Cephas Azariah is an Indian-born UK-based composer who will release his debut album, Joy Paradox, on the Reflections imprint. Both the artist and the label are new to my ears, so I’m happy to open up these doors and explore a bit outside of my self-curated echo chamber. Although this appears to be Azariah’s first full-length, he’s not a stranger to composition, having studied Music Theology and the Arts at Middlesex University and scoring music for the likes of Channel 4 and Soho House. Composed in his home studio and polished off in a cabin in Scotland, Cephas delves into personal conflicts and cultural intersections, drawing from his experiences to find peace along the path. There is a particular familiarity in his compositional approach – I hear elements of synth arpeggios as incorporated by Nils Frahm, as well as echoes of his Noire‘s fluttering particle engine and Ólafur Arnalds‘ Stratus polyrhythmic piano manipulations, all wrapped in a gentle blanket of ambience and neo-classical lull. The piece I’m premiering today, “Faber Sanctum”, is the second half to a companion piece titled “Faber”, both of which are released today.
Faber and Faber Sanctum is a two part story about my ongoing struggles with imposter syndrome. It’s also a tribute to Gothic + Art Nouveau architecture often experienced in Cathedrals. Faber speaks to the moment of awkwardness of first stepping inside and feeling like you don’t quite fit in but as you walk around, breathe in the details and notice the steep ceilings, you find yourself accepting the invitation towards wholeness and grace that the architecture itself offers.
— Cephas Azariah
Once again, the combined singles are out today, while the full-length album, titled Joy Paradox, will be out on a 2×12″ vinyl on October 21st via Reflections. You can pre-order the album here.
