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.