We’re looking back at one of the contenders for 2025 Album of the Year with this one.
We’re doing something special today: we’re revisiting Solarstone‘s latest artist album, innermost, released in June on Black Hole Recordings. The album is one of Rich’s most personal works to date, touching on the — often left behind — personal feelings of the artist, poured into the record. Because, yes, believe it or not, there’s still people out there who make music from the bottom of their hearts, and it is obvious to the ear and the soul that Rich is one of them.
For better or for worse, getting to this review took far longer than I ever expected. To put it simply, life happened between the release of innermost and today. Yet throughout all of that happening of life, innermost has been right there by my side: in car rides, at home, when I need to unwind, and to savour those unique moments life itself gives you, like a pink sunset, or heavy rain watering the hills outside your window.
innermost
innermost is humble, delicate and personal, yet so powerful for this very reason. Competing against parent albums with 15 or more songs, just ten pieces, all written in lowercase, are enough to tell the story Rich has to tell this time. Five years after Island, his previous artist album, 2025’s innermost, true to its name, dives deep into emotions, experiences, and life stories. Many of the pieces making up the album pay homage to those who inspired and supported all artists involved in it.
Four vocalists shine throughout the long-play: Clara Yates in ‘your sacrifice‘, Susie Ledge in ‘star‘, Evan Henzi in ‘underground‘, and Solarstone himself in ‘over the mountains‘, which marks the first time he’s ever taken the lead singer role in one of his records, once again doubling down on the whole intimate aspect of innermost.
I don’t want to overcomplicate the description of this album. To put it simply, innermost is a journey for those who love feelings, for those who love to love, and those who love the feeling of being carried away so far out of orbit thanks to a single melody that you begin to cry. The LP is a Michelin-star meal for the ears, a voyage for the mind, and a band-aid capable of piecing together a broken soul.
Writer’s Picks
Rich’s music always makes me feel a certain way. His songs ignite something in me that is so unique to his and only his way of producing, and I’m glad to shout it out loud that this album was not an exception to that rule. Two songs became my best friends ever since they came out, and they’ve been able to lift me up when I’ve been underground, and make me smile singing out loud when my base emotion was already cheerful: ‘star‘, and ‘over the mountains‘.
There’s no “one absolute favourite” this time around: I love both songs equally. Both songs achieve that ultimate confirmation of an incredible track: goosebumps. Literal goosebumps. While Susie’s voice in ‘star’ reminds me of the Dido years of the 2000s resting on an angelic instrumental, the honesty of ‘over the mountains’ with Rich sharing the lullaby he sang to his children feels out of this world. They are two of the best tracks I’ve heard in years. It’s always Rich. It’s always him.
Solarstone — innermost Tracklist
- shivelight
- your sacrifice with Clara Yates
- over the mountains
- dream sequence
- star with Susie Ledge
- innermost
- underground with Evan Henzi
- sonata
- boy
- complicated
Final Words
In a way, I’m almost glad that it took me this long to sit down and write this review, because it allowed me to settle my thoughts about it. And if the truth is that the longer I’ve had this body of work with me, the better it’s made me feel and the more it’s helped me undergo the valleys of life, it’s got to be a good album.
As I said earlier, the Solarstone touch always makes me feel something special. It’s something in the way Rich makes his synths, or the simple melodies that stick with you, or the emotional depth each composition carries. I don’t know what it is, but Solarstone is a magical artist, and I’m so happy that, after all these years, he still has this Midas touch inside. Those are the artists worth their weight in gold.
Listen to Solarstone‘s latest monumental album innermost by hitting the ‘Play‘ button on the Spotify player below. Also, click here to support the release on your platform of choice. Be sure to follow our page to stay up to date on the latest news and views regarding our beloved Dance music industry.