Album Of The Week - "Stars Will Light the Way" by Parabola West

Parabola West is New Zealand-based American singer & songwriter Amy Tucker West, whose spellbinding music, wanders into a dreamland of neo-folk, dark-electronica, Art-pop, baroque-rock, ethereal-rock, neo-classicism and folktronica. It’s music that shares the same dramatic DNA with Kate Bush, echoes in shadows of Bat For Lashes and peers from the panoramic views of Sigur Rós. It’s music that ignites the imagination and unravels a nocturnal narrative of pensive poetry, serene sorrow and inflamed sentiments. Like a metaphysical marvel, Parabola West takes you to a place amongst the dragons, sea-monsters, nymphs, and banshees, where the moon moves emotions as well as the ocean.

Following her debut EP “Did You Hear?”, released in 2014, “Purity of Weakness” EP in 2017, and more recently, the single “No One Can Get Me Here”, released in February 2022, Parabola West has been busy working on her album, Stars Will Light the Way, which has been selected as my Album Of The Week.

Released on April 29^th 2022, Stars Will Light the Way, lights up the celestial skylines and creates a cosmic map of constellations that guide the mystics and reunite the tribal gatherings. It’s an album that shines a light on West’s bountiful talents and adjusts the settings like a mood barometer.

Through the enchanting vocals, the album evokes a sense of wonder, like a wistful entity from another world, that soars to the heights of ethereal rock. As a vocalist, West soothes the senses and unlocks the secrets of a magical place, where the mind, soul and body become unified and at one with the universe.

Along with the sonic slurps, industrial clatter and pensive piano, Stars Light the Way recharges in the caves of darkwave, that resound in the shadows of folktronica. It’s music that projects a beacon of light and elevates to the heavenly heights of ambient trance and remedies the harsh realities of life. Along with the orchestral breeze and brooding baroque, Stars Will Light the Way, strolls through the misty moors of melodrama, whilst creating an eerie ambience of neo-classicism.

It’s beguiling music that revisits the past and drifts within the timelines of Celtic folklore, Norse mythology and Māori mythology, whilst reclaiming its hermetic heritage. It’s a captivating album whose drums pound from the heartbeats of its primitive tribe, whilst making an ancestral alliance with the demi-gods.

It’s an album that pulsates to the heartbeat of heightened sensitivity and flutters above the snowy mountain tops of ambient trance. It’s an album that awakens with the sunrise and slumbers with moonlight, whilst regenerating in the process. It’s an album whose sparse soundscape, evoke a sense of sorrow, whilst retreating in the icy cabins of new wave. Along with the rotating tinkles and stripped down acoustics, Stars Will Light the Way lays bare the raw sentiments, whilst draping with a veil of diaphanous emotions. It’s haunting beauty personified that uproots the magic and mysticism of traditional folk and branches out to create a cinematic catharsis. Like an extended film score set in a faraway place, Stars Will Light the Way, creates a stunning backdrop of weather-beaten wilderness, in an echo chamber of enlightenment.

Order the album (digital / physical) https://bit.ly/38wxXFh
Order or stream the album https://bit.ly/3Kqzs66

Lovingly crafting the album for the last five years, the new album was produced by Scott Newth (The Datsuns, System Corporation) at BLKHUS studio and co-produced by Andrew Newth with mastering by Chris Chetland at KOG Studio.

The ‘Stars Will Light the Way’ LP is out now on CD or digitally everywhere, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. A deluxe CD package with 48-page hardcover fantasy book of lyrics and images has also been issued, limited to 100 copies, which sees Parabola West transformed by an amazing team of creatives into a different character for each song. It is available exclusively through the artist’s Paraboland store.

CREDITS
Produced by Scott Newth at BLKHUS studio
Co-produced by Andrew Newth
Mastered by Chris Chetland at KOG Studio
All songs written, arranged, and performed by Parabola West
Rachel Moxham on violin (New Moon)
Nathan Bregmen on percussion (No One Can Get Me Here)
Alex Slap on flute (Calling Your Name, No One Can Get Me Here, The Best Thing)
Adam Casey on hurdy gurdy, nyckelharpa, and timpani (Hannah), Scott Newth on additional keys and drum programming
Andrew Newth on additional keys and programming.
‘Hannah’ video produced by Andy Duggan
Photography by Trinitynavar
Makeup, hair and imagery by Melodie M

TRACK LIST
1. First Snow
2. Calling Your Name
3. Hannah
4. New Moon
5. No One Can Get Me Here
6. The Best Thing
7. Come to Me
8. The Edge
9. While the Watchman Sleeps
10. World of Ours
11. Flowers
12. Bippity Boppity
13. New Moon (Extended)