Award-winning composer for video games and Scottish artist, Barry "Epoch" Topping (PARADISE KILLER, SENTRY, THATCHER'S TECHBASE, ENCOUNTERS) returns with “The Needs”, 11 songs of lavish reflection in a modern city pop style. The album takes the listener through an emotional exploration of identity and change set against the backdrop of late summer. It fuses city pop, rock and dance music into a rich, dreamy blast of video game-tinged modern pop music.

But “The Needs” is more than just an album title, like Barry explains: “It’s a new ensemble built around a core of the musicians that worked with me on Paradise Killer: Fiona Lynch, Fabian Hernandez, Thomas Temple and Kyle Murray-Dickson. A new trio of horns Elin Andersson, Nicklas Dahlin and Simon Fransman round out the full lineup. Having such talented musicians involved in a much bigger way has allowed us to challenge ourselves and make the best, most over the top music we’ve made yet. ‘The Needs’ was created as a vehicle for my own reflections and is intended to help listeners reflect and find solace too. No album can be universal but if ‘The Needs’ can help people feel seen or understood then I’ll feel like it’s been a success. Getting to make the album has been an extremely rewarding experience.”

Since Barry “Epoch” Topping is a household name for game soundtracks, of course also “The Needs” is influenced by that field: “I’m heavily inspired by the music of video games, so it felt natural to carry that inspiration throughout the album – musically, visually and conceptually. I worked closely with Giannis Milonogiannis, my game development partner at POLYGON BIRD Games, to create a main character for the album. Our idea was for this character to act as a stand-in for the listener, while being part of the broader story for people who want to look deeper.”

Introducing Rhoswen, one of four omnipresent demigods. They’re tasked with maintaining the world’s natural order through their stewardship of the four seasons, while providing humans with insight, inspiration and motivation through emotional and spiritual musical guidance. You could consider them as emotional mediums, or as a friend who introduces you to a new band just when you really need them. As the steward of summer, Rhoswen acts as the album’s main character, tying together the concept with the real-world musical and lyrical themes. Each song is about a different person’s life and experiences, as felt by Rhoswen. The front side of the vinyl’s lyric sheet reads: Rhoswen could hear the heartbeat of the city and she could feel the pain and the joy of the people that lived there. One by one they appeared, drawn to her as the moon draws the sea, with the recognition of a half-remembered dream. She took each one by the hand and led them into her world of music. The radio is alive.

Supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland.