On his split with Traveler’s Cold, Westing – aka Matt Mascarenas of Heartless Breakers and Daytrader – showcased an emo infused singer-songwriter tone that hinted at the likes of Dashboard Confessional but retained a wispy undercurrent. Come ‘Away’, the first track from Westing’s Scattered Moments series, Mascarenas has stripped it back even further. The sound floats throughout, with the hushed vocals reduced in stature. It’s beautifully simple, and with it enthralling.
The Scattered Moments series sees Mascarenas at his most raw. “I write something every time I pick up my guitar and often times, those songs only exists for that moment before the next distraction takes over,” he explains. “I’ve decided to begin recording and releasing these songs that won’t ever end up on proper release, simply because they happened.”
It’s a method he hopes to extend to his friends, offering the opportunity to release impulsive recordings through the series. “I definitely will be collaborating with other musicians with the Scattered Moments project,” Mascarenas states. “I haven’t made any set plans with anyone yet, but will soon. The fun thing about this project will be the lack of planning with it – its all in the moment.”
With Mascarenas upping his input in terms of Westing, a release proper looks to be on the horizon. More details on that soon. For now, here’s ‘Away’, available to stream exclusively below: