Christopher Haddow is a Glasgow born and based guitarist and composer. From his home studio in the village of Chalford Christopher experiments with guitar, field recordings and tape loops. His style explores the ethereal sounds of lap steel guitar and the intricate textures of open tuned primitive guitar. From a young age Christopher was drawn to Americana, Folk, and artists like John Fahey. Encouraged by his father’s passion for music and records, Christopher taught himself the guitar and spent his teenage years in many bands. His first significant venture was as lead guitarist in surf new wave band Paper Planes. He dabbled in the psychedelic avant garde with Eugene Tombs and is currently a member of Jacob Yates and the Pearly Gate Lockpickers with contributions across three albums and a collaboration of 10 years with their frontman Jacob Lovatt. Now, Christopher steps into the solo spotlight. His minimal, layered approach combines organic soundscapes with spontaneous improvisations, embracing unpredictability to craft a tapestry of sound rich in emotional depth, transforming momentary feelings into permanent documents.
Christopher Haddow has released his debut instrumental album An Unexpected Giant Leap on September 6th. This album is a thoughtful journey recalling the moments of early parenthood. Christopher recorded this album over three days at the Green Door in Glasgow. Having influences like Brian Eno, John Farley, Link Wray and Marisa Anderson. Christopher set out to create a musical landscape with emotional depth working with John Longton on double bass and Jamie Bolland on piano. The boys used the recordings of the first take of each track keeping the album raw and unfiltered. The album is bookend by an ultrasound of Christopher’s son Louie, summarizing the deeply personal and emotional nature of this album. With undertones of deconstructed ambient country, the album serves as both a time capsule and a tool for soothing his son to sleep, echoing the continuous loops of pushing a buggy in circles around the park. An Unexpected Giant Leap is an intimate portrait of Christopher’s experiences as a new parent, a musical photograph rendered in sound, and a heartfelt tribute to his family.
An Unexpected Giant Leap has 9 tracks and a full listening time of 43 minutes. Yellow Night Light Colour is the first track on the album and starts with Christopher’s baby’s ultrasound and fades into a heartfelt instrumental. Everything That Rises… follows thereafter and is a beautifully soothing piano instrumental. Nightshift Lull is another euphony piano instrumental. Look Homeward has bass and piano and is easy on the ear and is my personal favourite from the album. …Must Converge has mellifluous piano and An Unexpected Giant Leap starts with a noise on loop and fades into harmonious bass and piano. Talla Reservoir starts with pleasant guitar and then has some sweet toned piano throughout. Penultimate tracks Rosy Pinks & Golden Nude are sweet instrumentals and final track Painting a Garden Chair has a melodious guitar flowing throughout.