August 29, 2022

Charlie Martin reimagines Imaginary People standouts on the piano

Charlie Martin, one half of our very own Hovvdy, is set to release a deluxe edition of his 2021 debut solo album, Imaginary People, featuring 4 alternate piano versions of songs from the record. You’ll have to wait until October 7th for the full release (available digitally, on CD & cassette), but today, Martin shares “Swirl (Piano Version),” which stopped us in our tracks the first time we heard it.

“Piano was the first instrument I ever learned, but it still kinda scares me,” says Charlie. “Certain pianos sound so beautiful it’s hard to even approach them with a voice; and the one I recorded for Imaginary People is like that — this pristine Steinway from the 1930s — probably the most amazing instrument I’ve ever touched. When I found myself in Mississippi for the summer, where the piano lives, I immediately started on these new versions. So many of the songs on Imaginary People (like ‘Daisy’ and ‘June’) I wrote on piano, so it was exciting to focus on the heart of it, just piano and melody. And for other songs (like ‘Swirl’ and ‘Madison’) it was a joy to reimagine them entirely.”

Charlie has also announced a fall tour with Ichiko Aoba and is currently on tour with Teethe. All dates over in our tour section now.