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On 10^th December Kscope will release ‘Omega Man’, acclaimed songwriter and former Mansun frontman Paul Draper’s collaboration with Steven Wilson. Today XS Noize is pleased to exclusively premiere the video for ‘Omega Man’ – Watch below.

‘Omega Man’ was written and recorded remotely by Paul and Steven during the Covid 19 lockdown without ever meeting, which is conveyed in the accompanying video. They exchanged ideas, lyrics and music from their home studios to articulate what they were experiencing as a piece of music. The song’s lyrics reflect the isolation and fears of lockdown, with Paul singing about his fear of losing a loved one without being able to see them before they are gone.

With both Paul and Steven feeling the lockdown experience was like being in the film The Omega Man, the post-apocalyptic 1971 film based on Richard Matheson’s 1954 book I Am Legend, the title of the song was born.

The accompanying video captures this desolation. Filmed and set in the Chernobyl exclusion zone in Ukraine, video director George Laycock (Blacktide Phonic/Visual: www.black-tide.co.uk) and Paul wanted a suitable location to convey and illustrate the lyrics and meaning of the song. The city of Pripyat where the video was filmed, was evacuated the day after the Chernobyl disaster and is abandoned to this day.

All the footage had to be cleared by the Ukranian military, especially as the end scenes were filmed next to a nuclear missile early warning radar detector, which was abandoned after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Watch the video for ‘Omega Man’ – BELOW:

‘Omega Man’ is taken from the forthcoming album Cult Leader Tactics.  A satire on the genre of self-help manuals, it details how to get to the top of your chosen profession, or how to get on in life in general and in affairs of the heart, by acting in a Machiavellian manner and employing dirty tricks or ‘Cult Leader Tactics’ to achieve your life goals. After experiencing these types of human behaviour and themes, the album arrives at the conclusion the only true answer in life is love.

These and other themes are subtly referenced in each song and explored on a collection of Paul’s best songwriting since Mansun’s imperial phase. Nowhere is this exemplified more than on the instantly catchy and destined to be classic, ‘You’ve Got No Life Skills, Baby!’, which is reminiscent of the best art-rock-meets-pop moments of Mansun’s Attack Of The Grey Lantern.

Paul plays the majority of the instruments on Cult Leader Tactics 11-tracks, including guitars, drum machines and synthesisers, on an album produced with long-time collaborator, acclaimed producer Paul ‘P-Dub’ Walton at the latter’s Loft Studios, with additional engineering by Scott Knapper.

In addition to Steven Wilson, Cult Leader Tactics features guest appearances from Gamaliel ‘Gam’ Rendle Traynor from the band Sweat, who played, arranged and engineered all strings (recorded at Sweat Studios, Peckham, London), as well as a 288-person C.L.T. Lockdown Choir who sing on ‘Lyin’ Bout Who U Sleep With’.

Cult Leader Tactics tracklist:

1. Cult Leader Tactics
2. Internationalle
3. Dirty Trix
4. Cult Leader Tactics in E-Flat Minor
5. You’ve Got No Life Skills, Baby!
6. U Killed My Fish
7. Everyone Becomes A Problem Eventually
8. Annie
9. Talkin’ Behind My Back
10. Omega Man
11. Lyin’ ‘Bout Who U Sleep With

Cult Leader Tactics will be available on the following formats:

4CD Deluxe Book Edition, including a hardback book

Gatefold single LP

Gatefold single LP indie-only release comes with a bonus 7” featuring a second collaboration with Steven Wilson

Gatefold single coloured LP

Digipack CD

Digital

Pre-order link: https://pauldraper.lnk.to/CultLeaderTactics

Paul and his band will undertake a 21-date tour at the end of February, playing stripped back versions of songs from the new album, Spooky Action and Mansun classics and rarities:

February                        

27          Sun       Oxford                 02 Academy 2

28          Mon      Reading                             Sub89

March                

1            Tue       Chester                The Live Rooms

2            Wed      Leeds                   Brudenell Social Club

4            Fri         Aberdeen            The Tunnels

5            Sat         Glasgow             King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut

6            Sun       Birmingham        The 02 Institute 2

8            Tue       Norwich               The Waterfront Studio

9            Wed      Manchester       Gorilla

10          Thu       Hull                      Social On Humber Street

11          Fri         Sheffield              The Leadmill – The Steel Stage

12          Sat         Newcastle          St Doms

14          Mon      Cardiff                 The Globe

15          Tue       Exeter                  Phoenix

16          Wed      Bristol                 The Fleece

17          Thur     Leicester              02 Academy 2

18          Fri         Bedford               Bedford Esquires

20          Sun       Bournemouth    The Old Fire Station

21          Mon      Portsmouth       Wedgewood Rooms

22          Tue       Brighton              Komedia

23          Wed      London               Islington Assembly Hall