Mark D. West’s recent evolution as an artist reflects a deeply personal yet globally aware journey, where instrumental sound becomes a powerful medium for emotional and cultural expression. Drawing from personal struggles, shifting world dynamics, and spiritual insight, his music blends layered textures, dynamic contrasts, and humanized electronic elements to convey tension, healing, and unity without words. By pairing his compositions with equally symbolic visual art, Mark creates an immersive experience that invites listeners to reflect, feel, and ultimately find clarity — positioning his work as both commentary and a source of transformation in uncertain times.
Mark, your recent shift toward more emotional, spiritual, and political themes in your music is powerful. What inspired this evolution in your sound over the past six months?
It definitely started as something grounded in my own personal struggles, which then grew outward—then inward again in the “ebb and flow.”
I was starting to see and feel the changes in individual and collective behavior, as seen in various aspects of the world, from global climate change, to politics to erratic (and often unpredictable) human behavior. It was being expressed in so many ways, including rhythms of more and more calculated and strategic protest.
From a more profound spiritual standpoint, I was also sensing the past and the future, as if they were “one” in the same. How we continue to pass through similar cycles in life and development of our culture, society and our world.
Your work is instrumental, yet deeply expressive. How do you convey complex global and personal challenges without using lyrics?
During the process of ideation, I was pulled towards various sounds to create certain emotional connections and reactions. I slowly got better with the tools of my expression. What started out as simpler and “cleaner” electric sounds of keyboards and often acoustic sounds of other instruments, slowly transformed and grew towards rougher, more “angular” and distorted, complex, layered sounds to impart tension and conflict. These are normal emotions to have a process, and it is less about the separation of these qualities, and more about the integration of these things. Recognizing the full spectrum of our feelings ultimately makes us whole.
Dynamics are very important as well. Electronic music can cover all kinds of ground. It can often be very centering and focusing, so the contrast in various sections of the music may not be great. Much of my music is certainly like this. That said, in more recent months, I am more fully realizing heightened dynamics. I have brought forth greater dynamics through changes in volume and a much wider range of sounds.
Another way to attack the concept of global themes, is through sounds that start to seem less and less “electronic,” and (hopefully) more like instruments from all over the world. Sounds do not always sound “synthesized.” They are actually real sounds derived from voices (hummed or sang without specific lyrics), drums, percussion, strings/guitars, flutes and even bagpipes. Instruments are not as “looped” or programmed as much electronic music can often be. In contrast, it is primarily performed in real-time, bringing a more human feeling to the music. With that human element in mind, it’s also important to note, that I take full advantage of specializing in voice and drums/percussion. This equates to a sense of melody and rhythm that dates back to my childhood.
You mentioned themes of unity during difficult times, how do you hope listeners feel or respond when they experience your music?
I aim to emote a fuller range of the emotions from my audience—from sorrow to triumph. It’s like moving them through the deepest of sorrow to soar like a bird in triumph rising above. I always remain hopeful and optimistic. I ask: “How can we rise above this, to look towards the horizon, and move… Together?”
I feel like my attitude in general about what I am creating is similar to the words of Rick Rubin. He believes if we’re making art, it’s similar to a diary entry. It’s something we due for ourselves that is genuinely an expression of ourselves. That expression is ultimately the best thing for the audience, because we’re not trying to create something we think others will like—which is more similar to commerce. Art is ultimately not commerce when it is authentic and genuine, and that is at the core of this music endeavor. I do believe that art can always have strategy, but it should still stay close to your heart, and not compromise your own truth.
You create both the music and the cover art, how do these two creative outlets influence and enhance each other?
The cover art exclusively leverages art and photography from my library, with a few additions—primarily fractal images, which you can often see if you look closely enough. As mentioned before, I have used the phrase from sorrow to triumph, and have been starting to see a theme of birds in flight in my art. The hawk tends to be my spirit animal these days, and it just keeps showing up in my work! I love the freedom it offers, and the triumph it implies.
Very similar to the music, the art uses a very “layered” approach, that evolves similarly to how the music is created, with a certain amount of exploration and experimentation to get to a finished result. By using and experimenting with a range of imagery and layering, the goal is never fully known until I am engaged in the process. Just like the music, there is a great deal of “trial and error” that is employed for the art, and it evolves through the experimentation.
Regarding the use of fractal imagery, there is an interesting relationship to that and the “mystical” concept of “as above, so below,” the title of a recent release. While the two concepts are not exactly the same, there is an undeniable relationship with how the external world mirrors the internal world of the individual—the microcosm and the macrocosm ultimately reflecting similar occurrences and tendencies. It is a very mystical concept of how the physical and metaphysical correspond with each other. Fractals, as above so below, and the social and political issues of the music all tend to have some intriguing correlations.
Lastly, there is an interesting evolution and breakdown of how the music release title is developed. Sometimes it evolves from an individual song title, sometimes a set of songs inspire a title, but equally valid is how the title of the release can often be a result of the image itself. With images that address themes of life, death, pain, struggle, rebirth, triumph, taking flight, and taking the wrong path, imagery (hopefully) can inspire more ultimate individual truths for viewers and listeners, that is honest and true for them.
- Website for more visual work: markwestart.com
- Album art for:
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- Singular (LP)
- As Above so Below (LP)
- Worldview (EP)
- Whirligig (LP)
- Wither (LP)
- Quantum Fury Vol. 2 (EP)
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With your work touching on social and global issues, do you see your music as a form of commentary, healing, or both?
With the huge range of variety in the music, there is definitely plenty of room for both. When I started this new phase of my musical career, it was almost in a direct response to inner emotional hardship, and I did it in a more “ambient” way for my own healing. That healing, and then expanded in scope to be broader, and more inclusive globally, taking on additional topics. One more word to the mix of commentary and healing: Clarity.
I feel like my music can offer clarity, insight, focus and greater achievement in the midst of different individual and group activities… From meditation, to exercise (running, yoga, etc.), to reading and working through a typical work day. The listening purpose and experience can be highly customized.