"who's gonna listen to me...?"
I like when art blends genres and periods of time, tosses them all in a blender. My love and fascination of Ridley Scott's vision of a dystopian future in 1982's Blade Runner partially turns on that future and the visual cues that hearken back to 1940's film noir. That's one big appeal of the track "Optimisms" by Edmonton, Canada based Motorbike James, aka singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and visionary (I said that) Michael Werbicki. On the track you hear droning broken synths, that feel vintage, even horror pop-esque, caustic and lo-fi, with pumping bass and drums (or machine beats) which feels part industrial, part future or sci-fi by way of past sounds. Then, though you have Werbicki's vocal aesthetic, a broad free wheeling wail with melodies that have a decidedly heartland rock sensibility, at least that is what I am perceiving. Amidst the new wave heavy guitar slides, muted staccato leads and rock classicalism, he even casts faint blues / country lights. Springsteen meets Gary Numan meets Aphex Twin.
"Optimisms" is from Motorbike James's album “VIISIONS”.
VIISIONS was written, produced and mixed by Motorbike James. It’s a collection of songs that, through their evolution, took on a character and accompanying narrative. Drawing inspiration from classic conceptual albums such as Pink Floyd's “The Wall” or David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust”, VIISIONS is a deep conceptual journey that remains open-ended enough for listener exploration. The album, on the surface, follows a space man protagonist as he experiences a seemingly paranormal connection with a divine entity.
- Robb Donker Curtius
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spotify
Motorbike James is a stream of consciousness writer, he writes through pure emotion and what he feels in the moment. What comes out the other side is a unique offering of music that is hard to pin under any one genre. Elements of electronic, indie rock, psychedelic, and R&B poke through each song. The debut album VIISIONS takes you on a journey; exploring the beauty of our world and the parallel lines between the universe we’ve constructed in our mind and the physical space that we occupy.
VIISIONS was written, produced and mixed by Motorbike James. It’s a collection of songs that, through their evolution, took on a character and accompanying narrative. Drawing inspiration from classic conceptual albums such as Pink Floyd's “The Wall” or David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust”, VIISIONS is a deep conceptual journey that remains open-ended enough for listener exploration. The album, on the surface, follows a space man protagonist as he experiences a seemingly paranormal connection with a divine entity. This connection proves to be rooted less in the paranormal and more in a deeper understanding that transcends time and dimensions. The “big word” definition of the album would go as follows:
VIISIONS is an account of the human experience, unconfined by time as a linear construct. A protagonist being pulled from singularity and thrust into the higher consciousness that binds all things.” The simpler description would bill the album “a cosmic journey through the beauty and mystery of time and space in search of pure consciousness and understanding.”
However the listener connects with the album, the “cosmic journey” side of it is unmistakable. The album weaves through lush instrumentals, changing pace from energetic to reprise. Deep harmonies guide the listener through dynamic montages, but always settle into laid back grooves & vibes - balancing accessibility with a deep meditative vibe.
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