We previously featured Dan Webb for channelling Taoist philosophy, psychedelic dimensions and kaleidoscopic electronica into his cosmic single, Things Rise and Fall, so when we heard that the visionary artist was back with The Self Watches Their Return, this time featuring Nicole McCabe, we were curious to say the least, and couldn’t wait to share our perspective.
Released in the wake of the full moon, The Self Watches Their Return opens with a bold and cerebral series of rising synth arpeggios, it immediately feels like we have switched dimensions. The initial burst is followed by an intricate and psychedelic energy with dimensional motifs, aligned with Dan’s wider body of work.
We connect with the fusion of organic sounds and electronica, and the emergence of a free-flowing saxophone protagonist, performed by Nicole McCabe. There is a sublime contrast between the spacey electronica and the deliberate jazz-infused groove held together by drummer Clive Deamer, bassist Tim Lefebvre and percussionist Nate Werth.
We also learn that the title draws from Laozi’s Tao Te Ching: “The ten thousand things rise and fall while the Self watches their return.” Dan shares that he began exploring this idea in his earlier single and now completes the thought here. Rather genius, and the type of artistry that we really value.
There is a lovely spiritual thread running through the music, reflecting the cycles of change, death and rebirth, and that moment when we stop trying to control everything and simply observe. We can also hear shades of Pink Floyd’s more spacious passages, with the exploratory feel of an extended Phish jam.
As the final single from his forthcoming fifth album, Lion Dance, The Self Watches Their Return offers a contemplative counterpoint to the more celebratory energy of his earlier release Thai Basil. It’s also worth acknowledging that Dan Webb’s move from Melbourne to Singapore and his engagement with Buddhist and Taoist thought give a wider context to his conscious and trippy art.
For sync, we can imagine The Self Watches Their Return fitting well into films like Arrival, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Tree of Life, Interstellar, Annihilation and Samsara. On television, it could work perfectly in Nine Perfect Strangers, The OA, Devs, Severance, Twin Peaks or The White Lotus.
Whilst we await Lion Dance on 13 November, we have added The Self Watches Their Return to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TRIPPY playlist!