WAASH — the latest, pop-refining project from prolific Vancouver songwriter Andrew Bishop — is previewing its upcoming self-titled full-length with the third single “It’s a Lie”. A smooth, laid back statement on putting up boundaries as a form of self-care, the single arrives on streaming platforms April 17th through WAASH’s label home, Light Organ Records.
Following the shoegaze slant of WAASH’s similarly self-titled 2023 EP, “It’s a Lie” is more of a synth-crystalized bop, which points to the broader experimentation Bishop brought to his next LP.
“You’re probably going to think these are breakup tunes,” Bishop continues of the song — and indeed the album, on the whole — though he adds the drive of pieces like “It’s a Lie” is more generalized than pure romance. “It’s really just about standing up for what you need out of a relationship, and making sure you’re getting what’s important to you. And if it’s not reciprocal, then you go. No harm done.”
Even if WAASH’s upcoming album reflects the wisdom of withdrawing, the project’s first full-length release likewise found Bishop’s nurturing friendships with a number of familiar collaborators. Lyrics were often co-written with Ewan, Bishop’s longtime partner in pop-rock outfit Twin River, and Louise Burns, the esteemed songwriter/producer Bishop had first met when he’d briefly entered her back-up band a decade ago. Bishop cites the synth sheen and seamless vocal interplay of Fleetwood Mac’s Tango in the Night as a cultural touchstone for WAASH, explaining how he, Ewan, and Burns would often sit in a circle in the studio to trade off on lyrics, line-for-line (“It was really fun, and obviously took some of the pressure off,” he says of the communal experience). And while WAASH pushes Bishop’s vocals to the forefront even further than when he led the folk-styled White Ash Falls, he knows when to back out of the booth to let a friend take the lead. That’s the reciprocal, supportive spirit he’s been looking for.
Tracked over a year at 604 Studios, the WAASH record likewise speaks to the broader bonds Bishop’s built within the Vancouver music community, at large. The album was co-produced with Yukon Blonde’s James Younger. It also features guest spots from Yukon Blonde’s Jeff Innes, The Zolas’ Cody Hiles, and multi-instrumentalist Mike Rosen, who’d previously bashed it out with Bishop in garage rock outfit Alex Little and the Suspicious Minds. Bishop admits the WAASH sessions were met with scheduling challenges, but the moments they were all able to link up in the studio were revelatory. “I just wanted to see my friends,” he sums up of the revolving cast of collaborators integrated into WAASH. “These are the people I do care about; they’re also incredibly talented. I respect and love them.”
