Steven Wilson
Mr Busy on his new solo album, the wonder of space, being a control freak , being prog (or not), Porcupine Tree…
Words: Rob Hughes Portrait: Kevin Westenberg
I f there’s anything that characterises the multi-faceted work of the remarkable Steven Wilson –musical auteur, Porcupine Tree founder, remix king, solo artist, serial collaborator –it’s his restless curiosity. So what better destination for his latest project than the outer reaches of space.The Overview, his eighth solo album, tackles the big existential questions as it journeys through a richly nuanced soundscape of Earthly disquiet and cosmic reverence across its two lengthy tracks, informed partly by cinematic visions such as2001: A Space Odyssey, InterstellarandSolaris. Guests include guitarist Randy McStine, XTC’s Andy Partridge and Wilson’s wife Rotem.
The album’s arrival has been previewed with a series of immersive playbacks, for which director and regular collaborator Miles Skarin created a 40-minute accompanying film emphasising The Overview’s vast scale.