‘Rival Consoles’

Rival Consoles is notable for making synthesisers sound human and atmospheric. With the release of Odyssey and Sonne EPs, West has gained a reputation for making thoughtful electronica that spans a wide spectrum of musical ideas. Foremost a guitarist, he grew up listening to rock rather than club music. His new studio album Howl sees West strive towards finding a more personal balance between music for home listening and larger spaces.

It’s rarely reported that Rival Consoles was Erased Tapes' very first signing, with a CDR of early demos under the name Aparatec that inspired founder Robert Raths to start the label. Indeed, West has more in common with contemporaries like Nils Frahm and Peter Broderick than some might think. His consistent desire to create a more organic, humanised sound, sees West often draft early ideas on traditional, acoustic instruments like the guitar or the piano, forming pieces that capture a sense of song writing behind the electronics.

The blueprint for West’s current live A/V show was formed after repeatedly performing at prestigious venues like the Tate, and creating a bespoke audio-visual performance for Boiler Room at the V&A Museum. Featuring self-programmed visuals in Max/MSP has earned West appearances at music festivals around the world including Mutek, Decibel, Big Ears and Berghain’s Pop-Kultur Festival, as well as tours in support of Clark, Nosaj Thing, Luke Abbott and Kiasmos.