Steven Wilson – The Harmony Codex

 

Steven Wilson – The Harmony Codex

by Pete Clemons

For me, it was one of those magical moments in popular music history that I have experienced through listening to music in now more than 60 years. I remember the release of landmark records such as Sgt Peppers, Tubular Bells, Dark Side of the Moon. To be clear, I am not comparing The Harmony Codex to any of those records. It was the felling that was evoked during its playback. I have never heard anything quite like this.

I was one of a select few attendees of, a recent, private airing of the latest record release by Steven Wilson. It was beyond anything I had ever experienced aurally. And, an absolute privilege to have been there.

A 'Spatial sound experience' is an expression you will begin to hear more and more of. Especially if you enjoy gaming, movies or music. It is sound that occupies every millimetre of space within the confines it is heard in.

By being at the centre of the experience your senses are heightened. The intention, then, is that the sound draws you in more so that you hear more detail and feel it more emotionally. It is surround sound on overdrive.

L-ISA technology brand themselves as 'The Ultimate Expression of Sound'. They continue, that their product 'enables artists to create and delivery immersive sound for live and recorded productions of any scale. This comprehensive ecosystem of audio tools provides a natural and vivid experience that heightens emotion and invites the listener inside the music. We call this Immersive Hyperreal Sound'.

In principle it is similar to Atmos technology. Atmos speaker placement comes in a variety of formats such as 7.1.4 (the 7 being seven surround [floor/wall] mounted speakers, 1 being the sub woofer for low frequencies, 4 being ceiling mounted speakers).

L-ISA are taking that principle a little bit further. In the case of this particular demonstration we were surrounded by 18.1.12 (the .1 being made up of 24 sub woofers). Together it produced a depth, clarity and a detail that you have never heard before.

Based on just one listen of the record, Steven appears to be attempting to create a completely new genre of music yet, at the same time, remain within some of its boundaries. At times the piece felt like a spontaneous unfolding that simply continued to unfold and peel back.

Steven appears to have thrown his entire palette of musical textures at this project. As such some of it I found vaguely familiar - in a similar way to bumping into an old friend who has matured. At other times, the absolute beauty was quite breathtaking and overwhelming. All within a crystal clarity I have never heard before.

Other areas of the music were other worldly. By it's mid section I felt I was in heaven or deep space. Certainly not in Highgate, North London. Such was the journey it took you on. The prodigious feeling when the record ended was that this had been one of those life affirming moments. A short period of time was required afterwards in order to recover.

I imagine the working of Steven's mind to be similar to someone like David Bowie. I once read that David, several gigs from end of a tour, was already on to the next project in his head. But that is where the similarity, with David, definitely ends.

Additionally, Steven seems to be the complete opposite of the old 'If it ain't broken' phrase. Having the ability to move on from a successful path is a truly courageous move. And he appears happy enough to tear up his own rule book for everything that has gone before.

With a shape shifting attitude - If no one enjoys the next album, tough, I'm going to do it anyway. The next project is more likely forming in Steven's mind right now. The Harmony Codex will be available later this year in, I'm guessing, all the usual formats. I have no doubt that, for many, it will be a 'what just happened there' moment.