Since the release of Arctic Monkeys ‘AM’ and Tame Impala’s ‘Lonerism’, vinyl has shot onto every retro teen’s Christmas list and Oxfam have never seen as many kids browsing amongst the old cabinets, trying to find a hidden gem. Vinyl is exciting, there’s no doubt. This is exactly why singer-songwriter David Ward has decided to release a two part saga specifically recorded on two sides of a single record.
Ward’s second solo album has been named ‘Golden Future Time’… Could this perhaps be a subconscious nod to how our present era will eventually span out? Or, could it be that Ward has created a masterpiece that will live forever?
The two sided vinyl is released on February 24th 2014. But if you can’t wait to get your mitts on one of the hottest releases of the year, then – luckily for you – Ward has graced SoundCloud with a beautiful appetizer that goes by the name of ‘Slowly through the Night’. A song drenched in a deep soulful storm of pumping guitars and a killer drum beat; this opener to the album seriously packs a punch.
Both sides of the vinyl take you into a fantasy land of distorted trees and multi-coloured skies. The sheer brilliance of what seems to be an effortless transition of mood is captured perfectly in songs ‘Lost’ and the exquisite composition of the quiet ‘Be Here’ – the definitive moment on the first side of the album.
The album speaks volumes and really gives a peep-hole into the hazy realms lurking deep inside David Ward’s mind. The release of ‘Golden Future Time’ follows his 2012 highly celebrated EP trilogy ‘Arrivals, Departures and Borders’. The previous EP ebbs the same sophisticated styling as ‘Golden Future Time’, incorporating a raw feel of instruments to star-studded penned lyrics. There’s no denying that David Ward has a gift that many would die for; it’s something special that really can’t be ignored!
Side B of the album takes a heavy spin in a completely different direction all together. First off we were floating in the clouds of tranquillity, flip over the vinyl and your head begins to pound with a funky, hooky riff flowing from the elegant bass guitar. The title track ‘Golden Future Time’ screams vintage R&B – add a dash of ‘70s disco funk and we’re ready to get on the dance floor! The elegant bass switches almost effortlessly into a rumbling train-wreck of intensity on ‘Fly’: a track so individual, nothing feels as good as it sounds.
Ward’s words are far beyond his time. Penning lyrics of suffocating sadness and nabbing the need of self-preservation, Ward grasps the horns of the future and rams them into overdrive. The words evoke hidden emotions, pulling down all barriers, and that alone is why David Ward stands out in today’s music industry.
Versatile talent radiates from Ward; a man who can take you on two, juxtaposed, spaced out journeys yet somehow manages to make them gel together. It’s an extraordinary listen. If one thing’s for definite, soon enough the sunshine of the world will soak him up, shake him out and plant his name rolling from everybody’s tongues.
Ella Scott
Ella Scott
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