Fermanagh alternative artist Far Caspian (AKA Joel Johnston) has shared the deluxe edition of debut album ‘Ways To Get Out’, out now via Tiny Library Recs / AllPoints.
The release features three brand-new, previously unheard tracks from the Leeds-based, Fermanagh-born songwriter-producer, plus additional alternate versions of several album tracks recorded live at The Nave studios in Leeds (bdrmm, W.H. Lung) with an impressive eight-piece band set-up.
A wistful air
‘Come Down And Waste With Me’ is the latest of the new songs included on the release, which somehow manages to marry an immediate and carefree musical feel alongside a wistful air of melancholy.
Bearing the distinct hallmarks of Joel’s Shoegaze influences, the track’s uncharacteristically fuzzy guitars and breezy melodies are juxtaposed with lyrical introspection and worry, revealing his struggles to balance and maintain relationships with friends while dealing with anxiety: “And I’m so tired I’m barely here at all, So un-required the feelings I control”.
Opening with a driving drum pattern and playful keyboard melody, it builds to a beautifully cathartic release, illustrating why it has quickly become a big live favourite amongst the Far Caspian fanbase.
Far Caspian - Ways To Get Out.
Talking about his latest song, ‘Come Down And Waste With Me’, Joel (Far Caspian) said: “It’s based on a friendship that was starting to diminish. I think the most important line in the song is ‘And I’m so tired, I’m barely here at all’.
“My mind was so often too preoccupied with anxiety that I always felt exhausted. This led to me to be absent in my friendships and missing out on important moments.
“It was the first track I wrote for the album when I was still quite influenced by [the] Shoegaze [musical movement].
“It was the first time I used distortion on my guitar and I was really excited to try a new sound.
“I remember I was listening to ‘When You sleep’ by My Bloody Valentine on loop at that point, so that definitely had an influence on the instrumentation.”
‘Ways To Get Out’ was written and recorded throughout 2020 at Joel’s childhood home near Enniskillen. While Joel has enjoyed success throughout the project with well-received singles and EPs, the album tracks were written especially for the project and therefore represent a marked shift towards a complete standalone body of work; an album in the truest sense of the word.
Writing and production duties
Along with being at the helm on writing and production duties and performing most of the vocals and instrumentation on the record, Joel also creates artwork and visuals in-house, making Far Caspian a cottage industry in a modern sense.
The hallmarks of Joel’s distinctive production style include the quiet warble of vintage tape and fluttery guitars, buried layers of dreamlike harmonies, and off-kilter analog drum machines blended with live drum recordings.
Joel Johnston AKA Far Caspian.
With a dedicated worldwide following, tens of millions of streams and critical acclaim, Far Caspian’s continued ascent is furthered still by an exhilarating full-band live experience which has led to sold-out shows across the UK and Europe, including a triumphant album launch at a sold-out Lafayette in London.
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