The interpretation of wilderness can be manifold, potentially signifying a land that is barren, devoid of modern society or a more conceptual adaptation in the form of the metaphoric wilderness. The sense of abandon felt on a tertiary level rather than an obvious one. Playing with the idea of abandonment The Pineapple Thief delve into their own world to create an incredibly abstract take on the idea of wilderness in its true sense.

[tracklist]

1. In Exile
2. No Man’s Land
3. Tear You Up
4. That Shore
5. Take Your Shot
6. Fend For Yourself
7. The Final Thing On Your Mind
8. Where We Stood
   [/tracklist]

   [details]
   [length]44:00[/length]
   [record_label]Kscope[/record_label]
   [release_date]August 12th 2016[/release_date]
   [/details]

   Enlisting the percussive aid of none other than Pocupine Tree percussive virtuoso Gavin Harrison, each hit on the drums rings true. Rhyming perfectly with the elegant lead lines whilst acting as the perfect backdrop against Soord’s sorrowful lyrics. The band slowly but surely craft a beautiful tapestry to which the listener is beckoned into. Giving the likes of “Fend For Yourself” a Wilsonian emotive quality despite its dour chords, painting a picture of bleak atmosphere owing in part to its feathery piano notes coupled with a rare appearance of the clarinet, coating the track in a sepia tone with its modernist quality.

   Culminating in the blanketed finale of “Where We Stood” gives the album a poignant yet final closing set piece neatly wrapped in a parcel of infectious of sparse melody. Soord himself excelling in a minimalist approach makes for a beautiful contrast after the more all in approach of the likes of ten minute “The Final Thing On My Mind“. Having understood their positioning on the Prog spectrum the likes of shorter energy burst “You Hear Me” shows the sister side to The Pineapple Thief of writing short yet effective tracks. Not overstaying their welcome but merely saying their piece and exiting gracefully the tracks work as a welcome yet minimalist change from some of the more oversaturated contemporary artists.

   Moving into more of an electronic territory “That Shore” brings varying influences no doubt from the band’s bountiful ideas to the record to create a sparse yet incredibly beautiful picture. Whilst simultaneously breaking the rhythm between songs allowing the listener to digest each track. The slow coccoon of artificial harmonics that envelop the ear on “Take Your Shot” are yet another example of build up before a well placed and finely executed guitar solo takes center stage. A humble marriage of minimalism and extravagant, yet refined instrumentation Your Wilderness is exactly just that. With both negative and positive connotations wilderness is open to interpretation. An expansive freedom or an overwhelming sense of abandon, playing with both these idea muscically The Pineapple Thief succeed in every respect on their latest record. Working on both fronts the record is a masterclass in the art of song writing and will no doubt be in most Progressive collectors album of the year’s slots.

   [verdict]Yes[/verdict]
   [why]Exploring the vast metaphorical playground within the idea of wilderness, The Pineapple Thief’s brand new record is both as reserved as it is comprehensive making for a fascinating listen.[/why]

If you like what you read / heard then you can pick up the brand new record here!