Premiere: The Hypnotic Freedom of Greg Wanders' Moving "Unbound"

for fans of Sampha, James Blake, Frank Ocean

Hypnotic and soothing, Greg Wanders’ “Unbound” is an invitation to break free from the everyday; to expand beyond our normal boundaries; and to be fully immersed in the present. A moving reverie, it’s a musical gateway to a higher plane where existence and experience are perfectly intertwined.

As we tesselate, the walls of our memory
And commemorate the fall of our own enemy
I see it all, all, now that form is secondary
I feel it all, all, now the storm has taken me

Stream: “Unbound” – Greg Wanders

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Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering “Unbound,” off Greg Wanders’ upcoming debut EP Encounter (out October 2018). A 21-year-old singer/songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist from Bedfordshire, U.K., Greg Wanders is starting out with a truly stunning sound. His intimate blend of soul, electronic, and alternative influences feels freshly inspired; and while 2017’s singles “Wildfire” and “Sines” set a particularly high bar and received warranted acclaim, it’s on “Unbound” that the young artist truly differentiates himself from his peers, employing his voice as a tool of emotion, melody and percussion whilst bringing together an array of instruments, rhythms, and feelings.

Ambient and vibing, “Unbound” is a literal unshackling of the soul. Greg Wanders describes his debut EP as “a collection of experiences that have shaped his journey from adolescence into adulthood,” and from his perspective, “Unbound” is the track that links everything together.

Encounter EP - Greg Wanders — Encounter EP – Greg Wanders

“‘Unbound’ was probably the most interesting song to write on the project. I wrote it earlier this year, in a period where I was feeling trapped and overwhelmed due to certain pressures in my life at the time. It started off as a beat I was making with the intention of freeing myself from a negative cycle of thoughts but it took me somewhere completely different,” the artist tells Atwood Magazine. “The first hour in, I’d immersed myself in the process to the point where I’d lost all concept of time – that’s where it all unfolded. This huge sense of freedom arose, realising I was tapping into something much deeper here. I suddenly knew exactly what I wanted to say and how I wanted to say it. I wanted to speak on freedom and how we can be free at any given moment or situation by shifting our attention into the present moment where now becomes primary and everything else secondary.”

He continues, “The thing that was most interesting to me about the song was the way it came about; it was a specific “encounter” in itself, which is the thread that tied the songs on the EP together – so it only made sense for it to become part of the project.”

As we tesselate, the walls of our memory
And commemorate the fall of our own enemy
I see it all, all, now that form is secondary
I feel it all, all, now the storm has taken me

Interestingly, “Unbound” repeats the same lyrics without the words themselves ever growing old. Vocals and synths blend together against an ethereal backdrop as Wanders lets himself loose in song, surrendering to the music and melting into the larger surrounding atmosphere. There’s something beautiful about this physical and sonic release: Greg Wanders seems at one with his world, and he invites his audience – truly, anyone who’s willing – to join in this heightened mental state.

It’s not about feeling like everything is perfect, and the world is as it should be. Far from it, in fact; instead, it’s about being attuned to every bit of minutiae, and being hyper-aware of every aspect of life’s experience. “Unbound” is an indulgence; an assertion; a commitment to being. Greg Wanders has woven together a truly majestic aural fabric, and we cannot wait to hear more from the British talent in the months and years to come. Stream “Unbound” exclusively on Atwood Magazine, and connect with the artist below to stay up-to-date on his debut EP Encounter and more!

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