It would be an understatement to say that Steven Wilson’s sixth full-length album continues down the more commercialized path that was established on 2017’s To The Bone. While that album has ultimately proved to be a simplified variation of its predecessors in hindsight, The Future Bites opts for a very different approach as the guitars are downplayed and Pop and Electronica influences completely take over. It’s far removed from the Prog dog days of Porcupine Tree but also not unprecedented when you consider No-Man’s Synthpop side.

But with any Wilson-helmed project comes a stunning production job and The Future Bites delivers in that regard. The arrangements are incredibly lush, putting in an array of layers that are intricate yet allow for an open atmosphere. The synths do a great job of covering up for the minimized guitars with varied patches and atmospheric piano work while the beats have a nice kick behind them. On the flip side, the vocals can be a mixed bag as different effects supplement that signature nasally moan and the “tired of Facebook” lyrics are at the most blatant. Fortunately, there are some great backing vocals that fill things out, even if I still wonder what happened to Ninet Tayab.

The songwriting also does a pretty good job of delivering the catchiness that is expected of a Pop record. ‘Self’ and ‘King Ghost’ start the album off with a relaxing but steady momentum that gets paired with heightened hooks and atmosphere on ‘Eminent Sleaze’ and ‘Man Of The People.’ Elsewhere, the upbeat ’12 Things I Forgot’ comes the closest to conventional Rock territory while the peppy tempo and more active vocal lines on ‘Follower’ make for a pretty fun contrast.

These different facets culminate with the album’s ten-minute centerpiece, ‘Personal Shopper.’ The No-Man parallels at their most prominent here as the pulsating dance beat recalls 2018’s Love You To Bits while the chorus’s infectious layering makes for an almost euphoric listen. Of course, the consumerist theming reaches its peak to the point that freakin’ Elton John cameos during the ambient sequence to recite a list of random products. It’s choice as a lead single may have led to some mixed reception, but I can’t help but love it.

Overall, The Future Bites feels like a spiritual successor to Fear Of A Blank Planet. While this album’s Art Pop style is the near opposite of the Heavy Prog of Porcupine Tree’s late-era, it has a similarly heavy-handed message paired with lush arrangements and memorable songwriting. It is seemingly designed to alienate anybody who longs for the continuation of old ways yet isn’t that out of place when examining the full scope of Steven Wilson’s eclectic career. It may not compare to the best that he’s released under any name but still has more going for it than one would initially expect.

Buy the album here: http://stevenwilsonhq.com/sw/

8 / 10

CHRIS LATTA