Steven Wilson - The Overview

Steven Wilson — The Overview

180-gram gatefold LP

Half speed mastered at Abbey Road Studios for superior sound

Steven Wilson presents his eighth studio album, The Overview, on Fiction Records. Two tracks, 42 minutes, wildly ambitious and brilliantly audacious in equal measure, the album is his most audacious to date, inspired by the "overview effect" experienced by astronauts looking back at the Earth from space.

The Overview sees Wilson return to expansive, progressive music, a genre he helped redefine and repopularize with both his solo and Porcupine Tree releases. The two wildly ambitious tracks are each made up of distinctive musical sections that flow from one to the other, playing out as unique and continuous pieces. Wilson's 21st-century progressive music updates the classic ‘prog' musical palette to incorporate everything from glistening electronics to post-rock and beyond, which brings the genre right into the beating heart of the current musical landscape.

The album also features a set of lyrics by XTC's Andy Partridge that help drive the story in "Objects Outlive Us."

The artwork for The Overview was illustrated/photographed by Hajo Muller and designed by Carl Glover, their combined efforts creating a visually stunning companion to the music, perfectly encapsulating the album's themes of space and perspective.

Prior to the album's release date, The Overview will have its world exclusive premiere at the BFI IMAX in London on Tuesday February 25, 2025. The music will be played back in immersive audio accompanied by a specially commissioned film by Miles Skarin that presents a constantly evolving series of visually stunning animated sequences documenting the vastness of space and the almost imperceptibly tiny part of it that the human race occupies. Screened on what is the U.K.'s largest cinema screen, Wilson says he's confident this is going to be a pretty mind-blowing experience.

The Overview is instantly recognisable as Steven Wilson and will stand alone as an utterly unique release for 2025. Headphones and a wide-open mind are recommended.

 

1. Objects Outlive Us

2. The Overview

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