William Ryan Fritch - New Words For Old Wounds

Lost Tribe Sound
(LTS022-2: 708527031605)
Release date: 05/20/2016
Genre: Electronic, Ambient

$15.60

The limited edition of 250 physical copies come housed in a 7.5" x 5.5" panoramic gatefold case made of heavy stock. The editions were printed on an antique Heidelberg press by the world renowned Stumptown Printers based in Oregon. The artwork features a series of incredibly detailed ink paintings from Sail (uselessarm). Each edition comes with a glass mastered matte finished CD, and a double sided lyric insert, and digital download code, offering a choice of formats including 320MP3, FLAC, 24bit WAV, etc.)

Over the course of the twelve songs that make up 'New Words for Old Wounds', the latest release from William Ryan Fritch, the listener is given both a scintillating reminder of the immersive, unmistakable sound worlds he created over the last two years and a welcome introduction to an expanded sonic palette and refined craft that points to where his music may go next.

This parting gift to those that supported his ambitious eleven album subscription series, The Leave Me Sessions merges the colorful orchestration and high drama bombast of 'Heavy' and 'Emptied Animal', the sweeping soundscapes of his finest works for film, and the restrained, nuanced textures of 'Empty' to create its own distinct identity that is both haunting and infectiously exuberant. With guest vocal appearances by DM Stith, Powerdove, and Ceschi, New Words furthers the collaborative spirit found on 'Revisionist' and seamlessly laces each of the artists unique talents into his compositions.

Originally, 'New Words for Old Wounds' was slated to release as a strictly digital affair, but as the album took shape it seemed a more grandiose approach was in order. Lost Tribe Sound label owner Ryan Keane has helped design and handcraft a number of deluxe editions over the years, sparing no expense to work with the finest archival quality papers, cloth, and materials used in the professional bookmaking process.

'New Words for Old Wounds' will be released in two different deluxe CD editions. The first is part of a new series from the label called "The Private Reserve", which will bring to life highly limited and incredibly lavish handcrafted editions. The Private Reserve editions will be limited to twenty-five copies for the world, and housed in a Japanese side stitched hard cover book, containing four bound pages of lyrics and artwork. The second edition will be no less stunning, as LTS has enlisted the help of the packaging and printing press experts at Stumptown Printers in Oregon, to help create a panoramic gatefold housing for the album and lyrics sheet (limited to 250).

Both editions prominently feature the unbelievably realistic pen and ink paintings of artist Sail (uselessarm.com). One would think they are looking at a black and white photograph or some sort of photoshop manipulation when viewing Sail’s work, but that would be incorrect. Between the bold musical forms, rich imagery, and the tactile, substantial packaging, 'New Words for Old Wounds' is truly a fitting close to Fritch’s masterful series.

1. Awake (feat DM Stith), 2. Cataclysm, 3. Entirety, 4. Floats By (feat Powerdove), 5. Hold Tight (feat. Ceschi), 6. Undefined, 7. After (feat. DM Stith), 8. Disregard, 9. Conflicted, 10. New Words, Old Wounds, 11. The Little We Know, 12. Vantage Point