As the drummer in Alright The Captain, Ashley West-Mullen is a third of one of the most brutal and innovative math rock bands in the UK. As Mender, Ash exposes his softer, more melodic side.
Tinged with melancholy and underpinned by gentle electronica, 'The Subtle Sting Of Change' contains 10 songs of beautiful introspection revealing a more sensitive soul than those who have witnessed him beating seven shades of whatever out of the ATC drum kit might expect.
'The Subtle Sting Of Change' blends a traditional acoustic, singer / songwriter approach with something distinctly more modern; a subtle mix of experimental, glitch, down-beat, minimal electronica producing and end result that pushes the boundaries of multiple genres while at the same time being eminently listenable.
The album is almost a concept album about change itself; the natural progression from previous Mender work to this more song-orientated style parallels the personal changes that occured in his life, such as becoming somebody's husband, somebody's dad or somebody's teacher. But its not just about change. Its also about the constant. That he is still himself despite the roles he has taken on in life, similarly, the album moves through change yet retains its sonic motifs and develops rather than deforms.
Mender live performances take on an unconventional format often revolving around some kind of audio-visual collaboration. Ash's next performance will feature Derby-based electronic artist o_S_k_m (aka Pictographik) on a re-scoring of Fritz Lang’s seminal Sci Fi film ‘Metropolis’ that will be performed live on February 11th at The Quad in Derby.
'The Subtle Sting Of Change' will be available as a pay what you like download from Mender's Bandcamp page from February 20th. A very limited run of 100 physical CDs will also be available, featuring artwork by the extraordinary Aaron Cole.
You can stream the album here but if you would prefer mp3s let us know and please feel free to embed 'Plough The Tide' on your website. If you would like to interview Ash, get in touch.
Tinged with melancholy and underpinned by gentle electronica, 'The Subtle Sting Of Change' contains 10 songs of beautiful introspection revealing a more sensitive soul than those who have witnessed him beating seven shades of whatever out of the ATC drum kit might expect.
'The Subtle Sting Of Change' blends a traditional acoustic, singer / songwriter approach with something distinctly more modern; a subtle mix of experimental, glitch, down-beat, minimal electronica producing and end result that pushes the boundaries of multiple genres while at the same time being eminently listenable.
The album is almost a concept album about change itself; the natural progression from previous Mender work to this more song-orientated style parallels the personal changes that occured in his life, such as becoming somebody's husband, somebody's dad or somebody's teacher. But its not just about change. Its also about the constant. That he is still himself despite the roles he has taken on in life, similarly, the album moves through change yet retains its sonic motifs and develops rather than deforms.
Mender live performances take on an unconventional format often revolving around some kind of audio-visual collaboration. Ash's next performance will feature Derby-based electronic artist o_S_k_m (aka Pictographik) on a re-scoring of Fritz Lang’s seminal Sci Fi film ‘Metropolis’ that will be performed live on February 11th at The Quad in Derby.
'The Subtle Sting Of Change' will be available as a pay what you like download from Mender's Bandcamp page from February 20th. A very limited run of 100 physical CDs will also be available, featuring artwork by the extraordinary Aaron Cole.
You can stream the album here but if you would prefer mp3s let us know and please feel free to embed 'Plough The Tide' on your website. If you would like to interview Ash, get in touch.
