Debut album from the rising sign

Hailing from Northampton in the UK, the rising sign is the artistic banner of John Attis, a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and vocalist with a knack for crafting emotionally charged music. With a background in classical training as a saxophonist at a conservatoire, he took a step back from the music world before returning with a renewed sense of purpose, channelling his creative energies into the rising sign.

He describes his musical endeavour as an attempt to distil relatable experiences and moments through his own artistic lens. Through the rising sign, he writes songs that are honest and human; poetic explorations of love and loss, rage and revenge, delivered with conviction that comes from a place of both vulnerability and strength.

First unveiling the project in November, he released his debut singles “in two” and “nocturne,” gaining the attention of fans and tastemakers alike. Now he builds on that momentum with the release of his brand new debut album, the eight-track record titled whatever is real.

Recorded and produced in his home studio, whatever is real presents a work that thrives on its stylistic diversity and emotional impact. Threads of sorrow, ecstasy, anger, nostalgia and desire are stitched throughout the delicate arrangements, where elements of progressive folk, jazz, art pop, rock, electronic, neoclassical and avant-garde stylings are brought to life via his experimental and highly original approach.

Starting the release with “nocturne,” the quiet murmur of background voices gives way to John’s vocals as jaunty piano notes and tapped percussion rustles, setting up a downtempo jam brimming with bold brass tones and elegant woodwind dashes. Flowing with a lilting rhythmic sway and hazy aesthetic, it captures a vintage vibe and reframes it in the imaginative, kaleidoscopic sphere of the rising sign.

“in two” follows with the soft pulse of synth as grand, melancholic piano chords usher in aching vocals dripping in emotion, crafting a sombre and truly gripping soundscape. Building with immersive textures and the grit of angular distorted guitar stretches, it’s a spectacular showcase of the rising sign’s creative flair and ability to cast a spellbinding sound of dark intensity.

With “down and troubled,” the laid back strike of dusty drums, wah-tinged guitar notes and bouncy bass lines is capped by his rich, raspy voice to craft a deconstructed bluesy groove. Other highlights on the record include songs like “at your door” with its lively bass riff and commanding vocal performance, swelling with the shuffle of drums and plucks of twanging guitar to craft an energising anthem that folds in bursts of noise rock, Americana and blues.

Closing the record with “shining eyes,” the bright flutter of 8-bit style synths is met with the breezy punch of a beat before gliding into a playful electronic pop style. With processed vocals spinning upbeat melodic lines above, it’s a colourful and charming finale to a superb debut record that’s thoroughly enjoyable, incredibly diverse and astonishingly unique from start to finish.

Commenting on the release, he shares, “In each song I tried to hold an experience up to the light, to twist and turn it, to look at it from every angle just as Clarice Lispector, the inspiration for the album’s title, does in her novels. You hope to distil its essence and communicate it to the listener.”

Adding, “There’s no doubt I’ve tried to address the big questions sometimes. They are the most interesting ones, after all. You need to up your game, though, because you’re in the most prestigious company there is if you’re tackling these subjects. I hope I’ve given a decent account of myself.”

Listen to whatever is real below