Release Notes
Label: Mesh
Release: Wake
Date: March 14th, 2025
Mixed By: Aneek Thapar
Mastered By: Shawn Hatfield
Creative Direction: Chris Clarke
Artwork By: William Bunce
Once in a while, I come upon an artist whom I cannot wait to introduce to you. I met Evan Gildersleeve via the remnants of social media channels when he shared Ben Chatwin‘s remix of one of his tracks with me. I am a massive fan of Chatwin’s ability to combine musical and grungy elements into a single sonic journey – enough so that I invited Ben to be the next featured artist on Headphone Community (in April 2025). Gildersleeve’s music grazed one of the OUT TODAY columns back in 2020, but today, I’m happy to highlight this British producer front and center. All of my favourite elements of electronic music are here, from cinematic storytelling to memorable melodies to intricate sound design. Gildersleeve is not a stranger to the scene, having collaborated with artists such as Jónsi of Sigur Rós and the dearly missed Jóhann Jóhannsson. His forthcoming debut EP, Wake, appears on Max Cooper‘s Mesh imprint, and it’s an immense pleasure to discover this artist at the beginning of his solo career [I would love to be the first one to share his first full-length!]. There are only six pieces on this teaser, and I secured the final track for this premiere, titled “Grief”.
Grief represents monumental confrontation for me and one that felt impossible for such an incredibly long time. Ultimately this became a necessary challenge and would prove to be the only means by which I could ever move forward. At times it felt like pushing against an overwhelming current yet beyond the threshold I discovered a clarity that fundamentally changed me. So began a gentle untangling and I mourned many aspects of my life in the process – the idea of who I was in other people’s eyes, a childhood sense of home. It’s taught me a great deal about what it means to be human and our immense capacity for empathy, regardless of our lived experiences.
— Evan Gildersleeve
The music of Wake documents “a turbulent period of self-recovery and exploring the power of collective empathy” expressed through the emotionally-charged tapestry of energy-building highs and deeply-resonant and dense collapsing lows, the likes of which are culminated on this closing piece. “Grief” is a perfect glimpse into this artist’s soul, and I can’t wait for you to hear the entire thing. This digital EP will be out this Friday, March 14th 2025, and you can pick it up on Bandcamp. The honour to present this artist is all mine.
