Travelogue is the first album by 27-year-old Portland composer Derek Hunter Wilson. By turns harrowing, poignant, and restrained, it is remarkably accomplished for a debut. Centered around Derek's masterful piano playing, Travelogue also features accompaniment on violin by Peter Broderick (Erased Tapes, Bella Union, Beacon Sound) as well as field recordings, cello, harp, and synthesizers. This collection of songs sits comfortably alongside recent work by Julia Kent, Max Richter, and Jóhann Jóhannsson while retaining its own sense of style and place. Embedded in the rainy ethos of contemporary Cascadia, listening to Travelogue brings to mind watching the cranes work through a water streaked window.
Derek's song for the inaugural Piano Day (established last year by Nils Frahm) has garnered over 25K plays.
Travelogue is available digitally and on black vinyl with a 2-sided Risograph insert and DL card. Edition of 500. Cover painting by Jason Vance Dickason. Design by Bijan Berahimi for FISK Projects.
Engineered and Mixed by Jason Powers.
Mastered by Gus Elg at Sky Onion Studio.
Lacquer cut by Adam Gonsalves at Telegraph Mastering.
Includes unlimited streaming of Travelogue
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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As much as I love a variety of ambient, I'm not sure if I've ever listened to an album that has moved me to tears, not like this. Certainly there are strong moods that some ambient can evoke, but this really surprised me. There is grief here, but transcendent joy, too. shoto
This album makes me feel strong pulls of somberness and remorse, but a sense of maturity to it, as if it's but a distant scar now and am ready to move on.
The choice of slow moving cellos is very welcome on this album and makes the full piece feel full. Bombchu Link
A dazzling record heavily informed by Britpop, that recalls the sterling sounds of Catherine Wheel and The Cure, finally reissued. Bandcamp New & Notable May 8, 2021