rhythmism
Tuesday, Oct 5th 2004, 09:08 PM
The story unfolds back in May 2004, on their first night in Manhattan, Way Out West has kindly agreed to meet with their future publicists before heading out on a back-to-back, 12-date US tour. What should be a short business meeting between band members, management, and publicists quickly turns into dinner with friends. Sitting down at Matsuri, the cavernous sushi restaurant below Manhattan’s chic Maritime hotel, the band takes bites from one another’s plates, encourages us to do the same, and has our stomachs twisted from laughter before the first course has even arrived.
Nick Warren, one-third of the Bristol-based outfit impresses us with his deft chopstick maneuvers and his ability to pronounce the most unpronounceable raw fish on the menu. Jody Wisternoff, Nicks musical cohort for the past 11 years, plays it a bit more on the safe side, opting for grilled steak and veggies, while vocalist Omi, the newest member of the Way Out West trio, adopts a try anything attitude. She plucks up a vegetable not one of us recognizes and pops it in her mouth without a thought. “Mmmm. Tasty.” Throughout the evening, Sake and conversation flow freely.
Spend a night with Way Out West and it’s easy to understand why their music consistently rocks dance floors throughout the world. They’re easy going music enthusiasts with no attitude and loads of talent. And after two years of almost constant production work, writing and recording, the band are set to release their third, and self-proclaimed, “best album to date.” The album, Don’t Look Now, is scheduled for release on Distinctive Records this fall.
“It’s bloody brilliant, definitely our best yet” claims Jody, and he’s not far wrong.
“[With this album], we didn’t want to alienate our existing fanbase,” Jody continues, “but at the same time, it’s obvious that we’ve moved more towards song based tracks. I think we were stuck in a sampling loop before Omi came along and kicked us up the arse.”
Enter Omi – whom the guys sweetly refer to as their “secret weapon.” At just over five feet tall, Omi’s delicate frame belies a vocal talent that is anything but. Singing since she was 16, Omi first auditioned for Way Out West about 7 or 8 years ago with what she describes as her ‘shouty rave diva incarnation.’ “I hadn’t really worked out my vocal style at that time.” In what seems to be a prerequisite with the Way Out Westers, (Nick and Jody were managed by Jody’s dad for their first 8 years), Omi was managed by Jody’s dad in one band before opting to take a more experimental route, featuring on tracks for Starecase, Timo Maas, an all girl drum ‘n’ bass outfit, Eden and the one and only Peter Gabriel.
Having finally honed her vocal style, Omi joined Nick and Jody in the studio just under two years ago. Her influence on the duo is immediately recognizable. While many dance producers use female vocalists on their tracks, Omi brings an emotional authenticity to ‘Don’t Look Now’ that is sorely lacking on so many other electronica artist albums. Fans of Way Out West’s past releases won’t be disappointed, but nether will fans of Sarah McLaughlin or Dido. It’s just that sort of album.
‘Don’t Look Now’ glides from the staccato kick-drum and yearning vocals of upcoming single, ‘Anything But You,’ to the epic space age poignancy of ‘Everyday.’ Luscious soundscapes shift gracefully from the textured balearia of ‘Chasing Rainbows’ to the main room dirty odyssey of ‘Killa’ through to rollicking bongo twists and mangled basslines on ‘Fear.’ “It just came out of a mad jamming session we did with our drummer, Damon. He used to be in Echo and The Bunnymen and has a tendency to rock-out every now and again. But we don’t talk about that,” laughs Jody.
And as dance music has evolved, so too have Way Out West. What originally began life as a producer based outfit has grown over the years. “We wanted to become more of a band,” explains Nick. “We needed a bit more of a culture going on. It’s been around one and a half years since we got our secret weapon. It’s nice though, really nice.”
It is nice, really nice. After dinner the group splits up to go our separate ways. We’ll reconvene tomorrow to catch Way Out West kick off the first leg of their US tour at New York City’s club Avalon. It will be Omi’s THIRD live performance with the band EVER. She’s understandably nervous (petrified more like) but as soon as she gets on stage – she nails it. It’s a Friday night and thousands of bodies pulse throughout the dance floor and into the upper decks – transfixed by this ethereal vocal maven and the two men behind her manning the decks.
Despite the album title, the explicit command ‘Don’t Look Now’ – it’s impossible NOT to watch Way Out West. So watch them, watch them closely, and perhaps you’ll catch a glimpse of the future of dance music.
Way Out West 'Don't Look Now' is out now on Distinctive Records.
http://www.rhythmism.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=12299&stc=1
Nick Warren, one-third of the Bristol-based outfit impresses us with his deft chopstick maneuvers and his ability to pronounce the most unpronounceable raw fish on the menu. Jody Wisternoff, Nicks musical cohort for the past 11 years, plays it a bit more on the safe side, opting for grilled steak and veggies, while vocalist Omi, the newest member of the Way Out West trio, adopts a try anything attitude. She plucks up a vegetable not one of us recognizes and pops it in her mouth without a thought. “Mmmm. Tasty.” Throughout the evening, Sake and conversation flow freely.
Spend a night with Way Out West and it’s easy to understand why their music consistently rocks dance floors throughout the world. They’re easy going music enthusiasts with no attitude and loads of talent. And after two years of almost constant production work, writing and recording, the band are set to release their third, and self-proclaimed, “best album to date.” The album, Don’t Look Now, is scheduled for release on Distinctive Records this fall.
“It’s bloody brilliant, definitely our best yet” claims Jody, and he’s not far wrong.
“[With this album], we didn’t want to alienate our existing fanbase,” Jody continues, “but at the same time, it’s obvious that we’ve moved more towards song based tracks. I think we were stuck in a sampling loop before Omi came along and kicked us up the arse.”
Enter Omi – whom the guys sweetly refer to as their “secret weapon.” At just over five feet tall, Omi’s delicate frame belies a vocal talent that is anything but. Singing since she was 16, Omi first auditioned for Way Out West about 7 or 8 years ago with what she describes as her ‘shouty rave diva incarnation.’ “I hadn’t really worked out my vocal style at that time.” In what seems to be a prerequisite with the Way Out Westers, (Nick and Jody were managed by Jody’s dad for their first 8 years), Omi was managed by Jody’s dad in one band before opting to take a more experimental route, featuring on tracks for Starecase, Timo Maas, an all girl drum ‘n’ bass outfit, Eden and the one and only Peter Gabriel.
Having finally honed her vocal style, Omi joined Nick and Jody in the studio just under two years ago. Her influence on the duo is immediately recognizable. While many dance producers use female vocalists on their tracks, Omi brings an emotional authenticity to ‘Don’t Look Now’ that is sorely lacking on so many other electronica artist albums. Fans of Way Out West’s past releases won’t be disappointed, but nether will fans of Sarah McLaughlin or Dido. It’s just that sort of album.
‘Don’t Look Now’ glides from the staccato kick-drum and yearning vocals of upcoming single, ‘Anything But You,’ to the epic space age poignancy of ‘Everyday.’ Luscious soundscapes shift gracefully from the textured balearia of ‘Chasing Rainbows’ to the main room dirty odyssey of ‘Killa’ through to rollicking bongo twists and mangled basslines on ‘Fear.’ “It just came out of a mad jamming session we did with our drummer, Damon. He used to be in Echo and The Bunnymen and has a tendency to rock-out every now and again. But we don’t talk about that,” laughs Jody.
And as dance music has evolved, so too have Way Out West. What originally began life as a producer based outfit has grown over the years. “We wanted to become more of a band,” explains Nick. “We needed a bit more of a culture going on. It’s been around one and a half years since we got our secret weapon. It’s nice though, really nice.”
It is nice, really nice. After dinner the group splits up to go our separate ways. We’ll reconvene tomorrow to catch Way Out West kick off the first leg of their US tour at New York City’s club Avalon. It will be Omi’s THIRD live performance with the band EVER. She’s understandably nervous (petrified more like) but as soon as she gets on stage – she nails it. It’s a Friday night and thousands of bodies pulse throughout the dance floor and into the upper decks – transfixed by this ethereal vocal maven and the two men behind her manning the decks.
Despite the album title, the explicit command ‘Don’t Look Now’ – it’s impossible NOT to watch Way Out West. So watch them, watch them closely, and perhaps you’ll catch a glimpse of the future of dance music.
Way Out West 'Don't Look Now' is out now on Distinctive Records.
http://www.rhythmism.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=12299&stc=1