Will Bates has always been an innovative name. But with his new record, "The Pirate Album," he's setting sail on a new journey that started in the most unlikely ways.
An experimental collaboration sprung spontaneously from a giant balafon, an iconic Malian percussionist, and a dubious film director has developed into a full-blown aural odyssey. "The Pirate Album" is an invitation bookended by creative exploration years in the making. It layers rich textures and evocative soundscapes that draw listeners into unexplored musical waters.
Bates, who usually crafts scores for acclaimed film and television, goes outside compositional norms here and lets raw experimentation steer the ship. The result? It is a set of tracks as unpredictable as "The Pirate Album." Its origins are unruly but intimately immersive, percussive but melodic, and cinematic but uncontained in expression.
One of the album's best cuts, "Superman Hits the Pulsa," erupts with kinetic energy, tinged with sharp-edged percussion but buoyed by an electrifying thump. Meanwhile, "Don Ruben as Cat," on Bates' trademark talent for blending playfulness with intensity, creates a dynamic and captivating soundscape.
With every song, Bates pulls us deeper into his world, where musical conventions bend and break in the service of pure, unadulterated invention. Those familiar with his previous output will also spot his trademark atmospheric tension, but "The Pirate Album" delivers a new level of playful spontaneity and adventure.