Roy Blair is Chasing Moving Trains – Will We Ever Catch Ours?
Roy Blair
Always in motion, often just out of reach, pursuing our dreams and desires can feel as if we’re sprinting alongside something powerful and fleeting. There’s a thrill in the chase, but also a hint of frustration, reminding us that some moments slip by before we can grab hold of them. It’s a dance with time, where every step forward is both exhilarating and daunting. All of this and more is at the core of Roy Blair’s exciting and much-anticipated album, Chasing Moving Trains, via Warner Records.
Following a promising debut with the Cat Heaven EP and a strong follow-up with the critically acclaimed Graffiti EP, Roy Blair returns after five years with Chasing Moving Trains—an ambitious new album marking a pivotal moment in his career. This album takes listeners on a cross-country journey of self-discovery, capturing Roy Blair’s search for fulfillment in his 20s. Boldly breaking free from traditional genres, Chasing Moving Trains is a rich, genre-defying exploration of sound and growth.
With Chasing Moving Trains, the NYC-based artist set out to – paradoxically, despite the title – define the full range of sounds that represent his artistry and creative complexities, cementing what he’s “all about” as an artist, commenting:
“I think this will be the blueprint for the rest of my career from here on out… It might be the first time I’ve really captured what I think ‘Roy Blair’ is aesthetically and emotionally.”
One of the biggest stand-out tracks on the record comes from the leading single, ‘Panavision’, a song that aptly unfolds like a cinematic journey through the rough waters of youth, where Roy navigates the tension between ambition and vulnerability. The creeping shadows, evoked lyrically alongside the cold water, give us a sense of dread and the urgency of maintaining authenticity in a demanding world. Amidst the chaos, there’s a longing for connection and fleeting joy, like wanting to buy flowers despite tight finances. The focus on slowing down time through strobe lights hints at finding clarity amid the noise.
With eleven tracks, Chasing Moving Trains keeps listeners engaged, revealing new layers to Roy Blair’s artistry throughout its runtime. Each song offers a distinct sound while maintaining a coherent overall vision, ensuring that we never tire of discovering what Blair can bring to the table.
How do we even begin to describe completely off-the-wall songs like ‘Strawberry’ or ‘Karaoke’? Even at his most supposedly orthodox, there’s never any genre where Roy stands still for any significant amount of time, incorporating elements of jungle, ethereal bedroom pop, R&B, and even rap into a truly cohesive melting pot of influences and styles.
If anything, Chasing Moving Trains is about treating pop music like a kinetic sandbox without restraints or boundaries, embracing the playful freedom to experiment with sounds in a way that doesn’t actually feel experimental but is intentionally thorough. A remarkable experience that will keep you on your toes!