F
rom late 2009, early 2010, a newly-engaged musician approaching his 30s had his strange, hobbyist creations thrust into the public eye. From that moment on they never really disappeared. Accused of being both at the forefront of an exciting movement and, on the flipside, a musical amateur, Ernest Greene experienced the double-edged sword process that tends to meet an artist doing something new. Three years on and he’s undoubtedly less constrained by genre-tags, but the man still has plenty to prove.
thing of the past. Most crucially, he doesn’t throw aside ‘Within And Without’’s aesthetic like it’s a grubby habit - he builds on it. “I thought, ‘the least trendy thing I could do right now is put a 12-string acoustic guitar on the album’,” Ernest says. And indeed, these songs are covered in breathy acoustics, tying otherwise evocative works to something that mimics “a rock album”, as Greene professes. He grapples with the customary, pre-release nerves: “I don’t know if everyone’s gonna love that or not...”
Second album ‘Paracosm’ is the product of Ernest saying no to as many things as possible. He describes debut ‘Within At its core, ‘Paracosm’ is a natural follow-on from ‘Within And Without’ as a process of “trial and error”. Following And Without’. An album about the outdoors, Ernest says EP releases and a steady build of anticipation, a Washed it represents “slipping into a dream, an alternate thinking Out record was due, and, very much aware of it now, space,” which all very much sounds like the kind of mindErnest reacted by throwing every idea into a melting pot. frame you could attach to the debut. Forget supposed “I was drowned in all these possibilities,” genres that the guy might’ve coined, he’s he admits. With the follow-up he reflects always been an escapist at heart. In a way, on having “a palette of sounds” to work following a supposedly of-its-moment, “I had a with. “Having some conceptual boundaries fad-like release with something sonically re a l really helped the process.” similar, is about the most punk reaction free d o m t o Washed Out could possibly provide. “I sl a ve a w a y The phrase “palette of sounds” is one of can see some musicians who are slowly the least formal, technical tidbits Greene following the trends. That was something at i t. ” refers to. Post ‘Within And Without’ I was consciously trying to avoid.” he became a studio geek. He speaks of a record that’s less “quantised” in terms of Greene has essentially discovered the percussion, using “non-traditional sounds” and “squeezing musician behind the sensation, these past few years. as many different textures into a song as possible.” He’s He’s taken Washed Out from being a personal project to excitable, and for good reason. Building his own studio in a full force, and he’s lost none of his initial enthusiasm. Georgia, he returned home a different musician, following Frustrated at sitting on ‘Paracosm’ for the past four a spiralling process that barely gave him a day off after months, he talks about having a third record in the works Washed Out gained its early momentum. - “it was one of the most prolific stages of writing I’ve experienced” - and being restless to begin work on it. “I’m Instead of seeking time away, Greene went straight into finding out new ways to approach making Washed Out building the studio necessary to make his second record. songs,” he says. “It’s just about keeping a mental checklist “Every other place I’ve written and recorded in has been a of these ideas.” converted bedroom. I’d have gear stacked to the ceilings.” Asked if he felt a desire at all to escape from Washed Out, The project’s initial success had every means of being a he states: “I consider touring a creative break in some flash-in-the-pan fad, something that faded out as quickly ways... I did a lot of thinking about music.” as it flared off. In staying ahead of the pack however, and in keeping loyal to the very foundations of Washed ‘Paracosm’ doesn’t desire to defy expectation, but many Out, Greene seems to finally be free of the shackles that might have expected - might have wanted - Greene to attempted to belittle his first album. And he’s very much detach himself from the dreamy escapist sound of his early aware of it. DIY works. Instead he uses this newly-fledged expertise to his advantage. He plays all the instruments himself, in live Washed Out’s new album ‘Paracosm’ will be released on 12th takes. Synth patterns and cut-and-paste methods are a August via Weird World. 57