Beatastic & Xeresa, a journey into sounds: article, video comments and more ...
Nicolas Pierre Wardell loves music. After reading his interview, it is likely not to be a surprise.
We invite you for a journey to discover Beatastic and Xeresa's sonic universe. And you are up for a treat: the video comments of Nicolas Pierre Wardell to present each of his work.
Follow the guide!
WHY WE LOVE BEATASTIC?
It is excellent of course, which is the reason why I wanted to present it to you. But apart from that, there are 3 elements that make Nico's music different:
His use of Space & Sound
There is a huge sound in some of Beatastic's songs. Let's present you with some examples.
"Be the reason people change their lives, Make them want to get better" is the chorus for the following song, Become one of them. Dark and intense, it could be perfect in any series soundtrack, when it tense, dark. I really like the lyrics as well. After all, do we not have a mission to be better as to make other better.
In Always us, the meandering, whiny guitar in the back breaks the slow feeling, its linearity, adding an extra dimension.
And of course, one of my favourite, l'Avenir. Huge sound, house song, full of what makes Beatastic so good. I featured this song in Noise Artists June playlist. That's after featuring this song on Noise Artists that we got in contact with Nico, and the rest is history.
In order to get this sound, Nicolas uses very well the textures of the various instruments. For example, there is more often than not, effects on the bass. The texture on guitars is also made in a way that gives a sound signature to Beatastic. I for one can recognise the sound when I listen to a vast majority of the songs.
As an example, I was listening to Tom Lugo on Souncloud At some stage, I heard a song and thought "it sounds like Beatastic". And little did I know that Beatastic actually did a remix of his song I can't come home. The proof was in the pudding: Beatastic sound is unique!
Appart from this very distinctive and clever use of the sound, space is also very well used. It is very difficult to describe as music is more approached as sound waves. Nevertheless, when some artists have a compact sound, there is space for all instruments to express themselves in Nico's song.
An analogy would be a family living in a 5 bedrooms house as opposed to a small apartment. There is space to have your space, do your things, express yourself. That the feeling you would get when listening to Beatastic. It is maybe due to the fact that Nico does music on its own and allows the instruments to live independently, where with a band, each musician wants his instrument may be more present, leading to bless space left for each.
A good technician may have better words to describe this. In any case, listen attentively to Beatastic's work and see if you can find this feeling of space and freedom.
In any case, some of the answers may be in the Famous 5 playlist prepared by Nicolas, featuring artists that were influential for his Beatastic project.
There is always something unexpected
Take for example his song Winter Depression. The title alone and the droning introduction seem to lead you into a cold, dark song. Then twinkling sounds are introduced, like little puppies jumping around, making you smile. This take is like showing there is light at the end of the tunnel.
I love this song because of this, as depression is something I have brushed with and have experienced this light.
Abnegation from his Album "anti-matter" is a beautiful pop song where you can feel the influences of the Cure and Postal Service. But again, there is an expected item in the form of the sliding bass on the chorus. Instead of keeping a simple "on the beat" bass line, like in the verse, an element of non-linearity is introduced there by the floating bass notes, making the song more original.
He is not afraid to try different genres and constructions
The last EP, I am disgusted by what happened this year and I don't see how it can possibly get any better, is a call to arms in a way, a soft one, the one were arms are arms (the one with hands) helping you along, pushing you towards something better.
There are not many protest songs in the Noise Pop genre. These are not only interesting but good. The first one states what the EP is about: things have changed. The ominous music fits perfectly with the lyrics. The rest of the EP is on the same level, both musically and for the story-telling, delivering a grave message, though always keeping the optimism present.
Classical / movie music: Alpha-Prelude, the well-named first song of the LP Staticity is a great step into the sonic world of film scores. Quite a good one too. In unfolds nicely and Nicolas use the instruments well. Would film score be one of his next projects?
Hiroshima venture in Japanese traditional music, used as a background for telling the story. It is likely that aficionado will smile at this nice try, but as somebody that is not, I found it to be quite well done.
WHY WE LOVE XERESA?
Xeresa is about a new venture: Electronica and collaboration. Instead of creating music on its own, Nicolas Pierre Wardell started a journey of collaboration. It is best described by him, as you will find later in this article.
You can also listen to the Famous 5 playlist prepared by Nico, that feature some of the artists that were influential in Xeresa's project.
WHAT is your music about?
From the man's own words:
It’s about freedom, being creative, trying things, being fearless. But also it’s about direction, organization , focus. It’s about balance.
I’m a huge fan of Smashing Pumpkins for that very reason. Billy Corgan was talking about filter. Everyone copies everyone and that’s fine as long as you have a filter as an artist. With that filter if you copy something it will end up sounding like yourself. Without it you’re just one of the endless amount of bands who just sound like so and so and ultimately you’re over-saturating the music sphere.
Also Bono said it took him almost 20 years to find his true voice. So it’s about progress, searching for our true voice.
So basically plans change, things evolve. Which is fine by me, stagnation is death.
Musical Work
Each album started with a certain idea of sound, a technological advance, and a choice of colours. Just like a painter choosing colours for his painting.
BEATASTIC
Waiting for the next Album, that will be a double released on a new label, Shore Dive Records, let's introduce you to Beatastic work to date:
I am disgusted by what happened this year and I don't see how it can possibly get any better (EP, January 2017).
This is an angry EP, full of rage, indignation and incomprehension. Nico's reaction to what happens in the world is this Album, made of 4 songs.
There is a story there that the songs unravel little by little. But first listen to Nico talking about the energy, the story driving his music on this opus.
- 1.Nothing Will Be The Same Next Year 04:19
- 2. Become One Of Them 03:42
- 3.This Is The Year 04:18
- 4.Act On It 03:18
Staticity (LP, August 2016)
- Alpha- Prelude 03:12
- A Secret Order 03:04
- Poison Your Trust 03:48
- Always Us 06:21
- Every Corridor 04:40
- Be Whole 05:15
- This Hell 07:08
- No Time Machine 05:43
- Hiroshima 07:05
- Keep Moving 03:23
- Your Garden Of Deceit 10:42
- Omega- Coda 01:14
0 44004 04040 4 (EP, May 2016)
- Forever Is Temporary 04:57
- This Freedom 03:31
- Regardless 05:50
- The Future Burns My Eyes 04:34
- Enough Sleep 08:02
0 33003 03030 3 (EP, February 2016)
- L'Avenir 09:16
- Swallowed By The Sands 03:30
- The Sun Sets Lower 04:09
- Secret 03:00
- The Code 07:44
02 2002 02020 2 (EP, October 2015)
- Butterflies 09:46
- The Ebb And Flow 03:32
- Perfect Moment Perfect 05:05
- Try Harder 03:36
- Stop Crossing Oceans 06:42
0 11001 01010 1 (EP, July 2015)
- The Scythe 03:27
- A Stake In My Heart 03:38
- Cross Or Burn 07:18
- Less Important 04:38
- Waverider 05:32
Matter (LP, December 2014)
- Clark Kent Not Superman 04:18
- Defrag 02:57
- Focus 06:02
- Haunt You Endlessly 05:31
- Suicidal Beach Song 03:46
- Whisper 04:32
- Herozero 03:03
- Still Standing 05:44
- Decision 05:48
- Our Months Feel Like Weeks 04:52
- It's A Sin 07:59
Anti-Matter (LP, September 2014)
- The Ocean 05:04
- Konishiwa 03:44
- Sleep Is Freedom 03:48
- Pixelated Heart 05:18
- Your Mistake 02:53
- Abnegation 02:52
- Pisces 04:07
- Karma 04:12
- The Waiting Game 03:55
- Winter Depression 05:07
XERESA (LP, July 2017)
- Fall Into the Light (Ft. Demi Haynes) 04:30 video
- Freeze 03:14
- The Right Track (Ft. Claudi Verdecia) 03:42
- Glitch the Picture 03:45
- Cathedral Funk (Ft. Tom Lugo) 05:23
- Vienna (Ft Thomas Himsworth) 03:54
- Stranger Fangs 02:17
- Plinky the Plonk (Ft. Chris Webber) 02:22
- Racer 03:06
- Divergence 04:08
- Slice 02:30
- Reality (Ft. Dani Mari) 07:21
"Xeresa started as an idea between me and Krissy Vanderwoude from Whimsical. It didn’t work out but I enjoyed the poppier sound and the instrumentals so I released a few songs like that , just for fun and realised I could do with some vocals but I didn’t really want myself on all of them and I’m a big fan of The Postal Service, so I wanted my own Jenny Lewis. If only.
Which led me to Demi Haynes. I think Demi has written the best shoegaze song of the last 15 years in Shangri-La with her band Seashine.
"We recorded Raining On The Skyline and I knew that was the direction to go: Collabs!"
"The reaction to it has been fantastic and humbling. She’s busy recording the debut Seashine album so I’ll leave her to it for now but before that she found the time to record Fall Into The Light with me and it’s another moment of magic from her. Demi, if you read this, we want more ;)
Dani Mari is on Reality and she did an incredible job with a song in 9/8, bless her."
She’s also directed the video. She’s talented beyond belief. She’s does videos, sound, sings, plays, records, composes etc… and she’s running a collective and she’s lovely also. We’re recording more together and I’m very excited about it. If she didn’t live on another continent I’d be asking her to do this permanently.
Tom Lugo is a legend, such a kind man, many projects. I tried editing his guitar parts but frankly it was just a language unto itself so I left it like that. He also added a bit of production to the song which made it sound dubby. You’ll hear more of that on the next album.
Krissy Vanderwoude was the starting point, the songs we did together ended up on the album but without her vocals, just mine as it didn’t really work out. We ended up doing a Fleetwood Mac cover, you can find it on bandcamp for free.
WHERE to find your work?
Some good videos to watch
There are a few things around but let’s narrow it down to ELB and FLOW, shot in Quebec by Delphine, she’s really talented and such a nice person.
This is the newest one, directed by Dani Mari: Reality
Presence on the web
- Bandcamp: Xeresa and Beatastic
- Twitter: Xeresa and Beatastic
- Instagram: Xeresa and Beatastic
- Facebook: Xeresa and Beatastic
- Youtube: Beatastic
Other bands recommended
Nicolas invites you to check out the following artists:
Thanks to
The artists above , obviously and the blogs and radio who have supported us:
- https://www.facebook.com/ThatIndieThing
- https://www.facebook.com/philc.sheppeyfm
- https://www.facebook.com/thejupiterroom15
- https://www.facebook.com/superworldindie
- https://www.facebook.com/LooseCanonOn6TownsRadio
- https://www.facebook.com/RocksFineCut
- https://www.facebook.com/Psychgazer
- https://www.facebook.com/IndieInRed
- https://www.facebook.com/NatalysMusicMadness
- https://www.facebook.com/RadioKC
- https://www.facebook.com/rusty.egan
- https://www.facebook.com/ArtefaktorRadio
- https://www.facebook.com/DecayFM
- https://www.facebook.com/TheBlogThatCelebratesItself/
- https://www.facebook.com/ihungaroundinyoursoundtrack
- https://www.facebook.com/StrawberryTongueMusic
- https://www.facebook.com/radiohootenanny
- https://www.facebook.com/NoiseArtists
Sandra Saitua, Ben Marks, John Louis Howard, Nicolas Castello, Christopher Kent, Heather Smith and everyone who as supported, reblogged, bought, shared the music
