Look to Windward - The Last Scattering Surface - 5.1 Blu-ray surround review

Look to Windward is a progressive rock group from Auckland, New Zealand that first hit the scene in 2009 as a studio project between Andrew McCully and Benjamin Morley (Mice on Stilts). Now, 15 years later, on their third album “The Last Scattering Surface,” the music has expanded into the multi-dimensional space with a 5.1 surround mix as well as adding in visual eye candy with a full-length animated album. The CD + Blu-ray edition contains a DTS HD Master Audio 48kHz / 24-bit 5.1 surround mix and a high resolution LPCM 48kHz / 24-bit stereo mix that can be played with or without the visual album feature.

In good progressive form the music is dynamic and complex, reminding me a bit of Marillion, Ayreon, and Steven Wilson. There are heavy riffs that boar into the room and sections of melodic subtleness that veer into the calming acoustic realm. There are plenty of layers to fill out the immersive space, which has been used extremely well. From a bird’s eye view, this is an excellent package in a tri-fold case that includes a 6-page booklet printed on lovely heavyweight paper.

These proggy tunes dial up chunky guitar rhythms that spread across the front and back channels, adding immense separation and depth. Drums kick up the center spreading out a bit with good clarity, while the bass powerfully plays underneath with a resounding fullness. I dig “Why Ask?” with the pairing of male and female vocals that seamlessly join together in creating the vocal parts for a couple of tunes. Still, the unique vocals across the tracks are worth noting, since there are several different vocalists on the album.

While the surround mix fully encompasses the sweet spot, one can feast their eyes on a series of slow moving animations that evolve and are unique for each song. I admit, much of the time when I listen to music, I close my eyes and take in the sound all around me. Still, these animations do add a layer of depth to this release that has been growing in popularity in recent times by other artists. Some of these may seem more abstract, and I personally appreciate that they are not hyper fast, which I often find over stimulates my mind and detracts from the listening experience.

When I initially started reviewing surround releases nearly 15 years ago, there was a wide gap between high quality and low-quality mixes and audio fidelity. For new releases, I have generally found that the audio fidelity has typically become very good to excellent, and this holds true for this release from Look to Windward. Additionally, while there are still some releases that lack in providing a truly discrete mix, I can say that again, this album fires on all cylinders, with plenty of discrete use of all channels without being gimmicky.

There is a comfortable amount of space and plenty of separation, along with a very good balance between parts. For the classic minded listener there are references to older prog too such as the guitar solo on “Theia Arrived One Fateful Day,” and the synths in “Dance of the Futile.”

Emily Rice vocals are especially beautiful, with a range that elevates everything she appears on. I continue to be impressed by the sonics and overall dynamics, and then remind myself that this is a self-produced release that I feel ranks up there with many well-known label releases. That is why I say it once and will say it again, this is a must have for progressive rock immersion listeners.

On The Last Scattering Surface fans will find a group of talented musicians playing what I may classify as neo-prog, yet others may even consider it progressive metal, or simply take it to the root and place it under progressive rock. No matter the niche, the music is well balanced touching multiple styles with a sturdy foundation.

The Blu-ray also contains a music video of “When You Go Away” along with an additional bonus track mixed in 5.1 surround called In Fantasy. These are both worth checking out along with the stereo mix of the entire album.

Kick back and become surrounded with Look to Windward’s “The Last Scattering Surface” visual album on Blu-ray. Recommended for progressive rock collectors, immersive music aficionados, and those who support independently released music.

Released May 31, 2024.

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 About the Author

Wesley is a lifelong music enthusiast. He started his career in the recording industry in New York City as an audio engineer, producer, and studio manager. Subsequently he toured across America as a guitarist with the short-lived band Land's Crossing. After many years in the technology sector and amassing a substantial vinyl and CD collection, he delved into immersive audio and created Hi-Res Edition to share with other listeners about the sound quality and discrete mixes available on many formats. He recently upgraded his system to 5.1.4 Dolby Atmos and continues to seek out and share about the best sounding releases.