Head over to the HSR Blog and read a wonderful little interview with the inimitable front man from Wizards of Time, Andrew Hiller. Matt Tomich (see below!) talks to Andrew about how the Wizards’ amazing debut Will The Soft Curse Plague On? came about, working with Scott Solter in the studio and much more. It’s a fantastic read.

Andrew is currently preparing for a some solo shows in Mexico next month and the same in France early 2013. More details soon.

This is also the perfect opportunity to introduce our new intern at Hidden Shoal, Matt Tomich. Matt put the interview together with Andrew and has a bunch more stuff planned for the blog and beyond. A big welcome and thanks to Matt from the rest of the Hidden Shoal team – its a pleasure having him on board.

Wizards of Time have once again aroused the unadulterated love of Melbourne’s Beat Magazine by scoring their second Single of the Week this year. Beat said of the band’s latest single ‘Benjamin‘,

“Arizona’s Wizards of Time return with another startling gem from Will The Soft Curse Plague On?, their piercing, soul-lifting puzzle of a debut record. Benjamin is beautiful; a tripping, heartfelt melody of shivering grace, aching and playful; on the surface almost unbearably sweet but underpinned this minimalist shifting math rock. Spare but epic.”

One can’t argue with such eloquence and truth. If you have not yet seen the shining light that beams forth from Arizona’s finest then we can help. ‘Benjamin’ is available as a free download from the Hidden Shoal Store, along with first single ‘Little’s Jingle‘.

Check out this fantastic piece by Andrew Hiller from Wizards of Time. Includes wonderful pre-production/demo versions of two tracks from Will The Soft Curse Plague On? along with an interlude that never made it onto the record. Brilliant!

Be sure to grab the free download of the amazing new Wizards single ‘Benjamin’ if you haven’t succumbed yet. You can also stream Will The Soft Curse Plague On? in it’s entirety over at the Hidden Shoal Store.

Proof of Pre-Perduction for the Soft Curse from Andrew Levi Hiller on Vimeo.

Hidden Shoal Recordings is proud to announce the release of ‘Benjamin’, the second single from Arizona’s epic prog-pop band Wizards of Time’s debut album Will The Soft Curse Plague On?. The track is available now for free download through Hidden Shoal.

“jarring and ambitious and also kind of brilliant – epic, spine-tingling, innovative music” - Beat magazine

While first single ‘Little’s Jingle’ announced Wizards’ more bombastic, riff-driven side, ‘Benjamin’ is achingly reflective. Andrew Levi Hiller intones the devastating transformation of a child into a monster. In the words of Hiller, the song explores “the tumble from sheltered religious teachings into the lightlessness of scorn”. Yet, somehow, the song evolves into something life-affirming and triumphant. How do they do it? Magic. The song glows with a kind of preternatural melancholy and plays with a similar removed narrative intimacy as Sufjan Stevens’ classic ‘John Wayne Gacy Jnr’.

Wizards of Time deftly unleash technicolour art-rock like lightning bolts from their nimble fingers. Progressive without being prog and pop without being pap, the Wizards’ debut release Will The Soft Curse Plague On? is a staggering and unique concept album that weaves a universe-enveloping tapestry of dizzying complexity and emotional depth. They are the music makers, the makers of music, the slingers of sound. They are the Wizards of Time…

‘Benjamin’ is out now for free download from the Hidden Shoal Store. Wizards of Time’s debut album Will The Soft Curse Plague On? is available in CD and digital formats.