We Speak Music

Will Bates Delivers Masterful Album ‘The Pirate Album’

Published

9 months ago

July 30, 2024

With the release of his album, The Pirate Album, Will Bates—who is well-known for his vast body of work in cinema and television composition—has entered uncharted musical ground. Sketches from a forgotten project and a fifteen-foot balafon were the strange starting points for this project. First envisioned as a budding film score, the partnership with friend and drummer Mathias Kunzli took an unexpected turn when the renowned composer turned it into a significant release.

After the movie idea was abandoned, Bates repurposed balafon drawings to create The Pirate Album. He assembled a talented group of musicians, including drummer Spencer Cohen and jazz musician Quentin Collins, who helped transform the original doodles into complete tunes. Their input helped Bates create a unique and original musical experience.

Sonically, the Pirate Album is influenced by a wide range of genres and is thought to fall between Talking Heads and Eden Ahbez. But the album’s route wasn’t a straight line. Bates balanced his composing commissions over a period of eighteen months with sporadic record revivals. A breakthrough occurred when Bates’s own production firm, Fall On Your Sword, music supervisor Lucy Alper, was able to obtain a sync for one of the tunes. This encouraged Bates to finish the record.

In conclusion, the album is a creative collaboration by Bates, that showcases his creative spirit and rejection-response relationship. The album features nine diverse and sonically striking tracks, showcasing Bates’ status as an important artist in the music scene. The unique sound design and atmosphere make it a sensational listen, regardless of the setting.

We Speak Music

Waz-u drops ambient gem ‘Vermillion’ ft. Lilyg

Published

13 hours ago

April 25, 2025

Don Reed

London-based multi-instrumentalist and producer Waz-u returns with his second album, Preludes: Dusk Psalms, set for release on 16 May 2025 via independent label Biodiversity. The 15-track record further refines the artistic depth of his debut, blending electronic textures and classical compositional techniques in an intricate, immersive listening experience.

Ahead of the album release, Waz-u is dropping an exclusive vocal version of ‘Vermillion: G Major’ from the album, accompanied by its original instrumental version. ‘Vermillion’ with Lilyg will be released on 18 April 2025, evoking intimate indie-folk and pop and follows the release of a vocal version of ‘Lament’ with Tom Norrington. ‘The singles are a way to give a voice to the atmosphere of the record and to lyrically encapsulate some of the themes explored,’ explains Waz-u. ‘Lily and Tom are good friends of mine and have both been listening to early iterations of these preludes – it felt right to involve them directly on this record.’

‘Preludes: Dusk Psalms’ marks a new branch of Waz-u’s emerging sound, guided by the duality of tradition and innovation. Combining his musical roots in early ‘90s dub techno and classical music, the album weaves carefully layered synthesizers and electronics to evoke the ambience of sacred music — from the gentle timbres of a choir or an organ to the quiet, open, and reverberating spaces of a church. Also featured throughout the album is experimental musician G9 LUV, who creates textures and drones by bowing his bass guitar, resulting in cello-like sounds. The release follows Waz-u’s 2024 debut LP, Prayer For Dawn, which merged dub, techno, and electronica in an exploration of the ritualistic traditions associated with both organized religion and dance.

Bringing the album’s themes to life, Waz-u will celebrate the release of Preludes: Dusk Psalms with a special performance at Our Holy Redeemer in Clerkenwell, London on 14 May 2025. Set against the church’s resonant acoustics, the event will feature live performance arrangements, including a choir, with further details to be announced soon.