Haunting acoustic lines and washed-out reverbs define Wilhelm’s excellent new alternative folk release, the picturesque Wake Me in the Sunrise.
The excellent collection of sensitive and introspective tunes on Wake Me in the Sunrise are courtesy of Alex Riggen, frontman and guitarist of Murnau and The House Flies. Based in Moline, Illinois, Wilhelm’s lo-fi folk on his debut album is instantly arresting. Hypnotic chord sequences on an alternately tuned acoustic make for dramatic and eccentric sounds, blending those with the faded, minimalist production and Wilhelm’s vulnerable and whimsical vocal deliveries, and we are left with 9 songs that sound like vignettes rich with color and character.
A delightful mix of acoustic instruments make up the bulk of the music on Wake Me on the Sunrise. A mix of plucky banjos and twiddling mandolins walk hand in hand with the grandiose and commandeering acoustic throughout most of the album’s runtime. Minimalist in nature, for the most part, the music on the album incorporates one or two instrumental lines accompanying Wilhelm’s eccentric vocal style and his contemplative singing style and lyrics. The rich songwriting makes sure that regardless of the scarcity of the mixes, none of the album’s 9 songs feel boring or lacking in whichever way.
The uniformity of the mixes and instrumental palettes on the album ensure that the listen is cohesive and properly immersive from start to finish. Among the album’s highlights is the characterful starter ‘Midnight Caller on the Moon’. A proper introduction to each aspect of the album’s sound, this piece introduces the old and wise sound of Wilhelm’s acoustic guitar arpeggios and his thoughtful and deep chord movements. It also introduces Wilhelm’s whimsical vocal melodies and often restrained deliveries. The repetition, alongside the minimal, reverb-heavy mix, create a hypnotic atmosphere that drones on and on without ever making me feel like I’ve had enough. ‘Obituary Page’ is more melodically involved that the first cut on the album. Also introducing the characterful warmth of the banjo, this song drives the album more towards Balmorhea’s territory. A graceful melody, ‘Obituary Page’ is one of the album’s most engaging listens.
‘Upon the Thinnest Lips’ is minimal as a composition, making up for that with a prominent set of melodies on the overdubbed banjo and the vocals. The minimal acoustic figure is repetitive, but never boring, which is a hallmark of a gifted songwriter. Wilhelm’s confidence shows us on ‘Upon the Thinnest Lips’, showcasing a capable craftsman at work. One more of the album’s sweet offerings is ‘Cloudless Wonder Eyes’. With another hypnotic chord sequence and acoustic guitar figure, ‘Cloudless Wonder Eyes’ features a serene synth padline that fills the gaps and makes the song one of the album’s slickest and warmest listens. To balance the warmth, the album’s penultimate track ‘Prophet’s Gun’ is dark and brimming with melancholy. Musical and lyrical. Featuring the album’s only instance of vocal harmony, ‘Prophet’s Gun’ is one of the album’s most dynamic compositions, with a prominent vocal line and a chord sequence that seesaws between light and dark, making for an immersive sound that lulls you in and keeps you hooked.
Wake Me in the Sunrise comes in the heels of Wilhelm’s successful 2023 single The Creek. An album in the making for a year and a half, it is astonishing the level of artistic depth and cohesion that runs in the 9 songs that make up the album. A wonderfully immersive, warm, vivid, and uniform listen, Wake Me in the Sunrise will end 2025 as one of its most enjoyable and unique alternative folk offerings.
