Andrew Wasylyk today announces his new album, ‘The Paralian’, which is released 1st February 2019 on vinyl, CD and digital through Athens of the North. The album is available to pre-order now.
Earlier this year, Andrew was commissioned by arts centre and historic house Hospitalfield in Arbroath, Scotland to create music for their restored 19th century Erard Grecian harp. Over the next five months, he created melodies and progressions echoing the building’s unique relationship with the looming North Sea horizon. Using not only the harp, but the house’s original grand piano, Andrew explored the Angus landscape and beyond, gathering field recordings on trips to neighbouring Seaton Cliffs and Bell Rock Lighthouse –the world’s oldest surviving sea-washed lighthouse.
These harp-led compositions gave way to creating his third full-length album, ‘The Paralian’, which explores a range of themes utilising a broad palette of instrumentation including flugelhorn, euphonium, oboe, string trio, vintage synthesisers, drones and piano.
Talking about the new album, Andrew says: “Initially I was intent on a minimal approach with the Grecian harp. However, with each visit to Hospitalfield I became engrossed with the North Sea horizon, realising that, despite living on the east coast of Scotland, I’d never truly felt its full presence.
“At that point, the writing and arrangements evolved – shimmering strings, wandering melodies on a Fender Rhodes, the submerged pulse from a tape loop – a variety of elements drifted into the work. Revisiting these tracks, there’s a farewell transmission gently blowing through them.”
‘The Paralian’ follows the Scottish musician’s second album, ‘Themes for Buildings and Spaces’, which was released last year, and his debut, ‘Soroky’, which came out in 2015. As well as the new album, Andrew has today announced three shows for next year. He will bring his unique blend of music to Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee in early 2019. Full dates below:
30th January 2019 Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh
31st January 2019 Gardyne Theatre, Dundee
1st February 2019 The Blue Arrow, Glasgow (part of Celtic Connections)
Tickets for all three shows are available now via the following outlets: tickets-scotland.com
Andrew Wasylyk is the alias of Scottish writer, producer and multi-instrumentalist, Andrew Mitchell.
