Richard Dadd, the enigmatic English painter born in 1817 in Chatham, Kent, swiftly emerged as a prodigious talent during the Victorian era, celebrated for his evocative depictions of fairies and other supernatural subjects. His early promise led him to the esteemed Royal Academy of Arts, where he mesmerized audiences with his intricate, imaginative works that brought ethereal realms and meticulously detailed Eastern studies to vivid life. These Eastern studies were profoundly influenced by a transformative journey to the Middle East in 1842, which imbued his work with a newfound depth and complexity.
However, Dadd’s brilliant trajectory was abruptly darkened upon his return. Plagued by what contemporary scholars now recognize as paranoid schizophrenia, he tragically succumbed to delusions, culminating in the murder of his father in 1843—a crime he believed was divinely ordained. This harrowing act condemned him to spend the remainder of his life within the austere confines of Bethlem and Broadmoor Asylums.
Yet, even in captivity, Dadd’s artistic spirit remained undiminished. His confinement became a crucible for creativity, producing masterpieces such as The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke. These works, characterized by their painstaking detail and boundless imagination, stand as testaments to Dadd’s unique vision, demonstrating that his genius could shine through even the darkest shadows.
This tale of Dadd’s fragile genius and tragic madness is echoed in Sad Surfer, the first new single in nearly three decades from The Wolfgang Press. This track, from their forthcoming album A 2nd Shape, set for release on 27 September 2024 via Downwards Records, is a testament to the band’s enduring charm. Sad Surfer is an unassuming gem, driven by the steady pulse of a vintage rhythm box and the rolling waves of tremolo chords, evoking the imagery of waves lapping at a desolate shore. Michael Allen’s voice, oscillating between a hushed baritone and a mournful wail, imbues the song with a haunting quality, firmly anchoring it within the distinctive soundscape of The Wolfgang Press.
Listen to “Sad Surfer” below:
Emerging from the labyrinthine layers of London’s underground in the early ’80s, the original triad of Michael Allen, Mark Cox, and Andrew Gray carved a distinctive niche with their haunting, avant-garde soundscapes and infectious rhythms. Their music, a fusion of brooding post-punk with pulsating dance grooves, captured the zeitgeist of a generation seeking both solace and movement. These new recordings, steeped in the ethos of the post-punk era, resonate with a renewed vigor and vitality. Allen’s bass lines, as prominent as they were in their nascent days, anchor the tracks with a robust foundation, while the band’s moodier undertones evoke the atmospheric intensity of their early work. The result is a compelling blend of past and present, forging a powerful connection between their roots and their evolution.
The upcoming album features core members Michael Allen and Andrew Gray, joined by Stephen Gray, Andrew’s brother. A 2nd Shape finds the trio less concerned with anything approaching funky, opting instead for a brooding yet vital set of tracks, reintroducing a reinvigorated band.
“This album arrived naturally and organically,” says the band. “The tracks came about from a measured process, and we feel A 2nd Shape is timely and essential. We also feel Downwards Records has fitted in perfectly with this process, their enthusiasm for this project has been tangible and encouraging…For this project we wanted the record to be made without the use of computers. It was important for us that the tracks were recorded on tape and played live as a band, with very little tampering/overdubbing. We purposely limited ourselves in the number of tracks we could record by using an old ADAT 8-track machine and the result of how well this worked surprised us all.”
A 2nd Shape will be released on Downwards Records on September 27th, 2024. The Wolfgang Press will also be making an appearance at Poland’s Soundedit Festival in October.
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