In December 2023, Steven Wilson was challenged by a friend to write a Christmas song–something he’d never considered doing before. The result was “December Skies,” featuring suitably seasonal lyrics crafted with the aid of Artificial Intelligence. The music was composed by Wilson, with Randy 'The Mink' McStine contributing lead guitar and backing vocals.
One year on, “December Skies” has been re-released in two collector’s edition formats: a gatefold 7-inch vinyl package and CD digifile package, both featuring 3 exclusive Xmas cards illustrated by Hajo Müller–who also created the new front cover artwork. Wilson has additionally created a Dolby Atmos mix, accessible via streaming platforms that support spatial audio such as Apple Music, Tidal, and Amazon Music. We at Immersive Audio Album are thrilled to now offer the single as a hi-res immersive digital download through our online shop!
IAA offers immersive digital downloads in Dolby TrueHD, the same hi-res format used for Blu-Ray discs with Atmos audio. While streaming services offer convenience and access to a vast library of music, they also severely compress the audio to save bandwidth. With lossless TrueHD, the inner detail and sonic clarity is much better preserved for home listeners.
In addition to the Dolby Atmos mix, this digital package also contains an exclusive 96-khz/24-bit 5.1 surround sound version of “December Skies.” Note that this is not derived from the Atmos presentation, but rather a completely unique multichannel mix intended specifically for a six-speaker array. This digital release is a limited edition, available to purchase only until January 6, 2025.
The 5.1 surround mix kicks off with sparking acoustic guitars arrayed across the front stage, emitting their reverb behind the listener. Rather than residing solely in the center channel, Wilson’s vocal appears at near-equal level in all three front speakers. For the chorus, the rear speakers spring to life with more guitars, percussion, and harmony vocals.
The Dolby Atmos mix builds upon the strong foundation of the 5.1 rendition, unpacking key instrumentation out into the side surround and height channels in a 7.1.4 system. The lead vocal floats between the center speaker and side surrounds, while ancillary ‘sound design’ elements like the layered background vocals, bells, and strings drift overhead. Towards the end, Randy McStine’s guitar solo soars from the center speaker up into the front height channels.
“I’m still not entirely sure what I think about AI, the knee-jerk reaction is to consider it a threat to a musician like me, but it’s clearly not going away, so this is my experiment to try embracing it and using it as a tool in the creative process. And of course also to have some fun doing something I would never normally have thought about doing, the archetypal seasonal song. December Skies is the result, swiftly recorded and written in collaboration with an Artificial Intelligence version of myself. I wonder what people will make of it. I wonder what I make of it.”
Steven Wilson, December 2023
Steven Wilson has released a string of acclaimed solo albums, with the last three–2017’s To The Bone, 2021’s The Future Bites, and 2023’s The Harmony Codex–all reaching top-5 positions on the UK album chart. Having remixed dozens of classic albums by the likes of Tears For Fears, Jethro Tull, Yes, XTC, Ultravox, and others in spatial audio, Wilson is a household name in the audiophile community. His next studio album, The Overview, is set for release in 2025.
Purchase December Skies in the IAA Shop!
