Recorded at Sydney’s Golden Retriever Studios, the sessions emphasized both precision and intuition. “We wanted to take what we learned from Nightjar—that sense of spaciousness and texture—and apply it to our core quartet sound,” says saxophonist Jeremy Rose. Each member contributed additional parts, layering horns, synths, percussion, and subtle rhythmic shifts, creating a sound world that feels expansive yet immediate.

Across eleven tracks, Skydancer explores time, melody, and texture. Nick Garbett’s “Asiago” evokes the stillness of life under lockdown in rural Italy. Jeremy Rose’s “Unfinished Dream” drifts through liminal spaces between reality and imagination, while “South Coast Noir” conjures the rugged beauty of Australia’s south-east coastline with subtle field recordings. The title track mirrors a painting of the same name, floating and expansive, while Noel Mason’s “Spirit” channels cinematic lyricism and strives for simplicity. “Whisper Gently, Stay Strong” closes the album like a meditation, voices layering into collective resonance.

Inspired by Egyptian mythology, the album artwork draws on the symbolic language of gods like Thoth and Ra – archetypes of wisdom, order, and the movement between realms. The pyramid acts as a meeting point between earth and sky. Within it, the winged figures hold a quiet balance, bridging the celestial and the human, the seen and the unseen. The world gathers in layers – movement, memory, fragments of life folding into one.

The Vampires—Rose (tenor sax, bass clarinet, synthesizers), Garbett (trumpet), Mason (bass), and Alex Masso (drums)—have built a reputation as one of Australia’s most inventive jazz ensembles. Formed in 2005, they have toured extensively in Europe and Australia, performing at Love Supreme (UK), Enjoy Jazz (Germany), and major national festivals. Their collaborations with Chris Abrahams, Lionel Loueke, and Shannon Barnett have broadened their sound, while critics have described them as “phenomenal” (Downbeat), “a masterpiece” (The Australian), and “seductive” (The Guardian).

Skydancer consolidates two decades of exploration: a quartet deeply rooted in place yet expansive in imagination, guided by curiosity, community, and the joy of transformation.