Chesterfield musician Tensheds releases new album written and recorded alone in lockdown

Matt Millership, who performs as Tensheds, was forced to cancel a 42-date UK tour in March which would have included appearances at some of the UK’s biggest festivals.

Unsure how to fill the time, a fan challenged him to write a new song in a week, which turned into a series of live streams and eventually the album The Days Of My Confinement.

He said: “These songs were written during incredibly sad and difficult times and I want people to be able find themselves in this music.

“Behind the large black studded Victorian door that separated me from the eerily empty streets, I immersed myself his this body of work. It became my whole world.”

Alone in his makeshift home studio, playing all the instruments, producing and engineering, the classically trained Matt was drawn back to his first love, penning a celebration of the piano.

He said: “Writing, performing and recording the songs all at the same time was intense.

“The challenge of creating a body of work that would reflect this historic moment in our lives, yet still be relevant beyond it was immense. The Days Of My Confinement isn’t my story at all, it was never going to be.”

The album features arrangements inspired by Rachmaninoff, such as the multi-layered Ticking Clocks, and bare songs like Cotton Wool World.

Matt shared the entire journey directly with his fans, who tuned in over ten weeks to hear each new piece for the first time.

He said: “I’ve always been quite private about everything, especially art in its un-polished form – and to be honest I wasn’t into the whole online vibe.

“However, once I embraced this and the ability to share everything directly with my fans, it was incredible. I was genuinely heartbroken when it all stopped.”

The album arrives less than 12 months after Tensheds’ Deathrow Disco, and is available via all major digital music platforms.

See tensheds.com for more information.

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