Wen’s ‘Grit’ Finds Inner Strength In Brittle Electronics

It's another signal from incoming album 'EPHEM:ERA’...

Wen has always wanted to cause a commotion.

Right from the start the producer was never content to walk someone else's path, continually seeking out fresh directions within music.

New album 'EPHEM:ERA’ is incoming, the follow up to his rightly lauded 2014 debut, and finds the London artist's viewpoints broadening still further.

Out on July 6th via Big Dada, we've gained another preview of the record in the form of tremendous new song 'Grit'.

Finding inner strength within brittle electronics, the undulating digital melodies criss-cross to present something ornate yet totally engrossing.

Taking grime's sub-zero sub-low explorations and extrapolating them into fresh space, 'Grit' is a vivid piece of instrumental electronics.

Tune in below, then check out a short Q&A with Wen after the jump.

What attracts you to the album as a format?

Definitely the scope and how its a statement piece – especially with writing the second album, offers the opportunity to recalibrate. I enjoy the runtime too, really able to cast the mood wide across a lot of tracks and still hone in with signature detailing and nuances to tie it together.

Which albums inspire you, in terms of structure, approach, or aesthetic?

Aesthetic and mood definitely tips it, but I think structure is also critical in making an album work. I love albums that shift through a sequence of zones varying intensity and energy.

What sparked 'GRIT'? Do you tend to start from the rhythm track, or can it be different each time?

Always rhythm, drums have been my initial point of traction in the past – but for this album I wanted to explore rhythmic melodies as the starting point, then let the drums and space respond.

How representative is 'GRIT' of the full album?

This is one of the early cuts that gave me confidence in writing revolving melody lines for the rest of the record. I pushed it quite hard with layered up melodies and the stop/start momentum, feels like a busy moment within the rest of the album.

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'EPHEM:ERA’ will be released on July 6th.

Photo Credit: Ross J. Platt

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