Recorded with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the new orchestral work is inspired by the Bass Rock in North Berwick and its famous colony of Northern Gannets. Rich with field recordings captured on the island, Sula bassana explores the relationship between air, sea and land, returning Cooper to the bird that inspired his acclaimed debut album, Solan Goose, ten years ago.
Originally commissioned by Fringe by the Sea as the centrepiece of its inaugural Love of Life festival, the composition premiered as part of an immersive installation created with artist Naomi McIntosh. Its release now brings the work beyond the festival setting, inviting listeners into a cinematic meditation on nature, community and our connection to the environment.
The EP combines an 80-piece orchestra with environmental recordings gathered on location, continuing Cooper's distinctive approach to blending music, landscape and memory. It also marks a return to the ecological themes that have defined his work since the Orkney Trilogy and the Mercury Prize-shortlisted Sule Skerry.
Alongside the release, filmmaker Lewis Gourlay has created a short film inspired by the Bass Rock and its surrounding landscape. Premiering at the Love of Life festival, the film will also be presented in an immersive 360° format as part of the event's celebrations of biodiversity and the natural world.