Illuminations

“The divine spark within you is meant to illuminate the world.”

MAYA ANGELOU
 

Illuminations is Sandy’s latest album. We filmed this live recording of The Spark,  the last single to be taken from the album, in the grounds of Sandy’s lovely farm in Portugal. This recording features a relaxed and very connected performance with Sandy’s key collaborators, André Silvestre and João Robim, and fellow musicians and friends Marcelo Oliviera, Miguel Riva and Francisco Carvalho. If you pay close attention you will also spot Sandy’s beloved weimaraner, Rumi!

The songs for Illuminations were written here in the grounds of the farm, and recorded with André and Robim in their wonderful studio haven, at The Village, in Famalicão. The album is a homage to the sublime wonder of Norway, her landscapes and the mysterious dance of the Northern Lights.

Lyrically it is an artistic engagement with the key issues of our time, and a manifestation of Sandy’s innermost thoughts on the magic, ecstasy and heartbreak of life. Each one of the songs has been crafted to feel like a little light switching on in your soul. We have been very humbled and honoured that the first wave of press has really picked up on the authenticity and honesty of Sandy’s songwriting.

PRESS COMMENTS


“Endlessly romantic and beautiful…”
— Guy Garvey, BBC Radio 6 Music
 

“With soaring vocals, cinematic strings, and stadium-ready ambition, Sandy Kilpatrick sounds like Glasgow’s next big name.”
— It’s All Indie
 

“…listeners are starting to fall in love with the artist and his engrossing sound…”
— Clout
 

“…a majestic artistic personality who has now transformed into a hidden treasure.”
— Mesmerized
 

“…an artist with a compelling voice and a continuous drive to create meaningful music.”
— Right Chord Music
 

“…raw, honest and profoundly moving.”
— Odyssey Magazines
 

“It’s a moment of pure transcendence—the kind of music that makes you close your eyes and just feel.”
— Hella Fuzz
 

“…his lyrics beautifully reflect on the impact that love can have on a person’s life.”
— Music Crowns
 

“The Spark sounds incredible…”
— Michael Webster, Bread Records

PRESS COMMENTS
 

“In a world of cookie-cutter cheer, ‘Mesmerised’ stands out, offering something raw, honest, and profoundly moving.”
— Odyssey Magazines
 

“Kilpatrick’s masterful storytelling transforms ‘Mesmerised’ into a journey through hope, love, and reflection.”
— Akt Music
 

“On his latest single, Mesmerised, Glasgow-based singer/songwriter Sandy Kilpatrick wowed us with his incredibly beautiful voice and powerful emotion.”
— Berlin on Air
 

“Kilpatrick's voice is the heart of the song. Warm, but with a hint of weariness, he brings the duality of the season to life. Like The Pogues did with their legendary ‘Fairytale of New York,’ Kilpatrick knows how to perfectly bring together opposites such as love and suffering.”
— Nieuwste Hits
 

“…this new song sounds absolutely gorgeous!”
— Bread Records

ABOUT THE SONG

During the pandemic I often spoke about doing work that was heading in the opposite direction of the world – meaning that there was a great danger of being broken by all the terrible news, the circumstances of job loss, illness, isolation, incapacity to plan, and the feeling of overwhelm at all of the conflicting information. There were too many invitations to get involved in negative thinking.

I have a bit of experience of warding off depression over the years, of escaping for a swim just as the negative self-talk kicks in, or heading out for a walk in the woods - kind of changing the subject of the inner conversation. I am frequently trying to find a way to counter that, to create something that feels good, a path towards the light. So The Meditation Stone is quite intentionally a step in the opposite direction. It’s a celebratory and joyful song - a message of inspiration and hope to others.

The lyric is a very personal exploration of the self-growth work I have been doing over the last few years. I have gradually understood that the world (work, society, family etc) can very easily pull us away from the source of our lives, from our authentic selves. In meditation we can get close to a sense of simply being, as is also the case when we are immersed in inspiring locations in Nature – such as Pulpit Rock in Norway (where the photo was taken for the cover of the single).

In trying to escape the insistent, global and multiple negative voices of the pandemic, I tried to focus on my own path, on the light that guides me from the inside.

The Meditation Stone was my reward, and now it’s my gift to you. I hope it lights your way.

Sandy x