Skip to main content
Guy Buttery Set To Release Long-awaited Masterpiece, Orchestrations

Guy Buttery Set To Release Long-awaited Masterpiece, Orchestrations

| Music

An epic 12-year journey of orchestral exploration comes to life in Buttery’s most ambitious project yet.

By Underground Press

Published Monday, 09 December 2024 14:14

Renowned South African multi-instrumentalist Guy Buttery is set to unveil Orchestrations, a breathtaking new album born from over a decade of meticulous crafting, global collaborations, and profound artistic exploration. The album, which has been described as his “magnum opus,” will be available on 20th February 2025 across all major streaming platforms and select physical formats.

The seeds of Orchestrations were planted in 2012 when Buttery joined the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra to perform three of his compositions arranged for the 52-piece ensemble. The exhilarating experience ignited a deep dive into orchestral composition, launching a transformative 12-year journey. With Buttery’s signature guitar at the core, Orchestrations unfolds into a lush, layered soundscape, where global influences and collaborations intertwine seamlessly with expansive orchestral arrangements by Chris Letcher.

The 14-track album reflects Buttery’s insatiable curiosity and acute attention to detail. Recorded across ten countries, it features contributions from an impressive lineup of international and South African artists, including Kaki King (New York), Derek Gripper (Cape Town), Julian Sartorius (Berne), Madala Kunene (Durban), and Mudassir Khan (New Delhi).

Orchestrations opens with the evocative "Two Chords and the Truth," a track that epitomizes the album’s essence. Layering sounds like geological strata, the song evolves with hypnotic rises and falls, inviting listeners into an intricate network of sounds. Each composition shows Buttery’s unparalleled ability to push the boundaries of musical storytelling, blending complexity and intimacy to create a profound listening experience.

This album is a testament to the perseverance and passion required to bring such a grand vision to life. "While creating something of this magnitude is often romanticized, the process is as much about moments of elation as it is about facing the drudgery of refinement,” says Buttery. “Returning again and again to these compositions has been an act of both madness and love.”

With an extensive performance history and discography that have earned him accolades like the Standard Bank Young Artist Award (the first given outside the classical music genre), Orchestrations is the latest milestone in a career defined by bold experimentation and global resonance. The album promises to captivate audiences, holding them within a sonic “bowl” where each note, layer, and collaboration tells its own story while contributing to the larger, interconnected whole.

In celebration of the release of Orchestrations, Buttery will be planting indigenous trees as well as removing invasive plant species in a personal endeavour to rehabilitate a local riverbed. Members of the public can support this project via his Bandcamp page

Updated on:
>> Wednesday, 11 December 2024 07:00

RELATED TOPICS:
>>
Guy Buttery, Orchestrations, International Collaborations, KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestral Arrangements

Your support makes stories like this possible!

Underground Press relies entirely on your generosity, enabling us to report on the entertainment industry, free of charge and independently. Your contribution ensures millions worldwide can continue to visit our site for amazing content from around the web.
*Currency in South African Rands (ZAR)


Want more news? Check out our essential articles below...

ARTIST INFO

Guy Buttery

Guy Buttery

Stream Guy Buttery

  • Instrumental Rock

About Guy Buttery

From intimate house concerts to performing at New York’s prestigious Lincoln Center, Guy Buttery is a globally acclaimed multi-instrumentalist celebrated for his genre-defying artistry and innovative approach to music. Known for blending traditional South African sounds with global influences, Buttery’s work continues to push boundaries, earning him recognition both at home and abroad.
In celebration of the release of Orchestrations, Buttery will be planting indigenous trees as well as removing invasive plant species in a personal endeavour to rehabilitate a local riverbed. Members of the public can support this project via his Bandcamp page.

ALBUM INFO

Guy Buttery

Also available on