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"From out of the dark"

From Out Of The Dark

From out of the dark is a collection of 6 songs finished during the infamous Covid lockdown of 2020, drawing musical influences from many different genres and based on different themes close to my heart.

Some with a narrative, others about how I felt a particular junction in life, playing music, writing and recording songs has been a great outlet for me and helped me deal with and express myself in a productive fashion.

With no single genre over the six songs I decided to put them out as From out of the dark, to show how something good can come from the darkness. I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed making them.

I appreciate so much all the friends and family who have helped critique these tracks ready for public consumption. Thanks also to my younger sister, Hannah, for providing her vocal talents and lyric writing on two of the songs.

Please listen below and follow me on all of my social networks using the links above.

Matt x

#StarWars The Clone Wars by Karen Traviss (The Movie Novelisation) Mini Book Review


The Clone Wars Novel is the literary retelling of the animated feature film of the same name, set during the events of the Clone Wars between the movies Episode 2 and 3. War is ravaging the galaxy as more and more systems succeed to the separatist movement in league with the ex Jedi and secret Sith Lord count Dooku. Together with Ziro the Hutt, a plot is underway that will see either the Separtists or the Republic gain control of some crucial hyperspace lanes current commanded by Jabba The Hutt. They have kidnapped Jabba's son, and look to either feign a rescue of the Hutt youngling from the Jedi, or to frame the Jedi for his capture or even death.

Obi-Wan and Anakin are commanded by the council to move from their normal war time challenges to assist Jabba in the reunification with his son, something Anakin is incredibly against after his history as a Tattooine slave. Battling with his inner emotions and working towards the greater good, Anakin is also lumbered with no prior warning with new Padowan, Ahsoka Tano, a Togruta with a passion for combat and a nativity of war.

Together, with a particularly interesting group of Clone Troopers, the 501st, the Jedi must safely return Jabba's youngling to him to restore his faith in the Jedi and to allow for the negotiation for sole occupancy of the hyperspace trading lanes.

In doing so, they must confront swathes of battle droids; dark jedi Asaaj Ventress; sith lord Count Dooku whilst negotiating the inhospitable terrain of Teth... Of course, things don't go as smoothly as you'd think, and the plan is constantly changing when things don't go the way of the Jedi. Events unravel and even the evil Sith must adapt.

This is an ace retelling of the Clone Wars animated movie, and delves a little deeper into the personas of Anakin, Ventress, Ahsoka and of the Clone troopers from the 501st, establishing some really interesting and believable character traits for all of them giving them some much needed authenticity away from the cartoon. Dooku, as one of my favourite Star Wars universe bad guys, is also described brilliantly here in his typically reserved malevolence. Traviss is a good sci-fi writer, and this is no exception. The battle scenes are well described, being exciting and tense, but the political plots that unfold throughout are also excellently told.

Sometimes I felt things had been missed, or had to jump back a few pages to clarify something, but this happened rarely and the story was enough of a page turner for me to recommend to any Star Wars fan, especially those looking for a bit more depth of the story of the animated movie.

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