Prospero (band)

Prospero

Prospero @ Saturation Bombing 2, 2004
Background information
Origin Toronto Canada
Genres Industrial Rhythmic Noise IDM Neofolk
Years active 2000–present
Labels sub.session media, Brume Records Artoffact Records
Members Wade Anderson, Steve Sandford (aka Hangedman)
Notable instruments
Arcane electronics, bagpipes, tribal percussion

Prospero is a Canadian industrial/rhythmic noise band based in Toronto, Canada. Born as a solo project in August 2001 under musician and DJ Wade Anderson, Prospero’s music fuses traditional industrial electronics with a variety of acoustic percussion and exotic instruments. Since 2011 and the addition of Steve Sandford (aka Hangedman) the band has evolved into a two man act with heavy influences from tribal noise, IDM, neofolk and other post-industrial music movements.

History

2000 - 2010 Anderson Solo Period

In 2001, Local Toronto DJ Wade Anderson co-founded sub.session.records, and released Prospero's debut limited edition CDr “A Storm is Coming”. Prospero's formative second release, “Spreading the Infection” was released in 2004 was a double CD split release between sub.session media and France's Brume Records. In 2008 Prospero signed to Toronto based Artoffact Records release his third CD, “Folie à Deux”, which contained collaborations with Ayria, Battery Cage, It-clings, and Terrorfakt.

In the first decade Prospero contributed tracks to a number of compilations, including Sub.Session and Duo.Tone released by sub.session.records; Saturation Bombing I and II and [tik]co:man:d[sic] by TIK Recordings.

As Prospero, Anderson has remixed tracks for other notable rhythmic noise artists such as Empusae, s:cage, and Converter as well as playing several industrial festivals, most notably the COMA festivals in Canada. Prospero’s early years were marked by a musical style that incorporated dramatic post apocalyptic themes, arpeggiated synths lines and heavy industrial percussion characteristic of the rhythmic noise genre.

2011 - 2014 Turning Point

In 2011 Prospero released its fourth full length album “Turning Point”, a 14 track release with remixes by Fractured, Mara’s Torment and most notable, a rare resurrection of Xorcist, with his brilliant rendition of the title track “Turning Point”. “Turning Point” also marked a change in the band’s core musical direction and creative approach introducing a more abstract, and acoustic based element via Prospero’s live show, incorporating guitar, tribal percussion and even bagpipes to the instrument arsenal.

Part of this change was the slow integration of local DJ and music writer Steve Sandford (aka Hangedman) as a permanent member of the band. Initially part of the live show support for EBM fest, Sandford added acoustic tribal percussion, bagpipes and vocals. Inspired by Prospero, Hangedman abandoned his own solo project V Combust and focused on re-writing material with a mind to the Prospero style and repertoire.

2014 - present day Prospero

With the addition of Sandford as a full-time member of the band, and Anderson as the core creative lead, in 2013 the band made a formative trip to Iceland to DJ at a local Reykjavík subculture music night. Inspired by this trip and along with a live performance at a local Toronto Industrial Noise night Burning Chrome the duo was solidified into Prospero as a two man project with Sandford writing original music alongside with Anderson.

In this new incarnation of Prospero, 2014 saw the band releasing “Paradise or Apocalypse”. PoA was the fifth full length album with 14 tracks and remixes by Daniel Myer (Haujobb, Architect), iVardensphere, Pulse Plant, and Jonah K. Galvanized by the addition of tribal and folk elements as well as vocals from Sandford and Veela, Prospero continues to explore new themes while remaining true to their industrial electronic roots.

Notable Live Performances

Discography

External links