[Introducing] – Silver Wren

It’s a rainy Saturday where I am, so what could be better than some ethereal psych-folk to pass the time? Luckily, Silver Wren is on hand to provide just that. The solo project of Gainsville, Florida-based Ross Campbell, Silver Wren started in March this year, and has already yielded two mini EPs. Ross has now taken the bulk of them, given it a bit of a polish, and released it as the five-track “Window In The Wreath”. It’s a pretty engrossing listen.

Ross acknowledges that he hasn’t really settled on a sound yet. The EP’s opener, “Crystalline”, is a lightly haunting affair, whose bubbling synths remind me of being underwater; by the time closer “Window In The Wreath” rolls around, things have moved into far warmer, more welcoming territory. But despite being drawn from two different sources, the finished product hangs together well.

No doubt that’s in part due to the consistency of instrumentation. Silver Wren is a true adventure in home recording: everything is laid down in Ross’s bedroom, with whatever acoustic instruments he has to hand. Mostly, that seems to include a guitar and his own voice. The latter in particular does a lot of the legwork of filling out the sound, thanks to a liberal application of reverb – it’s drenched in it; enough to kill a horse. Still, the list now also includes an oud, so I look forward to the Turkish angle on future recordings…

An immediate comparison to that set-up is Flying Saucer Attack‘s “Further” (one of the most criminally overlooked albums of the ’90s, in my humble opinion); the electronic aspects also put me in mind of Boy In Static. Ross himself looks to the likes of Sufjan Stevens and Animal Collective for his influences. I wouldn’t say he’s quite as nuts as the latter, but he can certainly rock an honest lyric when he has to.

All going to plan, there should be a Silver Wren full-length release next spring. In the meantime, you can check out the whole of “Window In The Wreath” below, or follow the links for more otherworldly joy.

Connect with Silver Wren – Facebook | Bandcamp | Soundcloud

Silver Wren – ”Crystalline”
Silver Wren – ”Estranger”
Silver Wren – ”Silent Haze”
Silver Wren – ”Native Fears”
Silver Wren – ”Window In The Wreath”