Bob Holroyd & Simon Painter - Close Up and Far Away EP (2026) [Hi-Res]

A new five-track EP from Bob Holroyd and Simon Painter called ‘Close Up and Far Away’.

These five instrumental pieces are a reflection on mortality. Life experiences seem to stretch out into the distance, yet as you live through more of them, time seems to compress. The moment we are in right now is so fleeting and then it is gone, unattainably consigned to the past even though it happened just a second ago.

“We have both been through traumatic events in our lives where in a single moment, happiness and contentment suddenly become something that seems so far away. The passing of loved ones is an example of these one-way doors where, in an instant, what was close and present is now so far away. Looking back at these thoughts of how transient life is and how quickly things change we felt now was the time to release this EP because if not now, when?”

It is these delicate and emotional feelings that drove the conception of ‘Close Up and Far Away’.

“Each piece in the project is a spacious and gradually unfurling work offering a space for pause and thought in an increasingly loud and frenetic world that asks the listener to go on an emotional journey with us, and themselves.”

Together, Bob and Simon have co-written numerous pieces that blend ambient space, emotional depth and thoughtful sound design from reflective underscores to richly layered soundscapes. Alongside their studio collaborations, Bob and Simon have spent recent years developing audio-visual performances, combining Bob’s evolving compositions with Simon’s bespoke video creations. These live works explore the relationship between sound, image, space and emotion, allowing music to be experienced both intimately and expansively.