Twilight: Hifi Sean & David McAlmont
When I spoke to Steve Aungle a couple of years ago about Billy Mackenzie and his mid nineties Satellite Life recordings he told me how Billy had offered David McAlmont a song, MacArthurs Son, but had subsequently changed his mind.
From the interview…
D – Tell me about MacArthurs Son
S – We originally wrote that song for David McAlmont. He came round and we played it to him, just on the piano and Billy sang it. He was really up for it so we said we’d demo it with the band and we’ll take it from there. So went to the studio, demo’d it and we thought “now, we’ll keep this for ourselves. So Billy phoned him up and said “sorry David we’re gonna keep it” and that was the end of that. That was a very important song as that was the song that got Billy signed to Nude. That then lead on to the publishing deal as well so it was a pivotal song.
That, plus the knowledge that Alan Rankine once said that David McAlmont was the only singer he'd consider touring with as singer of The Associates songs means he's become someone that exists on my radar as not only a singer with an exceptional voice but a genuine connection with my musical heroes. I'm sure I've seen a clip of him singing Party Fears Two. Anyone?
Edit: Thanks to David Allardice on Facebook it was Those First Impressions
Recently when Pete Paphides extolled the virtues of a new album involving David and Hifi Sean of course I was interested. I've learned that Hifi Sean was part of the Soup Dragons and he went on to become a DJ and producer of some repute. As this Last FM article explains. He's had quite the career.
I've been following Sean on social media for years without ever investigating his music. More fool me. I've put all that right with Twilight.
It's a sonically beautiful album best played after sunset, let's say around twilight, as it drifts on luxurious waves of Sean's hypnotic creativity and David's still remarkable voice. There's nothing here to put you on edge and in a world as fractious and unpredictable as ours is now I can't recommend it enough to aid your mind’s descent from chaos to calm. Used alongside the relaxant of your choice, just a few beers for me but I'm not judging anyone, it's just what we all need right now.
For me and other fans of Billy MacKenzie there's a straight line that can be drawn from Billy's 90s work with Steve Aungle, Dennis Wheatley and Laurence Jay Cedar to Twilight. It's absolutely the sort of record I can imagine nearly 68 year old Billy making in 2025 had things been different. I can pay it no higher compliment than that. This is just exquisite and David hits some notes that will give you a shiver of déjà vu.
Do yourselves a favour a get your ears wrapped around Twilight. I'm off to right the many Clangers I've dropped by not investigating the work of Hifi Sean and David Mcalmont sooner.
You can listen and support them here on Bandcamp