‘Imaginary Trains’ new album by Michael Whalen in Peaceful Radio Show 1481
14 March 2022 Artists
Click on photo for Michael’s website
Michael Whalen creates a cinematic tapestry with his
unique brand of melodic electronic music…
New York City (January 22nd, 2022) — “This new album is about letting my all of my
electronic influences out for everyone to see!” laughs two-time Emmy® award winning
composer and international recording artist Michael Whalen discussing his forthcoming
electronic album: “Imaginary Trains”, due April 22, 2022, via MWM/Spout label through
Six Degrees Distribution/INgrooves/UMG.
“Since I completed my album ‘Sacred Spaces’ in 2019, my evolution as an artist,
synthesist and sound designer has made it essential to create a whole new collection of
sounds for EVERY new album I produce. It’s a huge job but the music deserves its own
unique voice – not sounds that I used before. For about a year, I have been experimenting
with thousands of new sounds and I finally came up with a group of about 200 sounds
that are the basis of ‘Imaginary Trains’. On this new project, I threw myself headlong back
into the electronic music that excited and inspired me when I first started as a composer:
Vangelis, Tangerine Dream, Keith Emerson (ELP), Mike Oldfield, Larry Fast/Synergy,
Mark Isham, Kraftwerk and many others.”
The result of his work is: “Imaginary Trains”, at once a tour de force of haunting melodies,
deep and complex textures all happening over percolating rhythms and percussion. As
per his usual practice when working on his own music, Whalen created all ten titles for
his pieces before writing a note. “I love framing every song with a narrative, character or
a place” adds Whalen. “’Imaginary Trains’ is about taking the listener on a journey of the
heart and the mind. But before I transport anyone, I have to take the journey myself.”
Writing programmatic music is a result of having written so many scores for television,
film and even commercials.
“Imaginary Trains” is informed by over three decades of Michael’s wide-ranging musical
experiences which have been heard by literally billions of people around the world on a
variety of media. From hundreds of television shows and themes, dozens of films,
thousands of international advertisements, video games, 38 solo albums as an artist and
hundreds as a producer and sideman to collaborating with friend Fiona Apple on an antiTrump protest piece (“Little Hands”) for the 2017 Women’s March in Washington, DC,
listeners, fans around the world and critics alike have marveled at Michael Whalen’s
unique blend of iconic melodies, innovative sound creation and bold creative choices
which have distinguished him as a music artist who excels in any format or genre but
saves his best and most personal music for albums like “Imaginary Trains”. Whalen
shows that electronic music in 2022 must have soul, style and be imbued with deep
feeling even while listeners might only be relaxing to it on a weekend all while the
recording might also become the sonic catalyst that will inspire composers and sound
designers trying to keep up with Michael’s endless sonic universe…
Tracks:
1. Imaginary Trains (4:30)
2. Against The Sky (4:14)
3. Across The World To Be With You
(featuring Ricky Kej) (4:40)
4. My Immortanl Beloved (4:28)
5. The Wayward Sun (4:16)
6. Vox Humana (4:02)
7. The Ribbon of Time (3:29)
8. The Journey to LightsEdge (7:43)
9. Dream Together (5:27)
10. Until The Night Is Over (8:06)
11. Distance (featuring Donna Lewis) (4:32)
All music written, arranged, performed, produced and mixed by: Michael Whalen (except
“Distance” written by Michael Whalen/Donna Lewis)
Mastering and Dolby ATMOS mixes by: Tom Eaton at Imaginary Road Mastering
Michael Whalen: Synthesizers, keyboards, sound design and programming, voice, guitar & percussion.
Ravichandra Kulur: Flute on 3 and 11 (arranged by Ricky Kej)
Combining Michael’s love of 70s and 80s German electronic music (Tangerine Dream & Kraftwerk)
with Michael’s masterful sound design and his arcing romantic melodies, “Imaginary Trains” is a new
creative high water mark for the award-winning composer and internationally renown recording artist.
“Imaginary Trains” will be available on all streaming platforms, limited edition CD and
formatted for Dolby Atmos (11.1 surround).