Andrew Wasylyk’s Irreparable Parables marks a subtle but significant shift in his work: a collection of songs built around the human voice. Rather than sing them himself, Wasylyk invited a group of collaborators from across the world to write and record vocals remotely, their performances returning to Scotland to be shaped into a unified whole.
The result is an album defined by vulnerability, warmth and emotional steadiness. While the music remains unmistakably Wasylyk’s — drifting between classical, jazz, ambient and abstract forms — the voices bring a new sense of intimacy and presence. Lyrics are largely written by the singers themselves, set to arrangements that favour feeling over formal definition.
Among the contributors are Stuart Murdoch, Gruff Rhys, Saya Ueno, Peter Brewis, Molly Linen and Kathryn Joseph, with Wasylyk taking lead vocal duties on the title track. Strings, arranged by long-time collaborator Pete Harvey, sit alongside brass, woodwind, piano, electronics and a host of well-worn instruments gathered in Wasylyk’s Dundee workspace.
These are songs shaped as much by memory and reflection as by melody — music that offers consolation without sentimentality, and finds quiet strength in shared expression. The album closes on an instrumental note, gently resolving the journey with piano and strings, and underscoring the sense of collective care that runs through the record.
The result is an album defined by vulnerability, warmth and emotional steadiness. While the music remains unmistakably Wasylyk’s — drifting between classical, jazz, ambient and abstract forms — the voices bring a new sense of intimacy and presence. Lyrics are largely written by the singers themselves, set to arrangements that favour feeling over formal definition.
Among the contributors are Stuart Murdoch, Gruff Rhys, Saya Ueno, Peter Brewis, Molly Linen and Kathryn Joseph, with Wasylyk taking lead vocal duties on the title track. Strings, arranged by long-time collaborator Pete Harvey, sit alongside brass, woodwind, piano, electronics and a host of well-worn instruments gathered in Wasylyk’s Dundee workspace.
These are songs shaped as much by memory and reflection as by melody — music that offers consolation without sentimentality, and finds quiet strength in shared expression. The album closes on an instrumental note, gently resolving the journey with piano and strings, and underscoring the sense of collective care that runs through the record.
Pickup available at Dreamhouse Records London
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