WESTERN, CREED, SPYBEY - 'W ands' 





CSR285CD (10 July 2020)
CD in digipak. The first 100 copies of this CD come with an exclusive artcard designed by Phil's daughter Mora.
Barcode: 0641871745586

A posthumous collaboration between the late Phil Western (DOWNLOAD, BEEHATCH), Jesse Creed (THE PASSENGER) and Mark Spybey (DOWNLOAD, DEAD VOICES ON AIR, REFORMED FACTION, BEEHATCH).
Both Phil and Jesse shared a love for vintage analogue synthesizers such as the VCS3, and the music for "W ands" was largely created using this equipment. In the spirit of how it was created, Spybey added improvised passages using his collection of homemade and ethnic instruments and then edited the pieces.

Phil would often talk about being 'taken away' by music. Both Jesse and Mark have laboured to do this through their own music too, not as a means of escape but to transcend. This music strives to explore the desire to go beyond the ordinary everyday experience and to reach a place where the egos and the individual contributions of the players are largely inconsequential. A place where time doesn’t really matter. A place of healing and invention.

An album of expansive drones and analogue electronics, which will undoubtedly appeal to fans of Coil, Nurse With Wound, Zoviet France.

Read the full story of this release here.

Track listing:

1. Ace Of Wands (A Sign Of A New Beginning) (6:27)
2. Two Of Wands (New Partnerships And Relationships) (20:17)
3. Three Of Wands (Freedom, Adventure And Travel) (5:33)
4. Four Of Wands (A Cause For Celebration) (8:23)
5. Five Of Wands (Time To End The Discord And Clear The Air) (15:32)
6. Six Of Wands (Others Will Recognise Your Achievements) (11:51)

Reviews:

"The six pieces that make up "W ands" are overflowing with brilliance. All three of these guys on their own make great albums, (RIP Phil, we miss you buddy), but the stunning sparseness of this release shows how well they gel as a unit. This is the kind of album you wear headphones with and make sure you clear your schedule for. No interruptions, just losing yourself in its powerful quietness. It’s the perfect soundtrack to relaxation... Go pick up a copy of this, and find yourself again" (Discorder)

"Despite the starkness of the music, there is an oddly warming feeling... [a] reason for this welcoming feeling is ‘W ands’ was largely created using vintage analogue synths. Western and Creed used these synths for the backbone of the songs while Spybey created his passages by using his homemade and ethnic instruments. This combination gives the album a simultaneously pleasant and stark feeling... At times it is a barren beast. Everything about it exudes desolation and sadness, then these ornate motifs emerge from the gloaming give the music a new take... filled with swaths of evocative synths... it gives the album a sense of movement and flux. This is all underpinned by delicate melodies that wash over you with glacial slowness. Here is the true power, and beauty, of the album... Slow-moving monoliths grinding their way through your psyche until you have been totally altered by them... they have the power to excite whilst keeping you on the edge of your seat, like a slow-moving Nordic Noir." (Vital Weekly)

"The passing of Phil Western has hung with us here in Vancouver. As artist as prolific as Phil will likely have posthumous releases for years to come, including this collaborative work on Cold Spring. A tarot-themed series of tracks originally created by Phil and fellow Vancouver producer Jesse Creed was passed on to Mark Spybey, who’s added his own sanguine magic to these deep, warm, drone-driven pieces. (I Die: You Die)

"Esa obra musical única donde las emociones son puras, y donde el mensaje sonoro trasciende de la mano de los talentosos artistas... se percibe ese trasfondo esotérico donde la vida y la Nada quedan reflejadas en esta imagen propia de la llegada del sueño eterno. El día y la noche que conforman la vida quedan al margen ante la obscura inmensidad de la Nada unida a lo infinito... una privilegiada mirada a la futura vanguardia musical desde el presente, y con estos virtuosos artistas canadienses sumamente concentrados en el fino pulido de cada uno de estos temas musicales a través del mítico sintetizador VCS3 y de la fascinante electrónica analógica. De ahí el origen de esta estimulante fragancia sonora que emana de esta magna obra musical de trasfondo existencial y esoterico... “W ands”, esencia musical vanguardista de inspiración esotérica y envuelta con la trascendencia de lo póstumo" (Lux Atenea)

Pick Of The Week @ Avant Music News