Wonderlost - Distant Present

Alternative

Genre-bending act, WONDERLOST releases bold new album, “Distant Present”

WONDERLOST is the solo project and collaborations of Jared Warren, keyboard player for Mother Goat. Warren’s music spans two decades of bands, shows, recordings and productions. He specializes in rhythm and percussion driven world/island groove music, and has the experience and depth to produce and perform nearly any style or genre of music. Warren grew up in Colorado with music lessons, and started on the piano, learning the essentials and taking them to electric pianos and organs. From there, he took a natural next step into drums and percussion, spending time studying and traveling the world, while listening to music. The guitar has since become a persistent instrument for him, leading to a smooth transition to a multitude of stringed instruments. As WONDERLOST, he now returns with a brand new album, “Distant Present.”

Recorded at Coral Star Studios in the US Virgin Islands, the album is an eleven-track collection of dystopian B-sides, instrumental thought pieces, and lushly crafted soundscapes. A step away from WONDERLOST’s earlier work, it feels like the culmination of years of creative exploration, featuring an amazing, powerhouse lineup of collaborators.

The project kicks off with the title track, “The Distant Present,” — an otherworldly fusion and mix of several elements and emotive sounds that showcase what WONDERLOST is truly about. Featuring Aaron Strickland and Tyler Perrino, “The Distant Present” has a beautiful buildup of sound, marked strongly by heavy drums, that more or less bring the track to life. A solid opening to the album, this piece nears the five-minute mark, but you probably won’t even realize it till the song concludes.

“Little Mr Bird Bagger” comes next and features Mark Joseph and Broheem. The track comes across as a deep blend of soul and jazz elements, highlighting the power behind these genres. Vocals here are strong and driven, connecting seamlessly to the large scale of instrumentation. A much shorter musical number, it fits quite easily into the overall soundscape of the album.

Track number three, “In Your Shadow” features Tyler Perrino and Aaron Strickland, and includes a wide range of instruments, from the piano, to keyboard and the drums, all used in varied styles, measurements and melodies, to signify a storyline marked by heavily by the lyric, “your lightness makes my darkness whole.” A strong statement, the lyricism here is profusely deep, backed by well-rounded vocals, and a moving template of sound that continues to highlight WONDERLOST’s intense love for musical instruments.

“She’s Like the Weather” comes across as a more laid-back offering from WONDERLOST. Joined by FTK and Jackson Kincheloe, the song is heavily marked by well defined acoustic guitar strums, driving electric guitar strings and a soothing flurry of harmonica. The vocals here are some of the best on the album, as the track rounds off with an infusion of the saxophone, breathing new energy into the mix.

Charlie Fardella and FTK jump in on the next entry, “Nothing But Time,” — a record that deftly highlights WONDERLOST’s strong Colorado roots with a rush of wind instruments filling up the soundscape. The track falls seemingly within the jazz genre and is a lot different from the previous songs. It’s probably one of the records on the album that left a bit more to be desired, in regards to the overall quality.

Track number six, “Coral Bay Waltz” is another largely underwhelming piece, with vocals coming across as voice recordings, and uncanny mix of sounds that struggle to generate a meaningful flow. The piano-driven chords do try to bring a ray of light and positivity, only to be drowned out by the overly eclectic nature of this particular offering.

Previously released as a single back in July, “Bully Man” comes in at number seven, bringing with it a refreshing vocal performance that instantly pulls you in. A well crafted piece, “Bully Man” features a subdued soundscape in comparison to the other tracks, giving listeners a chance to truly enjoy the vocal range and ability on display, rounding off as another great record on the project.

“Yesterday’s Today” features FTK, Broheem and Aaron Strickland, serving a smooth, soothing and melodic sound, with a cohesive mix of drums, electric guitar strums and saxophone waves. An immersive experience, the track is easily one of the best on the album, as all aspects, from the vocals to the instrumentation connect seamlessly, showcasing high level of vibrancy and rhythm.

Starting off with lo-fi thumping beats, “Third Like” rears its head as the ninth track. The instrumentation here is light and feathery, giving the song a soft and gentle tone, backed by a dreamy soundscape with much feeling to it. “Third Like” is well paced and blessed with a proper structure and mesmerizing flow, that’s intensely infectious. Despite its long runtime, the song is beautifully delivered, drowning listeners in a surreal world of atmospheric layers and harmony, aptly exhibiting WONDERLOST’s gift for music.

The heavily-featured tune, “Let it Grow” enters the fray at number ten, with a host of collaborators — FTK, Jalil Jahantab, Aaron Strickland and Broheem, showing up to do justice to the song. The vocals are absolutely sublime here — driven and well controlled, giving more depth to the slow paced instrumentation. It’s another piece where WONDERLOST’s deep roots shine through, revealing the strong connection to his origin.

The appropriately titled, “Inky Blackness” rounds off the entire album, in imposing fashion. It’s dark, brooding and stylishly beautiful, all at the same time, with the instruments coming in at a cyclical pace, marked by explosive, banging drums, stirring violins and melodic piano chords. There are no vocals needed here, just an artiste obsessed with music and the tools that knit it altogether.

At its core, “Distant Present” explores the surreal idea of a place in time that exists outside of the past, future, and even the now — a space where one can escape into imagination, lose themselves in the moment, and embrace disconnection from the noise of reality. The final result is a record that is as haunting as it is hopeful, offering listeners a doorway into a strange and beautiful sonic world.

Listen to the new album, “Distant Present” by WONDERLOST.

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