Viridian Deliver a Masterclass in Ambience with ‘Preface’

At the young age of 17, Michael Di Spirito and Danielle Davie decided to form the indie-electro band, Viridian. As such, they have described their music as an “exploration of youth”.  Composed of the deeply personal yet universally relatable themes of loneliness, growing up, and survival, their 2022 debut album ‘How To Survive in the Woods’ could quite easily be called a concept album – and a beautiful one at that.

The album’s first track, ‘Preface’ does an impressive job of encompassing Viridian’s whole energy. Ambient, mysterious instrumentation blended with delicate vocals and smooth guitar solos lace the track with an irresistible pull that leaves listeners excited to explore the rest of the album.

‘Preface’ is a 5-minute immersive soundscape. Through varying textures and intertwining melodies, the range of different elements is ultimately what keeps the song refreshing. Just when it seems like there’s little left to explore in this lo-fi and dreamlike atmosphere, the duo cleverly utilises another new component such as low strings or a bluesy guitar solo to maintain the listener’s ear.

Perhaps most impressive is that the album is written, recorded, and produced solely by the band. It is rare for musicians to possess both the technical ability and the emotional range to create songs from nothing –  Viridian have both in spades. Thus, a beautiful, well-produced body of work can be found from Viridian in this album, showing they have truly mastered their craft.

‘Preface’, along with the rest of the album, is now available to listen to via Viridian’s Bandcamp and other streaming services.

 

Rachel Feehan

@rachel_feehan / @rachiefee

Image: ‘How To Survive In the Woods’ Official Album Cover