Putting renowned musicians together is no sure sign of success; they’re a funny bunch, meaning that if those chemicals are fused incorrectly, a meltdown of Chernobyl proportions can occur. However, get that mixture right and things will bubble and sparkle like a fine champagne. Comprising of Steve Balsamo and Robert Reed (along with a host of stellar guests), I’m pleased to report that Chipman A very much fall in the latter camp. An electronica-influenced prog duo, this pair have formulated an uplifting, forward facing sound that nevertheless harks back to an age when album was king, and in doing so they’ve produced an album in M.I.A. Vol. 1 that twists and turns, ebbs and flows, and leads the listener to strange and unexpected destinations.

Welcoming us to their world in an abrupt fashion; ‘Wolves’ hits like a splash of cold water to a sleeping face. It’s an intriguing introduction that will make all but the hard of hearing prick up their ears. However, in true progressive fashion, Chipman A are a combo who don’t stay in one sonic space for long, this is a sound that’s always shapeshifting, yet stitched together by a storytelling narration, here the spoken word mid-section magically transports us from our world to a nocturnal realm populated by shadowy characters and wolves (several kinds of). Flowing like an old school album, Chipman A aren’t afraid to spread their wings and the following ‘I Will Wait For You’ stretches the song out to a full ten minutes, yet it never feels forced or needlessly elongated, its ethereal nature means that it alters the very fabric of time, its all-encompassing nature finds it passes in the blink of an eye. Yet, Chipman A do shorter songs equally well and ‘Saviour’ is a delicious piece of ear candy that is sticky like candy floss and will buzz around your cranium long after the disc has stopped spinning.

I’m picking up a definite 1980’s influence in terms of the album’s aesthetic; the instruments employed have that same kind of tone and resonance as those during the golden age of synthpop, but in terms of musical influences, Chipman A are refreshingly original. For a critic this can be annoying because there’s no easy point of reference to hang the band’s sound upon, but for the record buying public, this is a real boon, especially as most “new” music nowadays is not new, but rather existing genres cobbled together in unusual ways. It’s an approach best exemplified by ‘Dreaming Will Kill Us Dead’, a song that’s a cinematic affair, implanting strong images in your mind’s eye and bringing the album full circle. It all conspires to make this release an unforgettable affair, and personally I can’t wait for Vol. 2.

While M.I.A. Vol. 1 revolves around some heady, visceral themes, the bonus disc finds Chipman A taking a different route on a bunch of choice covers and exciting remixes. A selection of eleven specially selected tracks that find the band putting their own indelible stamp on tunes that obviously mean a lot to the artists. But these aren’t mere photostats (we have the originals for that), rather the group shape these songs into their own form. As such The Hollies’ ‘The Air That I Breathe’ becomes more haunting in Chipman A’s hands, as does a parred-back version of Glen Campbell’s ‘Wichita Lineman’. There’s a few surprises up their sleeve, such as Hot Chocolate’s ‘Every 1’s A Winner’, but as we learned from the first disc, when approaching a Chipman A record, always expect the unexpected.

• M.I.A. Vol. 1 is released via Tigermoth Records 29th August 2025.
• Bandcamp

Track List:

1. Wolves
2. I Will Wait For You
3. Saviour
4. Karl’s Song
5. Skeletons
6. Anybody Out There
7. The Keeper
8. Invisible People
9. Dreaming Will Kill Us Dead

Bonus Disc:

1. Here Comes The Flood
2. The Air That I Breathe
3. Wichita Lineman
4. Every 1’s A Winner
5. The Secret Wish (2025)
6. Smackwater Jack
7. Skeletons (Candlelight Mix)
8. Saviour (Ged & Guy Mix)
9. Dreaming Will Kill You (Candlelight Mix)
10. The Air That I Breathe (Cronenberg Remix)
11. Wichita Lineman (Live At Fieldgate Studio)