Blank Banshee 0

In 2010 Patrick Driscoll and Curtis Ferguson began performing as “Blank Banshees” (previously Shinjuku MAD) which consisted of “predominantly instrumental” compositions.[2] This set the precedent for what would become Driscoll's solo project Blank Banshee, with Ferguson appearing as a recurrent guest vocalist. Seeking to escape the “bubble of economic and demographic slump” plaguing the creative industry in his Maritimes hometown, Driscoll made a move for the west coast of Canada[3] in the summer of 2012 - relocating to Vancouver, Canada, releasing Blank Banshee 0 shortly thereafter.[4]

Blank Banshee 0 was produced, recorded and mastered primarily in Driscoll’s hometown Saint John, Canada.[4] It was composed with an Akai MPD26 using Ableton Live.[5] The album consists of largely 1980s and 1990s sourced samples layered over original beats, instrumentation and vocals. Several aspects of the album including song titles allude to computer technology. Many tracks blend trap style beats with elements previously associated with genres like seapunk and vaporwave, such as OS start-up sounds and 1990s era video game music.[6][1] Commenting on his use of sampling, Driscoll states it “stemmed from a desire to separate myself from the guitar driven music I was making and listening to at the time."[7]

Many songs on the album feature vocal and lyrical contributions by Cormorant - the stage name accredited to Curtis Ferguson.[4] The song "Dreamcast" is a rework of a Shinjuku MAD song originally released in 2010.[8]

Blank Banshee 0 has been released on Cassette Tape, Compact Disc, Vinyl, and USB Flash Drive independently through the online store Hologram Bay.

Blank Banshee 0's style and influence have been attributed to a shift in the direction of vaporwave.[9][10][11] Esquire calls it "more approachable" than other Vaporwave subgenres while building "on the basic premise of the genre."[12] In 2016 The Fader called Blank Banshee 0 a "definitive document of the Vaporwave era."[13] Bandcamp Daily called the album "a progressive record, abandoning the often dissonant nature of Vaporwave but emphasizing the more accessible elements, and incorporating beats characteristic of trap music."[1]

The song "Teen Pregnancy" became part of a viral video trend in 2016 called Simpsonwave.[14][15] Music from the album has appeared on the Netflix series Unplanned America.[16]

Adapted from official liner notes.[17]

Notes

• "Wavestep", "Venus Death Trap", "Hyper Object", "Photosynthesis" and "Dreamcast" feature words and vocals by Cormorant