IS IT PURE COINCIDENCE that Chicane’s extended remix album happened to collide with Fiona Apple’s latest release? That Mr. Bracegirdle and Ms. Apple might have actually conspired on their release dates is totally unlikely but also pure fantasy fantasy fodder for die hard fans.

Nick’s newest album Thousand Mile Stare, is sheer relief from some of the more overproduced, heavily commercialized tracks of Chicane’s past few years. In TMS, Chicane is getting back to the roots of what it originally was with Halcyon: breezy, ethereal, dreamy music that harkens us back to happier days and too short Ibiza summers with salt in our hair and sand between our toes.  (If you’ve never heard of the electronic musical act before, I promise you will fall in love with their signature track No Ordinary Morning, if not Saltwater or Don’t Give Up).

The shimmering track “Playing Fields” conjures so many emotions you may be surprised to find you feel inspired, wistful, reflective, sad, and yet… at peace? For Chicane, that’s mission accomplished.

Softly the end of summer
Gives us her last rays
To remember all the thunder
Of our glory days

Breaking through the clouds before us
Glimmers her last days
Oceans mirror
Light reflects horizons far away

A sudden vision to turn this day around
We’ll keep hold of every fading summer

Softly the end of summer
Gives us her last rays
To remember all the thunder
Of our glory days

Distance and time are moving
Gathering their speed

We are safe in here and now
This moment’s all we need

We’ll climb the highest mountain we can find
We’ll never let the lights go down around us