Wavestar
Encyclopedia
Wavestar was an English New Age
instrumental
music duo active in the 1980s. Formed in 1983, the band consisted of John Dyson and David Ward-Hunt, both of Sheffield
. Dyson and Ward-Hunt shared production and arrangement
of the band's music. Both musicians contributed synthesizer
s, keyboards and sequencers
, while Dyson also played guitar
.
The duo formed after Dyson responded to an advertisement placed by Ward-Hunt. They toured throughout the United Kingdom
as well as playing in France
and released three albums, Mind Journey, Zenith and Moonwind. Allmusic in its review of 1987's Moonwind, released on the now defunct US label Audion Recording Company, noted influence of Tangerine Dream
, Kitaro
and the electronic rock of Europe
, describing the album as "excellent electronic music" and "a rather essential space music
release." In its 1988 review of Moonwind, Stereo Review
recommended its readers "keep an ear out" on the band, but the band dissolved shortly thereafter without issuing any more albums, stressed by the bankruptcy of Audion Recording Company's parent record label, Jem Records, which never issued funds to the pair for the Moonwind release.
Dyson continued to work solo, releasing albums and contributing to various compilations
. Ward-Hunt died in 1999.
In 1997, Dyson released a fourth Wavestar album, Out of Time, composed primarily of material the duo had recorded between 1986 and 1988, which was intended to have gone into the follow-up to Moonwind.
New Age music
New Age music is music of various styles intended to create artistic inspiration, relaxation, and optimism. It is used by listeners for yoga, massage, meditation, and reading as a method of stress management or to create a peaceful atmosphere in their home or other environments, and is often...
instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
music duo active in the 1980s. Formed in 1983, the band consisted of John Dyson and David Ward-Hunt, both of Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
. Dyson and Ward-Hunt shared production and arrangement
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
of the band's music. Both musicians contributed synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s, keyboards and sequencers
Music sequencer
The music sequencer is a device or computer software to record, edit, play back the music, by handling note and performance information in several forms, typically :...
, while Dyson also played guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
.
The duo formed after Dyson responded to an advertisement placed by Ward-Hunt. They toured throughout the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
as well as playing in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and released three albums, Mind Journey, Zenith and Moonwind. Allmusic in its review of 1987's Moonwind, released on the now defunct US label Audion Recording Company, noted influence of Tangerine Dream
Tangerine Dream
Tangerine Dream is a German electronic music group founded in 1967 by Edgar Froese. The band has undergone many personnel changes over the years, with Froese being the only continuous member...
, Kitaro
Kitaro
, better known as , is an award winning Japanese musician, composer and multi-instrumentalist who is regarded as one of the pioneers of new age music.-Early life:...
and the electronic rock of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, describing the album as "excellent electronic music" and "a rather essential space music
Space music
Space music, also called spacemusic, is an umbrella term, synonymous with a segment of New Age Music and Ambient Music, used to describe music that evokes a feeling of contemplative spaciousness. Space music can be found within a wide range of genres. It is particularly associated with ambient, New...
release." In its 1988 review of Moonwind, Stereo Review
Stereo Review
Stereo Review was an American magazine first published in 1958 by Ziff-Davis with the title HiFi and Music Review. It was one of a handful of magazines then available for the individual interested in high fidelity. Throughout its life it published a blend of record and equipment reviews, articles...
recommended its readers "keep an ear out" on the band, but the band dissolved shortly thereafter without issuing any more albums, stressed by the bankruptcy of Audion Recording Company's parent record label, Jem Records, which never issued funds to the pair for the Moonwind release.
Dyson continued to work solo, releasing albums and contributing to various compilations
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
. Ward-Hunt died in 1999.
In 1997, Dyson released a fourth Wavestar album, Out of Time, composed primarily of material the duo had recorded between 1986 and 1988, which was intended to have gone into the follow-up to Moonwind.