terça-feira, 7 de abril de 2020

Baruch Williamson: Psychedelia and synths

Genre: electronic, experimental, psychedelic
Album: Le Vent qui Crie
Release Date: 16th March, 2020
Label: Self-Released


Hypnotic beats and space-infused samples are part of the universe of Boris Willems that goes by the moniker Baruch Williamson. He is a belgian musician that started to compose and produce music at a tender and young age. 

Le Vent Qui Crie is his latest release that approaches more than pertinent topics of today’s society, namely the crisis we are all facing right now with the covid-19 virus and the pandemic. The rhythms are frantic and almost cinematic, making it possible to envision scenarios in our mind’s eyes. Scenarios which can become post-apocalyptic or surreal. Baruch’s influences for his solo project are varied and interesting and include Nicolas Jaar, Aphex Twin, Kevin Parker and Mozart

The opening theme, Ball Of Gas is a roving whirlwind of different textures, hypnotic beats  intermingle with cosmic inspired effects and a nice layer of distorted guitars that set the mood for the rest of the album. The second theme, Deutschland is omnious and catchy at the same time, with bass-infused beats that thrive on a base of deep and intense beats akin to cerebral techno. 
Then the psychadelic and experimental elements kick in and let us in for a ride. The theme, Synths are Funny is a playful experiment with synths that results in a construction of a melody built layer upon layer. 


The album is strongly influenced by these harsh and isolating times we are living worldwide in this devastating health crisis. The themes communicate well with each other and there is a sense of doom, but also of faith and a hopeful desire that allows people to finally “wake up” and realize some bolts in our society’s system need to be replaced. 

Baruch is also involved in a psych rock band called Hugs of the Sky. A young band that has been quite busy and prolific having released their third studio album in 2019 which is titled Virtual Lullaby Circus. The sound is catchy and captivating with wonderful atmosphere and perfect for those days when you just feel like rocking out a whole lot. 

Artwork by Camille Daytona

- How and when did you start composing?
I started composing on the Mac computer of my dad when I was around 12. I drew my own EP covers. It was very lo-fi and limited: I mostly worked with TuxGuitar for putting in the notes and chords, transmitting them to MIDI and then editing them in GarageBand. It was like a never-ending flow of creativity I found in this process. That’s why I think I got from the beginning more interested in how to think within carefully demarcated parameters that give someone a recognizable style as an artist, rather than mimicking or putting complex forms to the front.

- Are you involved in other bands/projects besides your solo act?
Next to my electronic solo project, I also write the songs and do bookings for my psychedelic rock band Hugs of the Sky. We have done some European tours lately. We are also running this label called “DISHWASH” with some guys of the band. We have organised shows all over Belgium and will keep doing this.


- In one of your EP’S, Consistent (s) unpower, can it be considered a conceptual album? If so, what themes did you wish to approach?
I regard all of my work as highly conceptual. I think the only way of doing something new in arts is by injecting new concepts and new ways of thinking into the field. In this EP I think I mostly want to say that I just love the process of making music. I love everything about it and do it automatically. I can’t think without it and I feel disordered when my thoughts are not some melodic rhythm cruising front. It’s the idea that even in states of total disorder, I can still produce. When I feel heavy emotions, this mobile block bursts out in some point and that’s why it’s sunpower and unpower at the same time. But it’s like a description of all of the universe I guess in the sense that it happens consistently. 

- Your EP, Pop Trench is an electronic progressive manifesto againt the aggressive industrialization. In what ways are you concerned about the preservation of the environment?
It shouldn't be a matter of concern, but our bodily intuitions are corrupted: the preservation of the environment: it is our way of living and the fundamental certainty we have. It is not a discussion, we just need to adapt and do adapt as a species if environments in micro - or macro-logical perspective send signs, that’s what living organisms do. It’s a big deal, the idea that we live on a big globe hanging in space is still hallucinant terrifying for people. But we need to get the idea of any kind of territorial identity out of people’s heads. Global and scientific perspectives we have developed have just transcended this field. We can do much better and use industrialization for the better and the flourishing of creativity instead of for profit or other unreal abstract, mechanic ends. 

- Le Vent que Crie, your latest album, is mainly focused on the recent epidemic of covid19. What are your thoughts and opinions about the state of things?

A pandemic outbreak has been predicted for years, it was just a matter of time. The reaction of our governments are symptomatic for everything they were doing wrong and the reasons why we got in this situation. It is like a loophole. But during this crisis people will learn to think different and if they inform themselves, see that positive changes are needed. I think it will turn out great paradoxically to all of the terror and angst we see happening now. People will go back to normal life with a novel load of conscience in their head.

Text: Cláudia Zafre
Band: Baruch Williamson (Boris Willems)