WAVESTAR II - NIGHTWINDS (2018 ALBUM FROM DYSON, WARD & WHITLAN)

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Their 2nd coming is here and this highly anticipated new album has already proved the brand has lost none of the adulation generated in the late 80’s!

This is THE comeback album of the decade… If you didn’t think that John Dyson, Stefan Whitlan & Paul Ward could possibly repeat the WAVESTAR experience of the 80’s over 30 years down the line, then think again, because that is exactly what the trio have done … and with bells on!

Here’s a track–by–track rundown to get you drooling in anticipation…

‘Dragon’ open with creepy deep sound effects like it was out of a ‘Jurassic Park’ movie, before heavenly choral voices and a beautiful high-register and typically Dyson-esque ethereal melody line emerges though the dark haze and sets the stage for WAVESTAR’s magnificent return to your hi-fi system!
At just past 4-minutes in the atmospheric sounds come to a halt as a fast moving rhythmic pattern brings in a synth melody line that could only be Dyson, sending shivers down your spine as the music lifts off and gets into it’s stride. Familiar sounding drum patterns and brassy analogue synthesizers set up a wonderful tune that stands up against anything JD has come up with in the past, and he eloquently improvises this melody line before closing the track on an epic high … What a great start to this new ‘Nightwinds’ album!

‘Eldritch’ starts out in a dark echo-field of sounds and effects before getting into a fantastic flowing rhythmic pattern that will thrill the “Berlin Scholars” among you, with lots of background sounds and effects surrounding the track with a net of spacey, ethereal textures.

‘Majesty’ comes over exactly as the title suggests, with regal synth melodies heralding some of the finest symphonic synthesized fanfares on the planet right now. Guitar-like synth leads also come in over the sweeping and swaying string-synth chords – beautiful!

‘Track Of Time’ is real classic WAVESTAR, where an opening salvo of string synths and what sounds like fretless-bass create a wonderful flowing landscape that introduces what I can only describe as a track where 60’s SHADOWS meets 70’s TANGERINE DREAM meets 80’s ‘Comfortably-Numb’ style Gilmour-PINK FLOYD, all driven to fruition by Dyson’s ultra-melodic electric guitar work as it soars into the havens over wave upon wave of massed keyboards that are forming a glorious backdrop.

‘Velocity Of Dark’ is a magnificently melodic epic with a fabulously atmospheric opening courtesy of Stefan Whitlan, followed by all the hooks and chord changes that you would possibly expect from a classic JD album track and more!

‘Reprise {For Jack}’ is a moving Vangelis-like symphonic masterpiece that is obviously a very personal piece for John, but it could also have been made for a Stephen Speilberg epic movie … magnificently sombre, yet extremely beautiful - There’s wasn’t a dry eye in the house when this track was playing!
These days, Paul Ward is well known for his fantastic keyboard orchestral arrangements, and I get the feeling he was heavily involved with this one, and on the following epic title track too!
I recommend you check out the ‘Last Of England’ album he recorded in 2017 with the amazing guitarist: Gordon Giltrap for another stunning example of Paul’s arrangement and production skills!

‘Nightwinds’ is the longest piece on the album and a perfect piece to close it with!
It’s a slow builder that starts out as a beautiful heavenly synth-filled soundscape with gentle lead guitar refrains wafting over the soundstage for the opening section, before gently taking in slowly move rhythms and distant choral effects rise from the back of the mix at just past the eight minute mark.
Gilmour-eque electric guitar languidly rolls over the top weaving the main theme in and out of a mystical backdrop of string-synths and heavenly voices. There are epic dramatic scenes just past the 14-minute point as synth fanfares merge with choirs of heavenly Mellotron voices to form some really triumphant music that will lift the spirits big time, before returning to the more gentle rolling melodies that opened the piece. A Vangelis-like synth lead comes in at the 17-minute mark delivering a sombre, yet uplifting theme that takes the track into its final few minutes.
A pulsing sequencer provides some backdrop rhythms as the track draws to its conclusion with percussive rolls and a beautiful high-register synth melody, then more Dyson-esque synth layers all roll in to take the whole thing to a grand and magnificent climax.

Wow, together these guys really have got the second coming of WAVESTAR off to a mighty start, and it is with that certain style of electronic music that only this core group of musicians could put together.

A special mention also has to be made of Paul Ward’s production over the entire album - It is magnificent and really does compliment all the new music, bringing out the full dynamic, musical range.

‘Nightwinds’ is a “must have” for all Dyson / WAVESTAR fans!

‘Nightwinds’ was released on 31st of March 2018.

Also available by WAVESTAR …
LIVE AT UKE 1985 (2018 1st Time on CD for Archive Recording / GF Card Sleeve) CCCD – Stock # 2075803
MIND JOURNEY (2006 Reissue with Bonus Track) CD – Stock # 984520
MOONWIND (1998 Remastered Reissue) CD – Stock # 739816
ZENITH (2001 Remastered with a New Version of ‘Time-Node’ added) CD – Stock # 559841

WAVESTAR II: NIGHTWINDS Track List:

01. Dragon (8:32)
02. Eldritch (10:20)
03. Majesty (4:03)
04. Track Of Time (10:00)
05. Velocity Of Dark (14:18)
06. Reprise {For Jack} (7:32)
07. Nightwinds (21:51)

TPT – 76:36