Watter — History of the Future (Oct. 20, 2017)

       ^{Watter — History of the Future (October 20, 2017)}  ★★     Located on the same tiny rural Kentucky road as the old Rove Studio, where many Will Oldham records were made, multi~instrumentalist Zak Riles’ new studio — dubbed Earthwave — was literally built from the ground up on the rolling hills of his picturesque farm. It has quickly become a place of great inspiration and tireless creation. Loaded with vintage analog gear and stunning views of deep sunsets reflecting across a serene lake, the studio has drawn many of Kentucky’s most talented musicians in the spirit of collaboration, the fruits of which are on stunning display across the ten songs that make up History of the Future.       
Location: Louisville, Kentucky
Album release: October 20, 2017
Record Label: Temporary Residence
Duration:
Tracks:
01. Telos     4:17 
02. Shadow Chase     2:27 
03. Death Knock     4:15 
04. Sacrificial Leaf     4:11 
05. Depth Charge     7:02 
06. Liquid of Life     3:01 
07. The Cloud Sanctuary     2:17 
08. Macho Milano     6:27 
09. History of the Future     7:26 
10. Final Sunrise     5:06
Review
by Daniela Patrizi | October 17, 2017 |
★★       When Watter first appeared fully formed in 2014 as a trio featuring founding members of Grails & Slint, most assumed the mercurial group would vanish into the ether just like the foggy echoes of sound they crafted on their debut album, This World.
★★       …Three years later, spent experimenting and crafting new sounds, Watter are back with History of the Future. The new album is approximately 50 minutes in length and is a collection of ten exquisite pieces that have so many nuances that’s quite impossible to define its music style: elements of jazz, math rock, electronic and some classical notes are all blended together to create an album that represents a step ahead compared to This World. History of the Future is probably more dynamic but it does have calm, dreamlike moments.
★★       Essential part of the creative process of this experimental journey are the illustrious guests, which include Britt Walford (Slint), Dominic Cipolla (Phantom Family Halo, Torres), Rachel Grimes (Rachel’s), Bundy K. Brown (Tortoise), and Todd Cook (Shipping News, The For Carnation). With this premise how can History of the Future not be good?
★★       The deep bass tones of ‘Telos’ open the album with a sinister atmosphere that’s tense and dark but served in the softest way. Your mind flies away but ‘Death Knock’ brings you back to the album and even if you try to zone out there’s no way to escape because this track lures you and keeps you stuck on its sound. ‘Sacrificial Leaf’ and ‘Depth Charge’ are the tracks that mostly resemble the mood of the previous album. The synths and the whole sound of ‘Depth Charge’, filled with fat drum beats and belching pulses, are mesmerising and if you close your eyes you find yourself in the set of Mulholland Drive, running on a empty road without understanding what you are escaping from. It’s deep and powerful.
★★       ‘The Cloud Sanctuary’ is a short blend of experimental ideas with simple but solid melodies that slowly take the listeners into new territories whose peak is the brilliant title track. ‘History of the Future’ starts with light notes and features a chord progressions that mixes element of jazz and dream pop before becoming deeper and darker resembling the the soundtrack of a minimalist noir movie.
★★       ‘Final Sunrise’ is the perfect closure to the sonic journey of History of the Future. The last five minutes of the album are that sober light that warms you after a ride that engages you shifting moods frequently and at the same time it is beautifully melancholic as a walk in a fall day.  ★★       http://echoesanddust.com/
Bandcamp: https://watter.bandcamp.com/
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