(PR) Steven Wilson (of Porcupine Tree)'s new album 'Insurgentes' (K-Scope/ Feb. 24) may be the first under his own name, but he recruited some intriguing talents to make it a reality. The eclectic roster of guests reflects the adventurous approach to the disc and diversity of locations in which Wilson recorded it, including Israel, Mexico City, the United States, Japan, Scandanavia, and the UK. Standout guests on the album include: *Michio Vagi, a brilliant Japanese musician, layers the magisterial sounds of her 17-string bass koto onto the album's title track. *British guitarist Sand Snowman, known for his pagan, ancient-folk sound, contributes a ticklish guitar counterpoint to the stark "Abandoner" and a wistful recorder part to "Veneno Para Las Hadas." * Irish singer Clodagh Simonds of Fovea Hex traces a descant above the swaying melody and industrial noise assault of "Significant Other." *Theo Travis, "one of the most active jazz artists and composers in the U.K.," (AllMusic) plays wah-wah flutes and clarinet on several tracks. *Dirk Serris (also known as Vidna Obmana), a renowned Belgian composer of deep ambient music, lends two guitar-drone soundscapes to 'Insurgentes.' *Finally, Tony Levin (King Crimson/ bass), Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree/ drums) and Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater/ piano) perform on several tracks throughout the album.
Says Wilson, "I wanted to get out of my own little studio shell and reach out to musicians I'd always wanted to work with. This is a truly international product, but everything gets filtered through my own sensibility."
Danish photographer Lasse Hoile is also putting the finishing touches on a film made during the recording of 'Insurgentes' about Wilson's journey to complete this album, and what it means to be a professional musician in a growing "download" culture. Watch a trailer for the filmhere
Wilson is also working on a new Porcupine Tree album due out in late 2009.
