ONR + ‘Biophonica’ came together to create
"a unique and original work rooted in the natural beauty of Scotland"
ONR + BIOPHONICA
ONE VISION. TWO ALBUMS
THE ORIGINALS
Rannoch Moor, Argyle & Bute [I Will Wait]
Solway Firth, Dumfries & Galloway [You and I]
Dalbeattie, Dumfries & Galloway [Brace]
Bass Rock, East Lothian [Run Aground]
Loch Garry, Perth & Kinross [Breathe]
Bass Rock, East Lothian [Run Aground]
Culloden, Scottish Highlands [The Lows]
Glencoe, Scottish Highlands [Than Water]
Loch Lomond, Stirling [Small Mercies]
IMPERFECT CADENCE
I Will Wait - Rannoch Moor, Argyle & Bute
You and I - Solway Firth, Dumfries & Galloway
Brace - Dalbeattie, Dumfries & Galloway
Run Aground - Bass Rock, East Lothian
Breathe - Loch Garry, Perth & Kinross
Run Aground - Bass Rock, East Lothian
The Lows - Culloden, Scottish Highlands
Than Water - Glencoe, Scottish Highlands
Small Mercies - Loch Lomond, Stirling
Rannoch Moor, Argyle & Bute [I Will Wait]
Solway Firth, Dumfries & Galloway [You and I]
Dalbeattie, Dumfries & Galloway [Brace]
Bass Rock, East Lothian [Run Aground]
Loch Garry, Perth & Kinross [Breathe]
Bass Rock, East Lothian [Run Aground]
Culloden, Scottish Highlands [The Lows]
Glencoe, Scottish Highlands [Than Water]
Loch Lomond, Stirling [Small Mercies]
THE ORIGINALS
ONE VISION. TWO ALBUMS
ONE VISION. TWO ALBUMS
THE ORIGINALS
Rannoch Moor, Argyle & Bute [I Will Wait]
Solway Firth, Dumfries & Galloway [You and I]
Dalbeattie, Dumfries & Galloway [Brace]
Bass Rock, East Lothian [Run Aground]
Loch Garry, Perth & Kinross [Breathe]
Bass Rock, East Lothian [Run Aground]
Culloden, Scottish Highlands [The Lows]
Glencoe, Scottish Highlands [Than Water]
Loch Lomond, Stirling [Small Mercies]
IMPERFECT CADENCE
I Will Wait - Rannoch Moor, Argyle & Bute
You and I - Solway Firth, Dumfries & Galloway
Brace - Dalbeattie, Dumfries & Galloway
Run Aground - Bass Rock, East Lothian
Breathe - Loch Garry, Perth & Kinross
Run Aground - Bass Rock, East Lothian
The Lows - Culloden, Scottish Highlands
Than Water - Glencoe, Scottish Highlands
Small Mercies - Loch Lomond, Stirling
I Will Wait - Rannoch Moor, Argyle & Bute
You and I - Solway Firth, Dumfries & Galloway
Brace - Dalbeattie, Dumfries & Galloway
Run Aground - Bass Rock, East Lothian
Breathe - Loch Garry, Perth & Kinross
Run Aground - Bass Rock, East Lothian
The Lows - Culloden, Scottish Highlands
Than Water - Glencoe, Scottish Highlands
Small Mercies - Loch Lomond, Stirling
Rannoch Moor, Argyle & Bute [I Will Wait]
Solway Firth, Dumfries & Galloway [You and I]
Dalbeattie, Dumfries & Galloway [Brace]
Bass Rock, East Lothian [Run Aground]
Loch Garry, Perth & Kinross [Breathe]
Bass Rock, East Lothian [Run Aground]
Culloden, Scottish Highlands [The Lows]
Glencoe, Scottish Highlands [Than Water]
Loch Lomond, Stirling [Small Mercies]
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“It’s been the most incredible privilege to collaborate with Martyn and have a glimpse into his life’s work. It’s not often that you come across people as extraordinary as Martyn; I remain completely in awe of his morality, dedication, humanity and modesty. I feel like a better person for being, in some immeasurably tenuous way, tethered to the astounding amount of good work that he has dedicated his life to”
ONR
His distinctive compositions, vocals and exceptional musical capability have captured the imagination of some of the world’s biggest acts and most respected musicians; one of ONR’s breakout moments being his collaboration with legendary guitarist and producer Nile Rodgers, who became a huge fan and supporter after having happened to see ONR recording at Abbey Road Studios. Rodgers said of Shields in a recent Forbes interview, “he reminds me of working with Daft Punk. His sense of composition is just wonderfully chaotic."
Along with Rodgers, ONR has collaborated with artists and producers such as Phantogram, Jake Bugg, Doc McKinney (The Weeknd), Spike Stent (U2, Madonna, Ed Sheeran), Sander Van Doorn and many others. He released his breakout track ‘Must Stop’ in 2021 to huge international acclaim, becoming the Billboard #1 Most Added track on alternative radio in the US, and racking up over 20m streams.
Having had huge early support from BBC Introducing (being on of their Great Escape, Big Weekend, Hot List and BBC Scotland Introducing’s Pick of the Year artists), Shields then signed to the LA label Music Is Fun, touring extensively across Europe, the US and Australia, and supporting acts such as Bastille and Lewis Capaldi. His album “Visiting Hour” is scheduled for release later this year.
ONR is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer born Robert Shields, hailing from Dumfriesshire in South Scotland.
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“I have spent my lifetime trying to record the natural world one sound at a time, aiming to give a voice to what, for a long time, has felt voiceless. Sound can also echo a disappearing world, a sonic landscape undergoing an extinction event of its own – one that is, with painful irony, happening silently. Robert and I wanted to write a love letter to Scotland and this is the result.
- Martyn Stewart
Scotland's natural acoustic soundscape is woven from an array of diverse and evocative sounds, each contributing to the country's rich auditory identity.
In the rugged Highlands, sound tends to reverberate and echo more prominently due to the presence of steep cliffs, rocky outcrops, and deep valleys. This creates a dynamic acoustic environment where sounds can carry over long distances and bounce off natural features, enhancing their resonance and depth. We can hear the plaintive cry of the red deer echoing across mist-covered glens, mingling with the bubbling melody of mountain streams cascading down ancient rock faces. These pristine landscapes are punctuated by the percussive rhythm of waterfalls, their thundering roar reverberating through the valleys, while overhead, the haunting calls of golden eagles and buzzards soar on the wind.
The Natural Soundscape of Scotland
Scotland's natural acoustic soundscape is woven from an array of diverse and evocative sounds, each contributing to the country's rich auditory identity.
In the rugged Highlands, sound tends to reverberate and echo more prominently due to the presence of steep cliffs, rocky outcrops, and deep valleys. This creates a dynamic acoustic environment where sounds can carry over long distances and bounce off natural features, enhancing their resonance and depth. We can hear the plaintive cry of the red deer echoing across mist-covered glens, mingling with the bubbling melody of mountain streams cascading down ancient rock faces. These pristine landscapes are punctuated by the percussive rhythm of waterfalls, their thundering roar reverberating through the valleys, while overhead, the haunting calls of golden eagles and buzzards soar on the wind.
The Lowlands have a softer and more subdued acoustic profile, characterized by gentle undulating landscapes and open plains. Without the dramatic geological features found in the Highlands, sound propagation tends to be more straightforward, with fewer obstacles to impede its path. As a result, the Lowlands often have a quieter and more tranquil acoustic ambiance, punctuated by the rustling of wind through fields, the chirping of birds in hedgerows, and the gentle lap of water along riverbanks.
"A wild and sensory journey through Scotland's untamed beauty - as diverse and enchanting as the country itself."
Venturing to Scotland's coastal regions reveals yet another dimension. Here, the rhythmic crash of waves against rocky shores provides a timeless backdrop, intermingling with the raucous cries of seabirds wheeling overhead. In the shallows, the gentle lapping of tide against sandy beaches creates a soothing melody, while further out to sea, the mournful calls of foghorns pierce the mist, guiding ships safely through treacherous waters. And as night falls, the eerie hoots of owls and the distant howls of red deer blend with the rustling of leaves in the breeze, casting an enchanting spell over the Scottish landscape. Together, these myriad sounds form a symphony of nature that is as diverse and enchanting as the country itself, offering a sensory journey through Scotland's wild and untamed beauty.
Venturing to Scotland's coastal regions reveals yet another dimension. Here, the rhythmic crash of waves against rocky shores provides a timeless backdrop, intermingling with the raucous cries of seabirds wheeling overhead. In the shallows, the gentle lapping of tide against sandy beaches creates a soothing melody, while further out to sea, the mournful calls of foghorns pierce the mist, guiding ships safely through treacherous waters. And as night falls, the eerie hoots of owls and the distant howls of red deer blend with the rustling of leaves in the breeze, casting an enchanting spell over the Scottish landscape. Together, these myriad sounds form a symphony of nature that is as diverse and enchanting as the country itself, offering a sensory journey through Scotland's wild and untamed beauty.
“I don’t believe that anyone involved in this project is naive enough to believe that changing attitudes, influencing governmental policy or progressing any kind of environmental evolution is a simple undertaking. What I do know for absolute certain, is that if anything can, then music can. Music's influence remains at the very fundamentals of what it is to be human; not just human, in fact, but to be alive and sentient and communicative. This project has taught me that. Songs are ever-present. Be those the songs of the capercaillies of the Cairngorms, the curlews of the Solway Firth… or the eight songs that make up this body of work, Imperfect Cadence.”
ONR
Written by: ONR/Martyn Stewart
Produced by: ONR
Mixed by: Pete Fletcher / Dave Miller
Mastered by: Pete Fletcher
Engineered by: Dave Miller
Record Label: Music Is Fun
Album Art: Jen Wilkie / Joe Durnan
Lead Vocals: ONR
Additional Vocals: Zoe Bestel, Grant Dinwoodie
Strings: Alice Allen, Seonaid Aitken, Patsy Reid
Strings arranging: ONR
Strings scoring: Seonaid Aitken
Additional Instrumentation: Chris McHenry, Grant Dinwoodie
Credits
Release Timings
1st August - You & I (Solway Coast)
2nd September - Brace (Dalbeattie)
November - Full Album
