‘Feed The Flowers Nightmares’ was released on 9th September (Hand In Hive records) and marks the third longplayer to be released by singer-songwriter and instrumentalist Zoё Mead under the Wyldest name. I discovered her quite early on after starting this blog, and quickly developed great respect for her and her music. It’s something of a travesty that I haven’t given Wyldest a proper write-up yet.
She’s a prolific artist, having released her LPs ‘Monthly Friend’ in 2021 and ‘Dream Chaos’ in 2019, with a re-mix album ‘Redream Chaos' in between. And that’s not to mention plenty of singles and EPs over the past few years, making up an impressive back catalogue (check out ‘Cruel Dusk’ from 2015, for example).
Photo: Christina Taylor
With each release there’s been a sense of progression, always presented with a fearlessly experimental attitude. But apparently, after the release of ‘Monthly Friend’, Zoё suffered burnout and ran into some serious writer’s block. Producing this new record in collaboration with Luciano Rossi has clearly helped her not only overcome that block but soar far above it. ‘Feed The Flowers Nightmares’ feels expansive, natural and cathartic.
It starts out very strongly with the dark, dusky brooding sounds of ‘Everytime You’ll Be Mine’. Here, Zoё sings softly for the most part, gently, but with a slight edge at times. This edge is emphasised with a sudden build towards the end, that voice taking on an added dimension. The feeling I get is of sitting in a twilit room watching Zoё reflect on and work through her feelings. There’s a certain intimacy, and a feeling of privilege to be witnessing this outpouring and sharing of emotions.
In ‘The Best Is Yet To Come’, we’re brought back into that intimacy, which soars to a new, positive triumphant level in the refrain. When the song came out in April, I described how it “starts with reverby guitar noodling and builds gently, layer by layer into a dreamy, almost meditative, track.” On the way through that build, there’s a great pull back when almost all of the instrumentation drops away, leaving only a sparse beat and a twinkling piano.
This leads into the rapid but soft electro beats of ‘Abilene’, and then to a beautifully written ballad called ‘Hungry For You To Know’. Here, Zoё shows that as well as creating sweeping, dreamy soundscapes – layered-up in best shoegaze fashion - she also has a talent for simple, beautiful melodies with well-fitting lyrics. This track is one of those surprising favourites you sometimes uncover on great albums. And, yes, there are strings too – very appropriate strings, filling in the hollows with harmonies you didn’t quite realise were there.
What a contrast with ‘Tin Foil Girl’: an upbeat, driven, positivity-packed track which comes complete with satisfying guitar effects and non-stop drums. “I want to have a party with my body, I want to make shapes just like you”, Zoё sings (and you will, too), sounding completely at ease and entirely herself.
That’s a real theme on this record: Wyldest finding a voice. It’s an exceedingly well-curated album which makes perfect sense all through – it feels like it was always meant to be this way.
‘Feed The Flowers Nightmares’ comes at the centre of the album. It’s a careful song – delicate, slow and subtle, giving pride of place to Wyldest as vocalist. Shut your eyes and be immersed, the song invites you. ‘Winter Limbs’ carries this theme on (it almost sounds like part of the same song, in fact); then ‘Lucid Lately’ appears, with a kind of chilliness in the opening piano notes and develops into another very well-rounded and pristine kind of song.
If the album ended here, you’d probably feel satisfied. But there’s more: ‘Easier To Believe’ has a dreamy, slightly psychedelic feel, built around finger-picked acoustic guitar but with those layered effects which are something of a Wyldest trademark; ‘Uncle A’ is another edgy one, which opens into a really dramatic, powerful track (with a great use of clashing cymbals); and ‘Inky Road’ plays out the record, painting an almost tangible picture of a journey and a welcome destination, as glitchy guitars build to an irresistible climax. “I’m home”. Yes, definitely.
The album is linked below, but make sure you check out Wyldest online, particularly her Bandcamp page as well as the usual social media outlets.
Full track listing
1. Everytime You’ll Be Mine
2. The Best Is Yet To Come
3. Abilene
4. Hungry For You To Know
5. Tin Foil Girl
6. Feed The Flowers Nightmares
7. Winter Limbs
8. Lucid Lately
9. Easier To Believe
10. Uncle A
11. Inky Road