Art Schop – “O friends”

Art Schop’s new album O friends stands out because it feels like Martin Walker finally let himself get personal. He’s done a bunch of thought-heavy records in the past, usually tied to big ideas or historical moments. This one’s different, it’s about real friendships from his life, five of them, and each piece is shaped around one. You don’t need to know the full backstory to feel the honesty in it.

The structure is more freeform than anything he’s done before. He’s not going for tidy songs here. It’s more like watching someone work things out in real time. Some parts sound like they came out of a quiet moment alone, while others are heavier, like he’s wrestling with something. It definitely doesn’t feel planned in the usual way, and that’s what makes it stick. My favorites are “Jimi’ and “Billy”.

Knowing his background, physics at Oxford, years in tech, writing fiction and philosophy, it makes sense that his music lands somewhere between heady and emotional. And even though he’s clearly got the brain for structure, he lets things bend and shift here.

If you’re into music that doesn’t play it safe, follow Art Schop to see what he does next in 2025.