Wil Bolton - 23

A Closer Listen

23 musical ideas in 23 tracks spanning 23 minutes, recorded in 2023 and released on 23 July in a limited edition of 23 copies, each containing one of 23 photos: the theme brings to mind 23 pairs of chromosomes, Dr. Pepper’s 23 flavors and Michael Jordan’s jersey number.  The EP is a whole lot of fun, and brings a smile to the face simply by existing.

Wil Bolton writes that these pieces were inspired by a series of walks near his East London home, and that he was “fascinated by the mixture and contrast of old and new businesses located beneath the train lines, from mechanics and scrap merchants to micro breweries and artisanal bakeries.”  Field recordings emphasize the aural richness of the community.

The brevity of the tracks is refreshing.  As previously documented, we have a weakness for sets of 1-minute recordings, but we’re also glad that the rules have been bent a little bit; the shortest track is 19 seconds long, the longest 1:59.  This allows each selection to be as long as Bolton wants it to be, providing space for his ideas to shine.  The opening “Freight” is an invitation of its own, the rail car entering the town like a prospective listener.  “Arches” then establishes a mood of childlike wonder; one can still hear the passing cars, but the ambience takes center stage.

While Bolton writes of new businesses, he is haunted by the old; tracks such as “Boarded Up,” “Overgrown” and “Scrapped” speak to prior economies and the shifts that can haunt a cherished neighborhood.  Occasionally one hears the peaceful tone of passers-by, although not their precise words.   In “Hazards,” a construction vehicle warns walkers that it is backing up; the alterations are ongoing.  Yet Bolton injects notes of wistfulness, communicating nostalgia through bells and chimes, and in “Baker’s Arms,” the possible sounds of a swing.

We’re glad that Bolton has chosen to do something special for his 50th Bandcamp release; that’s quite an accomplishment for any musician.  (The Rolling Stones have only 31 studio albums.)  The artist is still stretching his boundaries, and on 23 he is obviously enjoying himself.  By the time the EP reaches “Along the Tracks, ” which hearkens back to the beginning, one is thinking not only that this section of East London might be a joy to visit, but that one’s own neighborhood might have 23 sounds of its own, waiting for the right person to come along and record them.  (Richard Allen)