Since its inception in 2009, Look To Windward has been a project driven by a shared passion for complex heavy music and a commitment to creative exploration. Founded by Andrew McCully and Benjamin Morley, the project evolved from a studio recording endeavor to a collaborative effort involving multiple musicians and singers. In this insightful interview, Andrew shares the story behind Look To Windward‘s evolution, from the creation of their debut album “Fortunes Haze” to the upcoming release of “The Last Scattering Surface.” He discusses the challenges of balancing intricate compositions with accessibility, the collaborative dynamic that shapes their music, and the inspiration behind their innovative approach to visual accompaniments. As Look To Windward continues to grow and evolve, Andrew shares his aspirations for the future and the profound message he hopes listeners take away from their music.
Can you take us back to the beginning of Look To Windward in 2009? What inspired you and Benjamin Morley to start this studio recording project, and how did you envision it evolving at the time?
Our shared passion for complex heavy music is what did it. We were both in other bands but we wanted to have a go at creating something ourselves. Ben and I were just so eye-to-eye on what music meant to us. Around this time home recording tech and software had become really accessible as well and having learnt a thing or two on other projects, I thought I could figure out how to put some recordings together. It became more of a solo endeavour for me (Andrew) over time but Ben is still involved as a vocalist and creative collaborator.
Your debut album, “Fortunes Haze,” was released in 2010. How did the process of creating and releasing this album shape the direction of Look To Windward, and what were some of the key themes or musical ideas explored?
The actual recording process for a studio project can heavily shape the music. We didn’t have a band with which to jam out the songs so l think a certain style of music emerges from that. Looking back, that first record is very dense and exploratory with a lot of ideas thrown in there. But the combination of metal riffs with really varied instrumentation and constantly evolving compositions became part of the Look To Windward DNA.
Could you share with us the journey of Look To Windward’s evolution from a studio recording project to a collaborative endeavor involving multiple musicians and singers?
The process of creating a Look To Windward album hasn’t changed considerably over the years. It’s normally written and recorded over a large span of time, when I feel the inspiration hit, and once songs have been mostly developed I will get my talented friends to record. Playing with other musicians is kind of the natural state for any musical project. Going solo makes sense from a practical point of view, but the sound will never be as diverse or interesting without collaborators. Multiple vocalists were present on the first album but realising how amazing Emily, for example, sounded singing my music only motivated me to include her more. She is singing on the new album more than any previous record. Trading vocals has become a sort of trademark for Look To Windward now.
“In Fantasy,” your second album, was released in 2019. How did this album differ from your debut, and what growth or experimentation did it represent for Look To Windward?
A lot had happened between those two albums, including an EP, but so had my musical tastes and goals. I wanted to create a more focused album, with slightly more conventional song structures. I had also drifted away from prog-metal as a primary genre inspiration so there’s a bit more rock groove across the record. I was also able to have a larger suite of musicians play so instruments like trumpet, violin and clarinet were more prominent. Songwriting from Benjamin Morley as well as one of my previous bands was also featured. I’m still proud of how it all turned out.
Despite geographical distance and your primary job as a VFX artist in the film industry, Look To Windward has continued to thrive. How do you balance your creative pursuits with your professional responsibilities, and what motivates you to keep making music?
This is a good question! I can’t quite explain why I have kept this going except for some indefinable desire to continue to write and record music. I don’t tour or make any money with Look To Windward. It’s purely a creative enterprise that I like to share. I don’t plan ahead to make an album either, they just happen organically as musical ideas start popping up. I have a very understanding family so I can pursue the project when the inspiration comes. Moving across multiple countries hasn’t really hindered the process as my computer, recording gear and instruments can generally come along with me. Even after a long day working my job at my computer, making music will still keep me sitting there for hours more into the evening.
Your music is described as moving from crushingly heavy to subtle and serene, featuring a diverse range of instrumentation. How do you navigate this sonic landscape and ensure that each element contributes to the overall cohesion of a track or album?
That seems to be one of my main songwriting and production challenges. I love the sound of so many different instruments and effects and without the limitation of a band to play it with I could, in theory, put anything in there. I often let the song guide me, starting with guitar, drums and bass, then visualising other textures that could work. Some amazing bands have already established a pretty wide breadth of what’s possible for instrumentation in heavy music so I’m not doing anything particularly new with Look To Windward. But I do think I have carved out a certain sound that works well.
As the primary songwriter and producer for Look To Windward, how do you approach the task of balancing intricate compositions with accessibility for listeners?
Now this is actually my biggest songwriting challenge. It’s something I have been working on since we started Look To Windward. Accessibility might not have been on our minds much during the writing of ‘Fortunes Haze’ but the balance of catchiness and accessibility within complex, dense music is something I have been pursuing ever since. I think it has been proven by bands like Leprous and Porcupine Tree that most prog listeners love a solid hook and a groove to nod along too. A great song is a great song. You could say some Look To Windward songs get ‘lost in the weeds’ a bit. I love writing those eclectic, almost through-composed, kinds of songs but over time I have come to really appreciate a well structured track. I think the upcoming album is my most focussed and cohesive, songwriting wise, although there’s still plenty of the old Look To Windward style in there for fans of that too.
“The Last Scattering Surface,” your upcoming third album, is set to release soon. What can fans expect from this new release, particularly with the inclusion of a 5.1 surround mix and a full-length animated visual album?
Back in 2021 I was listening to a lot of 90’s alt rock and grunge, a few old favourites like Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots and King’s X. Their clean but also lively and kinda raw production qualities really appeal to me. I wouldn’t claim Look To Windward sounds anything like that era but I think I was inspired to get a bit more groove and energy into Look To Windward’s sound. So from a production and performance perspective, “The Last Scattering Surface’ sounds a bit more ‘live’ and perhaps a little less clean. I also think my voice as well as Emily’s sound better than ever. The influence of alternative rock is probably there in the songwriting as well. This is Look To Windward’s most cohesive and dare I say ‘catchy’ album yet. Regarding the 5.1 mix; I have always loved surround sound music and alot of my favorite bands happen to have surround mixes courtesy of Steven Wilson. It was inevitable that I would give Look To Windward the surround treatment one of these days. It has been my biggest production challenge yet but I will say that Look To Windward was made for surround. Like the 5.1 mix, the ‘visual album’ idea came towards the end of production. I have experience in computer graphics from my day job so bringing that over to Look To Windward was an opportunity I wanted to explore. Every song has a visual accompaniment, like a visualiser, that seamlessly connect to each other as the album plays. There are connected visual motifs between them but each song has it’s own ‘visual flavour’. I will be releasing the 5.1 mix alongside the ‘visual album’ on Blu-ray and eventually online.
Could you tell us more about the Kickstarter campaign for the physical release of “The Last Scattering Surface”? What inspired you to pursue crowdfunding, and what are your goals for the campaign?
The campaign was mainly born out of necessity. I love physical media. I did a small run of CD’s for In Fantasy but this time I wanted to create Blu-rays for the surround mix and visual album. The cost was going to be too high without fan support up front. It was also an opportunity to offer some other rewards, like T-shirts, that I also haven’t been able to do in the past. The response to the campaign has been amazing and I am really humbled by everyone’s support. It will be running until May 26th.
Living internationally in New Zealand, London, and now in the south of the Netherlands, how has this global perspective influenced your approach to music-making and the themes explored in your compositions?
This is an interesting question that I haven’t really considered before. I think it has really confirmed to me how much I love creating music under the Look To Windward moniker. No matter where I have been living, I have found ways to write, record and stay in touch with my favourite collaborators. My lyrical themes have probably been influenced by it too. New perspectives on the importance of environmental preservation and respecting others.
As Look To Windward continues to evolve and grow, what are your aspirations for the future of the project? Are there any new directions or experiments you’re excited to explore musically?
I definitely want to continue creating Look To Windward music. When that will happen again I can’t be sure, especially with another baby on the way, but I’d love to collaborate closely with Benjamin Morley again. Also, I only met Oriol ‘Uri’ Nieto towards the end of making the new album so I’d love to have him sing more on the next one. In terms of musical directions, perhaps a few more catchy bangers like ‘When You Go Away’? But, to be honest, I want to see how people respond to the new album. I don’t write in a vacuum and I have taken on board criticism in the past. I’ve always made what I want to make but I also try to be open to new perspectives and influences.
Finally, what message or feeling do you hope listeners take away from experiencing the music of Look To Windward, particularly with the release of “The Last Scattering Surface” and its accompanying visual elements?
I want to create a transportative experience. The best albums can create a slightly out of body sensation, where the music elicits a feeling or sense of another location, abstract or real. As the songs flow together, if you happen to like listening to whole records like I do, a kind of ‘musical journey’ can occur. With ‘The Last Scattering Surface’ the music completely stands on it’s own, as that is how it was written and sequenced together, but the visual album does provide an additional stimulus to complement the music and perhaps enhance the transportive experience. The Blu-ray, with the 5.1 mix, will be the ultimate way to enjoy it but just the audio and some comfortable headphones should do the trick too.
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