Love Letter feat. Kathleen Frances (Palm Skin Productions Remix)
Benji Bower & The Terra Collective Orchestra

Palm Skin Productions remixes Benji Bower & Terra Collective Orchestra’s “Love Letter feat. Kathleen Frances.”

Renowned composer, pianist, producer and musical director Benji Bower, along with Bristol’s 60-piece Terra Collective Orchestra, follow their debut album ‘Terra Coda’ with a dancefloor-ready remix of “Love Letter feat. Kathleen Frances.” Labelmate Palm Skin Productions AKA versatile musician and producer Simon Richmond (whose CV includes Mo’ Wax, Depeche Mode, REM, Pulp, Neneh Cherry and The Bays) transforms the hauntingly emotional original into exciting new territory.

Benji Bower and The Terra Collective Orchestra continue to expand the sonic universe of Terra Coda, bridging orchestral depth with dancefloor energy. This remix serves as both a tribute to the original composition and a fresh reimagining, offering a new perspective on the album’s intricate storytelling. Remixing ‘Love Letter’ was no small feat for Palm Skin Productions, who admits it was a daunting task given the perfection of the original. “The writing, the arrangement, the vocal performance—everything is pretty untouchable,” he explains. The challenge was heightened by the fact that the original recording was a live take without a click track, leaving no obvious grid for a typical remix approach. Rather than altering the intricate music, Palm Skin Productions focused on the “haunting melancholy” of Kathleen’s vocals, drawing inspiration from the emotional depth of disco-era tracks. The result is a remix that is both deep and danceable, blending orchestral re-workings with slightly rougher electronic elements. “All the elements I loved kept falling into place as if they were meant to be there,” says Palm Skin Productions, “That’s the joy of working with such classy original material – it has a giving, generous and creative quality to it that makes the work of the remixer a very positive experience.”

“Love Letter” features the talents of artist and producer Kathleen Frances. With a history of collaborative writing, this track is the only song on the album not exclusively written by Benji. He characterises the original as “beautiful yet crushing”, describing it as a heartfelt apology to the earth that delves into themes of love, passion, sorrow, confusion, solitude and youth. Kathleen’s lyricism embodies a raw and poignant style, mirrored in her delicate vocal delivery, which consistently left Benji astounded.

‘Terra Coda’ had been a lifelong project for Benji, intertwining exceptional musical depth with his unwavering commitment to pivotal environmental concerns. Conceptually rich, it explores musical, political and environmental dimensions, reflecting Benji’s journey and meticulous attention to detail. Benji Bower began curating The Terra Collective Orchestra after receiving a Develop Your Creative Practice grant from Arts Council England (ACE). Drawing from the rich musical talent of Bristol’s scene, he enlisted orchestra manager Anneka Sutcliffe and the support of renowned theatre producer Impossible-Producing to help bring the ambitious project to life. The Terra Collective Orchestra boasts an impressive array of experience, having worked for, produced, engineered or toured with renowned artists such as The Heritage Orchestra, Portishead, Bonobo, PJ Harvey, Massive Attack, This Is The Kit, Alice Russell, Anoushka Shankar, Peter Gabriel, Elbow, Madness, John Rutter, Sam Cooke, John Williams, The Cinematic Orchestra, Paraorchestra and many more.