Honne Tatemae by Julian Shah-Tayler aka The Singularity Music

Julian’s last (2023 Grammy eligible/#4 New-Wave) album “Elysium” charted the trajectory of the “Perfect True Love of One’s Life”, and the foibles of maintaining that beautiful state.
Unfortunately (to the sound of a sad trombone) the new one, “Honne/Tatemae” depicts the demise of that same relationship and the soul-searching in the wake of its crash and burn.
Named for the Japanese duality of “HONNE” as referring to one’s true feelings and outward behaviours and “TATEMAE” referring to the behaviour and opinions one displays in public, the album explores the reasons and reflections around what it means to truly feel, and the distinctions between lust, love, yearning and the very public displays of these emotions that an artist must suffer under.
From the optimism of “ForEva” to the bleak and universal desolation of the (Mike Garson (Bowie), David J (Bauhaus), Carmine Rojas (Bowie) assisted) “Lights Out” the album lyrics jump across the line from deeply oblique to wildly earnest declarations of both Love and Despair, perhaps most schizophrenically on the Hit Single “Fall Apart” written in a period of great sadness. (originally meant for Elysium, but entirely inappropriate for inclusion at the time)
The album once again features a couple of songs co-produced with Robert Margouleff (Stevie Wonder/Devo)
Julian is also working with Danny Saber (Bowie/Rolling Stones) on some remixes and the magnificent Darwin Meiners (Night Crickets) handles mixing duties on several songs.

The Japanese duality “Honne/Tatemae” is indicative of the fundamental duality of life.
“Honne” being the person we really ARE, our true feelings and desires.
“Tatemae” being the behaviours and opinions we display in public.
“Elysium” was my deep dive into the optimism of Love, and this one is my cynical debrief after that relation”ship” sunk.
Here, I explore much darker and angrier territory than I ever have before.
It is the self-therapy album, the catharsis before the storm.
I need to believe in Love. I need to hold hope. I need to exorcise the snakes.
This is that album

“Julian Is A Genius” Alan McGee (Creation Records)
“A Stunning Body Of Work” - Katherine Yeske Taylor

Tracklist

1.	Honne/Tatemae Intro	0:24

2.	ForEva	3:15

3.	Sufferation	3:52

4.	Malicious Intent	3:12

5.	Bleed	3:41

6.	Turn To Stone	4:01

7.	Fall Apart	3:24

8.	Fisk	3:58

9.	Buds An The Bes	3:25

10.	This Charming Life	4:07

11.	Lights Out	6:34

12.	Civilization - extra track	4:01

Credits

released March 5, 2025

Songs Written, Performed, Produced, Mixed and Mastered by Julian Shah-Tayler except where noted below.

Mike Garson - The Piano on "Lights Out"
Carmine Rojas - The Bass Guitar on "Lights Out and "Turn To Stone"
David J - The Bass Guitar on "Lights Out"
Ashley Ross - The Violin and backing Vocals on "ForEva" and "Malicious Intent"
Phoebe Shue - Backing Vocals on "Malicious Intent", "Buds and the Bes"
and "This Charming Life"
David James Neilsen - orchestral arrangement on "Fisk"

Robert Margouleff coproduced "Fisk" and "Lights Out"
Nathan Van Hala mixed "ForEva", "Fall Apart"
Darwin Meiners mixed "Sufferation", "Malicious Intent", "Bleed"
Zeus and Robert Margouleff mixed "Fisk"

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