WAASH — the latest, pop-refining project from Vancouver songwriter Andrew Bishop — is releasing its self-titled full-length with the single “Might As Well Know”. A soaring, synth-coursing statement on putting up boundaries as a form of self-care, the single arrives on streaming platforms June 28th through WAASH’s label home, Light Organ Records. Following the shoegaze slant of WAASH’s similarly self-titled 2019 EP, “Might As Well Know” is more of a synth-crystalized bop, which points to the broader electronic experimentation Bishop brought to his next LP.
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.” “Might As Well Know” is the perfect introduction to WAASH’s electronics-forward take on ‘80s era pop (“Frozen”), chill-mode bossa nova (“It’s a Lie”), and slinking, pastel-print sophisto-pop (“Easier to Hide”). And while parts of WAASH reflect the need to retreat, Bishop ultimately found community within a player pool of great friends. Writing a few bona fide pop anthems along the way didn’t hurt, either.
