DAMON ALBARN
ON May 17, Damon Albarn was meant to be performing his new opus, backed by an ensemble of 14 largely Icelandic musicians conducted by André de Ridder, at the Brussels Centre For Fine Arts. Instead he is sitting alone at the piano in his home studio, a converted barn in Devon, ruefully stroking his lockdown beard. Things have not turned out as he – or indeed anybody – had hoped. On the other hand, Albarn reckons there might be something in this music that could be useful for us at this time, even in its
