Wooden Spaceship is the latest project from Micko Westmoreland and it marks a return to his original solo electronic style. The record has a neo-disco funk vibe with a cosmic rock influence, and there’s an accessibility to it – it’s danceable with a constantly evolving melodic structure. This track showcases a whole palette of quirky influences with a dash of trademark eccentric humour.
Micko has been previously known for his electronic music as The Bowling Green and acting performance alongside Ewan McGregor and Christian Bale in Todd Haynes’ Cult Classic Velvet Goldmine. Born in 1971 in Leeds, England, he developed an interest in sound at a tender age, learning guitar, keyboards and bass, and performing at the local youth club in a church crypt. In 1991 he purchased an Atari ST and Korg M1Synth and became excited by the great potential of the electronic soundscape. In college, he worked alongside and was tutored by Brian Eno.
By the mid 1990s, Micko had honed his skills as an electronic producer and The Bowling Green emerged. He signed with the Blue Planet label, where his "Mingle" EP was released in 1996, finding acclaim as NME’s single of the Week. Several additional EPs surfaced, featuring collaborations with such legendary producers as Luke Vibert, µ-Ziq, T-Power and a John Peel session with Si Begg. The Bowling Green also appeared on several scene-defining compilations for labels such as Rising High, Law & Auder and Shadow Records. His debut full-length CD, "One Pound Note", was released in 1998 and subsequently picked up by Trent Reznor's Nothing Records (Interscope) in the USA to press and public acclaim. A sophomore album, "Fabrications", appeared in 2002 for the Spiky label.
In recent years, Micko has also been involved in doing the soundtracks to films such as "The Fluffer", featuring Debbie Harry, and "Quinceañera", which won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival.
In 2009, Micko produced his first non-dance solo record, for Terry Edwards' Sartorial Records, entitled "Wax & Wayne". It takes a more personal direction, trading on a folk/country influence with a highly textured electronic twist.
Now in 2010, Micko makes his debut for the I, Absentee label with Wooden Spaceship. This track is a return to his original signature as an electronic producer and a nice bridge between Micko's past and present work, giving fans of his former musical output a new and exciting dimension to his distinct sound.
Label profile:
www.i-absentee.com/artist-woodenspaceship.html
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/pages/Micko-Westmoreland/80210607343