I Laugh, I Cry

Regular RTR listeners will be familiar with Simon McCorry following Konstruct's 'Three (squared', released earlier in May. Simon returns to the label with the solo offering, 'I Laugh, I Cry' (RTR046). The album explores a variety of electronic and acoustic elements, from Simon's intricate cello performances to slowly evolving synth progressions. Based in Stroud, UK, Simon's most recent solo recordings can be heard via labels such as Sea Blue Audio ('Flow', 2021), Polar Seas Recordings ('And Where Are You Really From?', 2021), and Fallen Moon Recordings ('Object Orientated', 2021). A significant factor in Simon's ever-evolving sound is a desire to experiment, challenge boundaries, and always have fun in the process. This enthusiasm is audible and provides a new, emotive listening experience. 'I Laugh, I Cry' is no exception. "One of the memories I have of my dad is him laughing so hard watching Tom & Jerry that he would be in tears. I could not understand how this was possible, that laughter and tears could be so close. Now I’m older, I find myself doing the same. Maybe when we are caught in these two opposites we are at our most honest and uninterpreted, maybe closest to the source of what it is to be ourselves and maybe closest to what connects us to everything else, the divine. I’ve always been attracted to the music of Schubert and his ability to evoke many emotions simultaneously, to capture great joy and sadness in the same musical phrase. A few years ago, when I was creating production library music the library was adamant that music could only either be happy or sad. I always find myself resisting polarities, wanting to find a way where things are not ‘either/or’ but ‘and’. I hope these tracks portray some of that ambiguity. Sometimes playful & naïve, sometimes serious, sometimes fluid, and organic, sometimes machine like, sometimes cosmic, sometimes personal." Simon McCorry