Soft Hills, The
Departure
On "Departure" Hobba disposed entirely of the Americana leanings which had characterized the previous albums, allowing European influences to become more apparent. These include Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd, Brian Eno or the Factory Sound of the early 80s, which might be due to the fact that Hobba started to write the songs during a several-month stay in Europe. The instrumentarium was supplemented by Mellotron, Moog, Hammond B3 and a Rhodes piano. "Departure" is a monolith of an album, an album of contrasts - unlike its predecessors, yet unmistakably "The Soft Hills". Hobba is simply an excellent songwriter and his voice unmistakable. The album was mixed in London by no less than Abbey Road veteran Guy Massey (Spiritualized, The Beatles, Manic Street Preachers).