Manchester based artist Chris Selman aka Celestial Skies is no stranger to our blog.
By Graeme Smith
We discovered his brand of pop and soft rock in May 2025 through his second album, The Art of Breaking Hearts, delighting in his songwriting, hooks, and storytelling.
The singer-songwriter has just released his latest record which picks up where the previous left off, giving us a soundtrack for our modern politically charged atmosphere.
Today’s Malaise is a collection of twelve tracks that dig deep into the personal, the interpersonal, and the macro-level political. It touches on many of the hot topics of our day, filtering them through an honest and self-reflective lens.
We get a sense of this early on through wistful yet oddly uplifting opener The Lost Art of Concentration. Its relatable lyrics and classical-infused cinematic pop-rock prove instantly captivating in a number that wouldn’t feel out of place in the ‘90s or early ‘00s.
As the album progresses, Selman speaks frankly on topics such as avoidance and burnout as our psyches grapple with the demands of the modern world. A raw funkiness permeates each track. Genre is used a suggestion rather than a strict framework meaning compositions are explorative and not rigid.
Many of the more outward looking tracks are backloaded as we are hit with wave after wave of social commentary. Small Boats tackles the actors who wish to redirect from genuine issues. Add To Cart takes on easy consumerism. My Aesthetic and There’s a Pill For That satirise modern superficiality and overmedication.
Reasons to Be Optimistic shakes off some of the malaise for a moment of brightness before Signifying Nothing closes the album with a poignant piano ballad.
It’s hard to find parallels for Celestial Skies. At times I was reminded of Pet Shop Boys, particularly in There’s A Pill For That. At other times, Selman channels Britpop and its successors. What’s certain is that Celestial Skies is a unique proposition who is accessible enough for anyone to enjoy. This new album shows he can apply his sound to just about anything.
If you want to keep up to date with all things Celestial Skies, you can by following him on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X.
Today’s Malaise was recorded with a full live band and strings section at Blueprint Studios in Salford with additional string arrangements before being mastered at Abbey Road Studios.
The album is out now, and you can listen to it below.
