6x GRAMMY® Award-nominated musician/songwriter/producer Steven Wilson has joined forces with Manic Street Preachers for a new spin on the acclaimed single, “Economies of Scale,” available everywhere now. One of the undisputed highlights of Wilson’s groundbreaking seventh solo album, THE HARMONY CODEX (given a stunning 9.5/10 review here on SonicAbuse) the track was completely reimagined by the legendary Welsh rock band at their South Wales studio earlier this year, twisting the original version’s fragile electronic soul into something claustrophobic, gothic, and intense.
“When I first heard ‘Economies of Scale’ I found myself transported back to 1984,” says Manic Street Preachers’ James Dean Bradfield, “when Sean (Moore, Manic Street Preachers drummer) came back from Germany where he’d been on tour with the Celynen Colliery Brass Band. He had a bootleg copy of SYNCHRONICITY by The Police. We couldn’t stop playing it, especially tracks like ‘Walking in Your Footsteps’ and ‘Murder by Numbers.’ There was something about the bareness of the vocals, the steely percussion, and slight detachment that reminded us of that era of The Police, along with Stewart Copeland’s solo work on the Rumble Fish soundtrack. With those things in mind, we had quickly found a direction and collectively connected with the track. Once we got in the studio, (Manic Street Preachers bassist, Nicky) Wire immediately sought to push the second half of the track in more of a Holy Bible direction.”
LISTEN TO “ECONOMIES OF SCALE (MANIC STREET PREACHERS REMIX)”
STREAM/PURCHASE THE HARMONY CODEX
THE HARMONY CODEX is available now via Wilson’s own Spinefarm Records in a wide range of formats including CD, 2LP, Blu-ray, and digital download. Written, performed, and produced by Wilson, the album – which made a top 5 debut on the UK’s Official Album Chart upon its late September release – includes such extraordinary tracks as “Beautiful Scarecrow,” “What Life Brings,” “Impossible Tightrope,” “Rock Bottom” (featuring Ninet Tayeb), and the hypnotic first single, “Economies of Scale,” all available now alongside official music videos streaming via YouTube.
THE HARMONY CODEX sees Steven Wilson creating a vivid tapestry of memory and reflection, weaving mesmerizing sonics and expansive songcraft into something entirely unique, a record that exists outside of the notion of genre. Working alone in a studio tucked inside the garage of a North London townhouse, Wilson pieced together the album’s 10 tracks with remote assistance from an array of friends and fellow artists, from longtime studio partners Ninet Tayeb, Craig Blundell, and Adam Holzman to first-time collaborators including Jack Dangers (Meat Beat Manifesto) and Sam Fogarino (Interpol). Each was invited to add their own individual stamp to the recording, the snares, strings, and sampled sounds sent down the wires giving rhythm and color to Wilson’s already elaborate musical vision.
Hailed by David Fricke in Rolling Stone for his “fighting spirit and truly progressive ideals in rock composition, group improvisation, and emotionally authentic storytelling,” Steven Wilson is, among his many guises, a visionary solo artist, founding member of GRAMMY® Award-nominated British rock band Porcupine Tree, and pioneering spatial audio remixer known for his work with such artists as The Who, King Crimson, Chic, Van Morrison, Tears For Fears, XTC, and many more. THE HARMONY CODEXfollows Wilson’s sixth solo studio album, 2021’s THE FUTURE BITES, which debuted at #4 on the UK’s Official Albums Chart amidst worldwide critical applause and later earned two prestigious GRAMMY® Award nominations (for “Best Immersive Audio Album” and “Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package”), marking Wilson’s fifth and sixth total career GRAMMY® nods thus far.
Last year saw the internationally acclaimed release of Porcupine Tree’s long-awaited 11th studio album and first release in over 12 years, CLOSURE/CONTINUATION, which debuted at #2 on the UK Albums Chart and reached #1 in Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. An epic world tour followed, making stops in North America, South America, and Europe before culminating with a triumphant sold-out show at London’s famed OVO Arena Wembley. The band will release a live record from their 2022 CLOSURE/CONTINUATION tour on December 8. 2022 also saw the publication of Wilson’s much-applauded first memoir, Limited Edition of One (Little, Brown), also available in a special edition.
STEVEN WILSON
THE HARMONY CODEX
(Spinefarm Records)
Release Date: Friday, September 29, 2023
Tracklist:
Inclination
What Life Brings
Economies of Scale
Impossible Tightrope
Rock Bottom
Beautiful Scarecrow
The Harmony Codex
Time Is Running Out
Actual Brutal Facts
Staircase
# # #
THE HARMONY CODEX
DELUXE LIMITED EDITION BOX SET
Tracklist:
Disc 1: THE HARMONY CODEX
Inclination
What Life Brings
Economies of Scale
Impossible Tightrope
Rock Bottom
Beautiful Scarecrow
The Harmony Codex
Time Is Running Out
Actual Brutal Facts
Staircase
Disc 2: HARMONIC DISTORTION
Codex Theme #7
Economies of Scale (Manic Street Preachers Remix)
Codex Theme #9
Inclination (Faultline Remix)
Impossible Tightrope (Alternate Version)
Codex Theme #6 4
Beautiful Scarecrow (Meat Beat Manifesto Excursion 1)
Codex Theme #8
Time Is Running Out (Mikael Åkerfeldt Version)
Staircase (Interpol Remix)
11 Codex Theme #3
What Life Brings (Aug 22 Mix by Roland Orzabal)
The Harmony Codex (Long Take)
Staircase (Radiophonic Workshop Remix)
Disc 3: THE HARMONY CODEX Blu-Ray
1. High-Resolution Stereo (96/24)
2. 5.1 Mix (96/24)
3. Atmos Mix (48/24)
4. Stereo Instrumentals (96/24) *
5. 5.1 Instrumentals (96/24) *
6. Atmos Instrumentals (48/24) *
* exclusive to this edition
“Economies of Scale” Video (Directed by Charlie Di Placido)
“The Harmony Codex” Video (Directed by Crystal Spotlight/Miles Skarin)
