Downes Braide Association

Formed through the partnership of progressive rock icon Geoff Downes of the Buggles, Yes, and Asia with producer/songwriter Christopher Braide, the Downes Braide Association unites their complementary skills. Twenty years apart in age, the two Brits first met after an introduction from Downes’ former Buggles colleague Trevor Horn, forging a connection rooted in mutual respect and a shared goal of fusing pop and prog for contemporary audiences. A U.K. expat now based in Los Angeles, Braide has built his reputation in mainstream pop through production and co-writing credits with artists such as Sia, Lana Del Rey, and Selena Gomez. Downes’ long career has remained closely linked to prog-rock circles, yet his longstanding appreciation for melodic pop surfaced early in the new wave of the Buggles and later within the supergroup Asia. The duo debuted in 2012 with Pictures of You, paying tribute to the lush synth-based prog-pop of the early ’80s while introducing their own modern edge. They returned in 2015 with Suburban Ghosts, sustaining a comparable approach. Their third album, 2017’s Skyscraper Souls, moved further into classic prog territory with an 18-minute title track and appearances by guests ranging from Soft Cell frontman Marc Almond to the B-52’s’ Kate Pierson.