An Engaging Treat

Released back in March 2015, but only getting my hands on it in 16002867_590605657797122_8125260683756275396_nJanuary 2017, Engage is a treat for any fan of the 80s who also appreciates fine musicianship, even if you’re not necessarily a fan of Howard himself.
Available from overseas or online retailers (but sadly not locally in Australia), the album is beautifully packaged in a digipak format with a CD and DVD. The CD contains the eight tracks individually presented as well as a single “continuous mix” of all the tracks.

The DVD is a continuous mix of the eight tracks with images of Howard and the band performing the music as well as music video touches that go perfectly with the music.

The music itself is predominantly electronic in nature, with some excellent piano work on “5 Pianos”. Howard’s songwriting is as strong as ever, there is no filler here.

In an age where digital downloads are the predominant way music is presented and consumed, it’s a wonderful thing to hold this in your hand – artfully presented with minimal design. The pleasure starts when you open the pack and flip through the booklet. it gets better when you play the music and the experience is complete when you watch the video (not HD unfortunately) and the package visuals tie neatly with what you see on screen.

This is more than just an album – it is an experience. Grab your favourite wine or whatever you have, turn the lights low and just listen. Then, just watch.

Definitely worth importing.

8.5/10

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