Vilde

“arpeggiated synth lines and anxious beats rub up together, twisting and turning, changing tempos and introducing new elements at every turn” DIY Magazine 
 
“off piste digital melodies and surreal lyricism, delivered with no small degree of style and panache” CLASH 
 
“art-pop extraordinaire” The Line of Best Fit 

“Hope” - the title, recurring lyric, and overall ethos of the upcoming new album from Vilde (AKA Thomas Savage) - is a transient phenomenon. A measure taken somewhere between the emotions of hopefulness and hopelessness, it is agonisingly out of our control, and subsequently takes on a life of its own. Thomas offers some insight: 

“This record began without direction or concept, and at no point was one decided upon. As it came together, a theme began to shine persistently through. I suppose it was trying to make itself some kind of antithesis to the apathy & distrust which is so prevalent in the world right now, as though it were attempting to fill a gap, meet a need. I don’t very much think ‘Hope’ is a great title for a record, however I feel to some degree that it has stubbornly named itself.” 

This idea of allowing the themes to present themselves, rather than restlessly chase them down, speaks to a change in process Savage has applied to the general endeavour:  “I’m now 35, I’ve made 8 full length albums since the age of 18, across three musical projects. All of these records were allotted 6-12 months to write and record. Creating ‘Hope’ took 2.5 years. As an impatient person with no attention span, I gave it patience and attention. When I couldn’t do so, I walked away.” 

Sonically, the album takes cues from electronica-adjacent art-rock from the likes of TV On The Radio, Atoms For Peace, Metronomy or Animal Collective, as well as Four Tet or Aphex Twin’s ability to marry icy electronic sounds with an earthy human warmth. Each sound is honed towards multiple purposes - synth lines are percussive, drum loops are atmospheric, and washes create form. The collective creates a 3D sound within which Thomas’ falsetto vocals deliver his lyrical paeans to the human condition.  

Self-described as a ‘wandering project’ - taking in periods spent living in Melbourne, Brighton, Stockholm, Dusseldorf, Norwich and now Edinburgh - the newfound patient approach represents an anchoring anathema to Savage’s recent ephemeral lifestyle. 

His life choices ‘pose the question of what freedom really is’ as he puts it. In the last 12 years, Thomas has moved countries 8 times. Sometimes as an open decision, sometimes with a degree of circumstantial coercion, sometimes as an only option.  

Upon every move, the rug is pulled from under the feet. Any network or community participance is lost. The reduced sense of security neutralises the ability to act outside of the responsible and the rational, which is a powerful headspace. In this headspace, one makes precious mistakes, one faces fear, and most importantly one considers the absurd.  

A great many brilliant things in the world are absurd. This record was not at all granted the freedom of coming from such a place. Contrarily, it comes from a lonely, tedious place, from an anxious maker reaching out and trying to clutch the tangible.  
 
Despite this, the record that manifested was one of optimism and hope: “This record challenged and altered my concept of myself, it’s special beyond any others. I needed it, and I feel that 2023 needs it.” 

‘Hope’ - the new album from Vilde - is out August 18th as a self-release. 

About Vilde: 

Vilde is the wandering project of Thomas Savage. Thomas grew up in Melbourne, Australia, where immediately upon finishing High School, co-formed a lounge-pop group (Oh Mercy) and toured extensively. After a few years, at the age of 23, he decamped to Brighton, UK to form the rock band Kins. By 2015, after much touring, Kins had run a natural course and was laid to rest. At this point, and now living in Stockholm, Thomas founded Vilde. A trusty solo outlet for such a nomadic lifestyle, which has now seen Vilde release 4 LP’s, whilst moving between Stockholm, Melbourne, Düsseldorf, Norwich & Edinburgh. The upcoming LP, ‘Hope’ is the latest offering reflecting this journey. It was written and recorded between Stockholm and Edinburgh, mixed by David Pye (Wild Beasts, Dido) & mastered by Eric James (Domenique Dumont, Faithless) in Norfolk, UK.