Review – White Moth Black Butterfly – The Cost of Dreaming

After their lauded 2017 album ‘Atone‘, White Moth Black Butterfly return with their new studio album ‘The Cost Of Dreaming‘.

Created by Daniel Tompkins, the collaborative project features a team of songwriters & producers based worldwide, all at the height of their own scenes. Collaborating with Tompkins are New-Delhi based Skyharbor songwriter and producer Keshav Dhar; US based producer and string arranger Randy Slaugh, drummer Mac Christensen and the line up is completed by ethereal vocals of UK singer & lyricist Jordan Turner.

Daniel Tompkins explains why he sees White Moth Black Butterfly and ‘The Cost Of Dreaming‘ representing the dichotomy between peace and conflict within a life full of chaos. “Our new album ‘The Cost of Dreaming’ is something we feel just about every human being on the planet that’s been affected by life changing disruption will relate strongly to. Our nature is to always be planning, dreaming about an ideal future in which we will have ticked various boxes that define our ideal lives, often at the cost of the present. And when control over that future is seized away from us and all we are left with is the present, we realise just how much we took for granted. Life is surely a gift to us all throughout which we experience moments of soaring bliss and happiness, and then in a heartbeat sink into states of great trouble and suffering. Often our struggles can serve as momentous opportunities for growth, but the balance of life can often hold us back from seizing the day. We believe that this album is our greatest achievement – it’s an outpouring of love and a cry for help.”

The album is a very clever integration of contemporary pop with the stylistic flourishes of progressive rock and ambient, experimental music. Catchy hooks abound along with lush orchestral notes and edgy keyboard infused electronica. All the songs are short, like perfect little gems of musical wonder, never outstaying their welcome.

The ethereal strains of opener Ether blend perfectly into the harder, staccato notes of Prayer For Rain and this is followed by the gorgeous wistfulness of The Dreamer where Turner’s vocals stand out perfectly.

The exquisitely refined tone of Heavy Heart bleeds melancholic nostalgia and the lush Portals would grace any modern club scene. Use You is deliciously dark, almost malevolent in its sinister delivery and segues seamlessly into the powerful, funky edginess of Darker Days, given added sparkle by Kenny Fong’s glorious saxophone.

The album builds superbly with each track, an audio experience that draws you in piece by piece. Sands of Despair mournfully washes over you with its plaintive vocal and contemplative piano note before the thoughtful mood of Under The Stars grabs you in its embrace, Jordan’s dreamy vocals imbuing a sense of calm serenity. Soma is a super smooth slice of jazz/pop that is as classy a piece of music that you will hear this year and Liberate takes the art of writing contemporary pop muisic to another level.

There’s a insistent demanding feel to Unholy, an anticipation building of something enigmatic and ominous before heartfelt vocals and the addition of Eric Guenther’s keyboards introduce an emotive emphasis to the sumptuous sounds of Bloom. The album closes out with Spirits, a wonderfully uplifting piece of music that continues to resonate long after the final note dies away.

In ‘The Cost of Dreaming’, White Moth Black Butterfly have created an utterly captivating and beautiful collection of songs where nothing has been held back. It contains every piece of their heart and soul and, just as Daniel Tompkins says, it is a perfectly conceived outpouring of love and cry for help, one that I hope everyone takes heed of…

Released 28th May, 2021

Order the album here:

WHITE MOTH BLACK BUTTERFLY (lnk.to)

WHITE MOTH BLACK BUTTERFLY RETURN WITH THEIR NEW STUDIO ALBUM ‘THE COST OF DREAMING’ – RELEASED ON KSCOPE 28TH MAY 2021

After their lauded 2017 album AtoneWhite Moth Black Butterfly return with their new studio album The Cost Of Dreaming through Kscope on 28th May 2021.

Thecontemporary pop project with progressive and experimental music at its heart; created by Daniel Tompkins (TesseracT) features a team of songwriters & producers based worldwide, all at the height of their own scenes. Collaborating with Tompkins are New-Delhi based Skyharbor songwriter and producer Keshav Dhar; US based producer and string arranger Randy Slaugh who has previously worked with the likes of Devin Townsend, Architects & Periphery, drummer Mac Christensen and the line up is completed by ethereal vocals of UK singer & lyricist Jordan Turner. Their newest output not only signals a sonic evolution for the band, whilst still retaining core elements from previous recordings such as organic string sections and experimental theme linking interludes, but also features some exceptional special guests including saxophonist Kenny Fong and The Contortionist’s keyboardist Eric Guenther.

Daniel Tompkins explains why he sees White Moth Black Butterfly and The Cost Of Dreaming representing the dichotomy between peace and conflict within a life full of chaos. “Our new album ‘The Cost of Dreaming’ is something we feel just about every human being on the planet that’s been affected by life changing disruption will relate strongly to. Our nature is to always be planning, dreaming about an ideal future in which we will have ticked various boxes that define our ideal lives, often at the cost of the present. And when control over that future is seized away from us and all we are left with is the present, we realise just how much we took for granted. Life is surely a gift to us all throughout which we experience moments of soaring bliss and happiness, and then in a heartbeat sink into states of great trouble and suffering. Often our struggles can serve as momentous opportunities for growth, but the balance of life can often hold us back from seizing the day. We believe that this album is our greatest achievement – it’s an outpouring of love and a cry for help.”

There are strong themes throughout the album that will resonate with many people, from addressing the issue of ongoing domestic abuse crisis in “Use You” and offering a way to sign post people toward support agencies; to the unexpected psychological upheavals brought about by events beyond our control in “Darker Days”. 

Self produced, engineered and recorded over three continents in various studios throughout the last year, The Cost Of Dreaming was written remotely. This album signals a sonic evolution in the bands’ output while still retaining core elements from previous recordings such as organic string sections and experimental theme linking interludes.

Fans will be able to discover a series of easter eggs within the album, providing a link between this and TesseracT’s live portals experience, demonstrating the interconnected relationships throughout the artists’ various projects. 

Featuring artwork from the award winning Ani Artworks and for the first time procuring the vocal mixing services of an external producer in Forrester Savell (Karnivool, Skyharbor), The Cost Of Dreaming finds the band in a highly creative mood. 

The Cost Of Dreaming tracklist     

1. Ether [02:42]  

2. Prayer For Rain [03:21]  

3. The Dreamer [03:06]  

4. Heavy Heart [03:14]  

5. Portals [03:30]  

6. Use You [02:48]  

7. Darker Days (feat. Kenny Fong) [02:57]  

8. Sands Of Despair [02:33]  

9. Under The Stars[02:53]  

10. Soma[03:29]  

11. Liberate [03:30]  

12. Unholy [02:53]  

13. Bloom (feat. Eric Guenther) [04:10]  

14. Spirits [04:46]

The Cost Of Dreaming is released on 28th May on CD, black 180g vinyl LP and digitally with pre-orders available now HERE (https://wmbb.lnk.to/TheCostOfDreaming)

White Moth Black Butterfly (TesseracT + Skyharbor members) unveil 2nd album ‘Atone’ / Sign to Kscope

Kscope are extremely proud to announce that White Moth Black Butterfly have joined the label’s roster and the release of the band’s new album ‘Atone’ on 1st September.

White Moth Black Butterfly features a team of songwriters & producers based worldwide, all at the height of their own scenes. The members met through working on Skyharborone of India’s biggest rock bands – Daniel Tompkins, vocalist with UK’s premier progressive rock band TesseracT (also on Kscope); New-Delhi based Skyharbor songwriter and producer Keshav Dhar; US based producer and string arranger Randy Slaugh who has previously worked with the likes of Devin Townsend, Architects & Periphery. Randy wrote and tracked string arrangements for Skyharbor‘s second album ‘Guiding Lights’, and as their relationship grew, he was invited in as a third song-writer. White Moth Black Butterfly’s line up is completed by UK singer & lyricist Jordan Turner.

On bringing White Moth Black Butterfly into the Kscope family Daniel Tompkins comments WMBB signing to Kscope is nothing short of a privilege. We feel we have truly found the right home, where we can grow and develop with the help of a respected and hardworking team of people.”

White Moth Black Butterfly are a contemporary pop project with progressive and experimental music at its heart; initially created by Daniel Tompkins as a creative outlet aside from his writing with TesseracT to indulge in his other musical influences ranging from Massive AttackEnigmaSigur RosDavid BowieMichael Jackson to Tool, Dredgand Thrice.  On the evolution of White Moth Black Butterfly Daniel explains “What started out as a creative outlet has blossomed into a fully-fledged musical project. Writing music with Keshav, Randy and Jordan has been an inspiring and invigorating process and one that has allowed us to explore new sounds through contemporary vocal work and organic instrumentation.”  

 Their new studio album ‘Atone’, the follow up to White Moth Black Butterfly’s 2014 self-released debut ‘One Thousand Wings’; which was recorded across the globe at studios in India, the UK, US and Taiwan, is masterfully built on organic, textured and cinematic soundscapes, with two opposing themes of loss and hope.

Tompkins explains – “Whilst songs like “Tempest” and “Atone” focus on faith and forgiveness, others like “Rising Sun” and “An Ocean Away” linger on love and nostalgia; throwing the listener into a bygone world of having less and caring more. The front cover artwork captures the beauty of nature and the harsh realities of life: power and dominance. White Moth Black Butterfly represents that very same struggle.”

The first song from ‘Atone’ the band are releasing is entitled “The Serpent”, here is a teaser:

Co-singer Jordan explains the concept behind the song – “The Serpent is an exploration of the temptations that lurk within each of us, and the internal fight that we partake in when they arise. The battle between good and evil consciences is fought throughout the song, drawing attention to the cunning games that a tempter can play.”

Atone will be released on CD, LP and digitally (all digital pre-orders receive “The Serpent” as an instant download), all formats are available to pre-order here http://found.ee/WMBB_ATONE

White Moth Black Butterfly online:

https://www.facebook.com/whitemothblackbutterfly

https://www.instagram.com/whitemothblackbutterfly

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5bjUhKTjzpd7U6PHYBOOd8