Secret Exhibition

Secret Exhibition is Tom Cunliffe’s third album and a return to the warm acoustic sounds of his early songs. Built on nylon strings and creaky pianos, it has the feel of a candlelit room at 3am. This is for people who stay up talking, long after the last tired dance.

Combining lyrical imagination and finetuned melodies, Secret Exhibition tiptoes through different genres. One moment might seem to be anchored in the 60s folk scene, while others find a kindred spirit in John Cale’s 70s chamber pop, or Bill Callahan’s contemplative alt/country.

Produced by Dave Khan, the album was recorded over five days at The Lab. Eamon Edmundson-Wells brought his expertise on upright bass and Tom Broome took the role of timekeeper on the drums. The songs then spent some time with Dan Luscombe in Melbourne, who mixed and added his own musical flourishes.

Secret Exhibition is an explorer's record. A gallery of worlds – from marble museums, to Venetian tides and the rings of Saturn – held together like paintings in 3-minute frames.