I always say that the greatest challenge for instrumental music is to convey thoughts and feelings without words, and in the EP ‘Becoming’ by Naarm/Melbourne outfit Wish, they have done just that. A core instrumentation of just guitars , bass and drums delivers something quiet raw and evocative.
Wish is essentially the solo work of Jordan Keene, who played all the instruments and home recorded the EP.
Across five sparkling tracks, Wish has created a series of yearning, emotive pieces with the sort of arpeggiated jangling guitars reminiscent of Peter Buck from REM – witness opening track ‘Bloom’ with its crisp guitars and driving bass and harmonics.
Melodies form from the banks of unadorned crystalline guitars – there is little trickery or effects layered upon the riffs, just pure sounds etching curves in the air. ‘Reason’ skips along with a pattering pace, ebbing and flowing, ascending and pulling gently back, ‘Resolve’ again has some beautiful harmonics that thread their way in and out of the guitar patterns.
Title track, ‘Becoming’ with its very faint feedback way back in the mix paints an atmospheric, melodic air with a pattering percussion and layered riffs. The EP closes with ‘Dissipate’, where the guitars at times stand alone with a wandering, driving bass under the surface. This is a reflective end to the EP – slowly ascending to some quite anthemic and bold before blasting off into the ether..
‘Becoming’ is an accomplished collection of instrumentals that effectively creates a vision of summer melancholy and dreamy reverie. You can download and stream the EP here and through the link below.
You can catch Wish live launching their Becoming EP launch show at The Gasometer Upstairs in Melbourne on 11 December 2022 – further info and tickets available here.
