THE FUTURE BITES
Steven Wilson / THE FUTURE BITES / 2021 / CAROL021LP
Steven Wilson is quite possibly my favorite musical artist ever. For over a decade he has remained a consistent influence for myself and a multitude of other musicians. He’s a master of his craft in the studio and on the stage. Known predominantly as the front-man of Porcupine Tree, Wilson’s solo work serves as a canvas to explore and experiment with sounds and songwriting beyond “Progressive Rock” (Porcupine Tree is so much more then this blanket genre). There are no two Steve Wilson albums that sound alike. His thought process is that if you’re not changing and evolving as you write and produce then you are just releasing the same music over and over and not growing as a musician. As we creep closer to the release of his next solo record The Harmony Codex I felt it was appropriate to go back and give his latest release THE FUTURE BITES a few spins in anticipation.
THE FUTURE BITES is Steve Wilson’s blatant, pop album revolving around humanities obsession with social media, being self-centered, and the inability to break away from the addiction of consumerism. Sonically it’s full of digital soundscapes, arpeggiated synthesizers, strings, and ABBA influenced vocal layerings. Lyrically it’s thought provoking, honest, and dark - the future bites. Kicking off with SELF, Wilson proclaims the endless pit of social media that we have all fell in and succumbed to - “Self has no sense of tact. Self is too self-detached. We are self, the self that loves itself now. We are self, I only see myself now”. Wilson’s vocals come across monotone and robotic through the verses which give a controlling and systematic pressure to the track until it breaks free in the chorus. EMINENT SLEAZE has Wilson take on the perspective of a business man who’s “got designs to hypnotize” and keep consumers buying their product (sound familiar?). The thick, walking chapman stick lines from Nick Beggs transpires into an explosive electro-disco track embellished with Fender Rhodes and electric piano from Adam Holzman (both long standing collaborators of Wilson’s). Steve also arranged some beautiful strings performed by the London Session Orchestra that eventually give way to Wilson’s sporadic, hot-amp telecaster solo. PERSONAL SHOPPER follows in the disco footsteps of EMINENT SLEAZE but showing the other end - Us. We are victims to the marketing of everything. As consumers, we have to have it all - it never ends as we are never satisfied enough. The track features Elton John and Steve’s wife as guest voices throughout the track which is really cool.
THE FUTURE BITES was produced by David Kosten (Keane, Dodie) and Steven Wilson. The hilarious creative concept and art design was done by Simon Moore and Steven Wilson. If you haven’t seen the deep-fake music video directed by Miles Skarin for SELF, check it out here: Steven Wilson - SELF (Official Video)
