The seeds of Memories of Machines were sown in 2005 when Giancarlo Erra and I first collaborated on the piece “Someone Starts to Fade Away.” We quickly realised we had a creative chemistry that felt distinct from our work in No-Man or Nosound – a raw, romantic openness that became the heart of the project. Recorded over four years across England, Italy, the US, and Sweden, the album is a deeply personal document for me, capturing a time of significant transition. Lyrically, it moves between abstract and direct reflections on love ending and life beginning, anchored by the contrast of Giancarlo’s lush instrumental textures and my own vocals.

The album is notable for its incredible array of contributors. We were fortunate to have Robert Fripp provide his signature Soundscapes on “Lost and Found in the Digital World,” while Peter Hammill added “demonic” guitar to the nine-minute epic “At the Centre of It All.” Other guests include Jim Matheos, Colin Edwin, and All About Eve’s Julianne Regan, whose multi-layered backing vocals brought a unique, ethereal dimension to the tracks. For the 2022 reissue, Giancarlo returned to the original master tapes to create a new mix that emphasises the music’s textural depth and restores the songs to their original, unedited lengths. This anniversary edition also includes a 2020 re-recording of our first track together, bringing the story of Memories of Machines full circle.