Soft Machine's Theo Travis. Carsten Pieper
go to album
Still Alive / A Visit To Rockfield
by Tiger Moth Tales

supported by 5 fans who also own “The Smoky God”

Astonishingly beautiful song.. thank you! Colman Jones
go to album
Beyond
by Fragile

supported by 5 fans who also own “The Smoky God”

Got hooked after the first 5 minutes. A lengthy genre pioneered (arguably) by Yes, but taken further by Fragile, and missing from the latter yes albums. Fragile are their own band, leaving the tribute tag behind. Yep.... more to explore. Looking forward to receiving the CD. Wish their was an option for an autographed copy though. HayHo. bertie40
go to album
Consequential
by Samuel Sharp

The composer regularly blurs the lines between classical, jazz, and electronic music on his latest album. Bandcamp New & Notable Jun 16, 2023
go to album
The Journey Tapes (Deluxe Edition)
by Ed Carlsen

Six new bonus tracks round out the deluxe edition of this piano-driven contemporary classical masterpiece. Bandcamp New & Notable Dec 8, 2016
go to album
The Journey Tapes
by Ed Carlsen

Cinematic soundscapes from a rising contemporary classical star. Bandcamp New & Notable Aug 11, 2016
go to album
water movements
by Gleb Kolyadin

supported by 5 fans who also own “The Smoky God”

Thank you, Gleb for the joy I experience every time when I am listening your magic compositions! nadktins
go to album