0
Following on from his emotionally haunting debut single ‘Son’ which garnered support from Huw Stephens at BBC Radio 1, Will, the London-based multi-talented artist behind the pseudonym Wassailer returns to unveil the atmospheric ‘242’. It’s the singers second outing taken from his highly anticipated debut full-length ‘i, the bastard’ which lands on January 27th 2021, via Empty Streets Records.
Provoking the ambient memories of Tom Misch and Yussef Dayes, ‘242’ is a genre-splicing cocktail that sees Wassailer utilise an electro-pop palette, while embracing hints of neo-soul and dubstep. Rippling with mellow strings and unpredictable instrumentals, the new single allows the artist to show off his capabilities; opening the track with near spoken words, which later shifts into warm graceful vocals as the track builds momentum.
Emotionally, ‘242’ has universal accessibility; a reflection of a breakup, and the heartache that comes along with it. For Wassailer, the 242 bus is a trip down memory lane; resisting the temptation to jump off and run to the house that he once shared with a past lover. As he explains: “It’s about that post relationship feeling of deep regrets, heavy guilt, mixed up with melancholia and hope. It’s also about realising how hard it is to be your true self, how easy it is to play a role, to avoid facing the real shit, I suppose.”
Accompanying the breezy number is a lyric video featuring Wassailer himself. Sitting at the top of a 242 bus, the video overlays with distorted time lapses of the journey. Commenting on the video, he says: “I went back to East London to shoot some time lapses with my phone, sticking it to the upper deck front window of the actual bus 242. I was obsessed with the raindrops trickling on it at night, creating these psychedelic colour fx with the traffic lights. That’s basically as blurry as what’s going on in my mind most of the time.”
With lyrics addressing the contradictions, social issues and the lack of empathy behind mankind’s behaviour through 11 tracks, upcoming album ‘i, the bastard’ sees Wassailer deliver his most honest outpour yet. Commenting on the album he explains “I’ve managed to tell the story I wanted to tell, the way I wanted to tell it, starting with the newest song I’d produced, and finishing with the eldest and most personal piece I ever wrote… It’s very intimate, and very political, i could not have been more honest, clumsy, passionate, very me.”
Prior to his current artist identity, Will is no stranger to the live circuit, having been a shadow studio arranger and live multi-instrumentalist behind indie pop piece We Were Evergreen; who toured with the likes of Michael Kiwanuka, Metronomy, Nick Mulvey and Villagers. Now as Wassailer, his early shows have included gigs with Scottish Siobhan Wilson, Rondo Mo and L.A. Salami.
‘242’ will be available to stream now via Empty Street Records.
Forthcoming album ‘i, the bastard’ is set for release on January 27th, 2021, via Empty Street Records.