STEVEN WILSON
The Harmony Codex (Virgin)
Fragmented beats skitter atop an icy, ethereal piano pattern: this is Inclination, the opener of the latest album by modern progressive rock icon Steven Wilson. Stacking layers of discordant guitars and hypnotising synthesisers, this is far from the explorations of traditional songcraft that have defined much of his recent work. Rather, tracks like Impossible Tightrope and Staircase infuse elements from experimental electronica and psychedelia, for an intriguing yet ambitious combination.
In contrast, the minimalist Economies Of Scale and Rock Bottom demonstrate our frontman’s skill for writing stirring melodies to haunting effect. In shaping this project, its creator has said that he wanted the music to exist “outside of genre”. Vitally, while this certainly marks a departure into perplexing territory, it’s still deeply progressive. Musicians should seek to challenge audiences.
By employing ambient soundscapes and non-conventional song structures on The Harmony Codex, Steven Wilson has created an album that sounds profoundly unfamiliar, yet is made fascinating due to that experimentation.
words ALEX SWIFT
