A Feast of Beast

Wild Nothing - A Dancing Shell

“This is a record that happened very fast for me. We had just gotten back from a particularly long European tour last November, our first supporting Nocturne, and I was feeling a lot of things. I found myself struggling with what it meant to be a musician, with what music in general meant to me and what part I could possibly play in it. Playing the same songs every night for months left me bored with myself. But when I got home, for the first time in awhile it suddenly seemed that the pressure was off. We didn’t have any tours planned for several months and I started to remember again why I love music in the first place. I listened to Brian Eno and David Bowie for weeks on end and felt like I was hearing them for the first time. I took a trip to Miami with my girlfriend. I visited my family. I felt free to try things musically that I would have stifled before. The songs on this EP were recorded over a 10 day period and are a reflection of this time. Of all the frustrations and successes and moments of peace in between.” -Jack

I was totally unprepared for a new Wild Nothing EP, so soon after the likes of Nocturne, or for a completely different style inspired by Brian Eno & Bowie.  Jack’s above quote really says it all, and I quite admire his decision to record completely new music without fear of alienating fans used to a certain sound.  Too many artists play it safe with subsequent albums, producing tired material and sticking too close to “their sound,” especially when a debut is especially successful like Gemini.  The truly talented artists are the ones that can adapt and change direction, and do so based on a purely selfish motivation.  Jack was tired of playing the same old material and it inspired him to break his mold.  

I am personally a big fan of early Eno and Bowie, and this new direction, even if its just for this one off EP sounds spectacular.  I can’t wait for this record to drop, and the gorgeous Ltd edition art included is just gravy.  

Wild Nothing - Empty Estate 12” EP is Ltd to 475 copies on red wax.  Artist Eric Shaw was commissioned for original works which complete the new universe of sound. The limited edition LP includes an obi strip, illustrated insert, red vinyl, poster, hand numbered envelope, 2x sticker pages, button and slap bracelet. Pre-order your from Captured Tracks asap here. Wow sold out in a matter of days. Hope you got yours.

Brian Eno - Glitch (from new LP: Drums Between The Bells)

The best LP the ambient pioneer has been involved with since the mid-eighties. Imagine Boards Of Canada’s ‘Music Has The Right To Children’ as an actual soundtrack to a documentary. ~Stool Pigeon

I’ve been listening to increasingly more Eno in recent times, and combine that with that quote I saw above referencing good ol’ Boards of Canada that I hold in the highest regard, and I’m pretty psyched about the new Eno LP.  I literally just received in the post the last BOC record I’d been searching for, Trans Canada Highway, completing their discography.  Some notes on this release:

Brian Eno first came across the work of Rick Holland in the late 90’s during the Map-Making project; a series of collaborative works between students of the Royal College, the Guildhall School of Music, the Royal Academy of Music, the Royal College of Music, the National Youth Orchestra and the English National Ballet, among others. In 2003, Brian and Rick made their first music together. The resulting work does not appear on this album. In the time since that initial session they have met infrequently to work on new compositions. In early 2011, following the release of Small Craft on a Milk Sea (Brian’s debut album for Warp Records), the pair resolved to finish the project. Drums Between the Bells is the result.

Pre-Order Drums Between Bells on 2XLP directly from Warp here.