Wake Of Destruction - Spirit

Hear The Track Here

'Dedicated to the ones I have lost' is how Omar Chavez (aka Wake Of Destruction) refers to Spirit, a new track from this electro-pop singer songwriter. In case you have no idea who Wake of Destruction is, it's high time to put that right because he is definitely one of the best songwriter musicians around right now, especially if you have a leaning towards electro-pop in the first place. Personally I was into it the first time around during the 1980's and most of the latest stuff I have heard pays more than a healthy nod towards its roots and nowhere is this more so than with Mr Chavez. Since the first time I reviewed him with Run From Me (July 2009) he has delivered a string of extremely high quality songs, gathering at least four Must Haves in as many months and is one of the Soundclick artists I would have gone for anyway, as a reviewer or a listener.

Biased? Moi? Too ******* right!!

My bias is because this guy really is that good. Slight musical detour this time, into a much grimmer, grimier industrial sound although the underlying song is exactly what I would have expected from this very accomplished composer, its very economy and spareness is a testimony to the less is more school of music. Amazing when you read the lyrics, you can almost hear the song being sung, but the actual track may very well take long time Wake Of Destruction fans a bit by surprise because - lets face it - we are well spoiled by the extremely high studio quality this musician always bring to the table. Mind you, despite its aural roughness (deliberate btw), the same sonic standard still applies although I have much sympathy with Omar because this must have been a bitch to mix.

Sounding a bit like Low period Bowie, Spirit is full of sturm and drang, clashing aural textures and edgy, disjointed angles all vying for your attention, leaving the vocal some way behind. Omar also sounds very different from his usual clear lyrical self, gruff, growly and angry; these are vocals that demand to be listened to and I'm sure it will take a while to sneak up on you. One of the strengths of this musician in the past has been his uncomplicated, straightforward yet intricate style. Spirit is just taking it to a whole new level and one that, I am sure, will bear some very strange fruit indeed. If this is an indication of where Wake Of Destruction are heading off to now, I shiver in anticipation of what is to come over the next year or so. Be prepared to work for this one but it is so, so worth it.

Highly Recommended dark electronica.