MusicRadar

These are the toys that a number one single can get you. Adam Young - aka Owl City - in his home studio. © Owl City

Although he's now known to the world as Owl City, creator of the mesmerizing, number one smash single Fireflies and the shimmering, mega-selling album Ocean Eyes, it was only a few years ago that Adam Young was attending community college in Owatonna, Minnesota while loading Coca-Cola bottles onto trucks. Battling insomnia, he recorded music in his parents' basement and dreamed big dreams.

"I guess I am an example that unbelievable things can happen," Young says. "But it's only because I made the kind of music that I could feel good about. If you do that, chances are other people will respond. All you need is the right music and the right set of circumstances."

Success has afforded Young the opportunity to tour the globe ("an incredible experience, as you can imagine"), and it's also bought him his own house, with a brand-new, tricked-out studio. And it was in his just-purchased abode that Young got down to business, with the result being the bigger and bolder All Things Bright And Beautiful (due out 14 June), a glorious collection of 12 songs that are sure to transport listeners into states of utter bliss.

Young's breathy, innocent tenor remains the album's dominant instrument, but he's expanded his rhythmic and sonic palette. Forceful guitars are very much in evidence on the new set, as are dance grooves. The album's lead-off single, Alligator Sky, which features an appearance by the LA-based rapper Shawn Chrystopher, is already turning heads. "Even though I want the music to be very identifiable as Owl City, I had to stretch things a bit," says Young.

And that he has. MusicRadar sat down down Adam Young recently to discuss All Things Bright And Beautiful. In addition, we talked about the changes to his studio and live setups and how he's managed to remain grounded despite growing fame and fortune.

First off, let's talk about the title, All Things Bright And Beautiful. It certainly conjures up a myriad of images.

"The title is definitely pulled a little from the book of the same name by James Herriot, although to be honest, I never read that particular book in the series; I was more familiar with the original poem-slash-hymn that the book is associated with. The title definitely spoke to me.

"Kind of the way that it was with Ocean Eyes, I created these mile-long texts on my laptop with titles and ideas. Then I looked at them later with fresh eyes to see what jumped out at me. This time, All Things Bright And Beautiful did just that. It says a lot."

How are you feeling now after the success of Ocean Eyes and Fireflies? A little older, a little wiser?

"Yeah, definitely in both cases. It's kind of a funny thing to come to grips with what happened to me in the past couple of years, the whole whirlwind of zooming from 0 to 60 and then going back to create this new record. I feel like I've lived two different lives recently, and I'm just trying to find my way.

"But it's been great, though. I'm so excited looking forward to this new release. I feel as though I have a bit more resolve, a bit more of an idea what to expect. If the record bombs, if no one likes it, I still feel good about this next chapter."

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