Matt Mascarenas, the man behind indie band Westing, is working on multiple new projects, turning his previously solo act into a full band.

Mascarenas, who also plays in Daytrader and Heartless Breakers, is currently in the studio recording his first EP as Westing. The project’s only published music before this has been on splits, including an acoustic split with Traveler’s Cold in December 2015. The EP is working as Mascarenas’ transition into a full touring band.

Westing’s new music is evolving from the splits, becoming heavier with the added musicians. The album is set to be released this spring, with the first single “Discord” coming out next month.

In addition to the new album, however, Mascarenas is working on another, unique project on his own for Westing. “Scattered Moments” is a playlist of songs written and recorded on the spot, which will be released on Westing’s SoundCloud about every two weeks, or whenever the inspiration strikes.

The first of the songs, “Away,” was released this past Tuesday, March 22. It is a calming acoustic piece, with the simple lyrics and melody that could be expected from something written on the spot, but are no less enjoyable for that.

The songs on “Scattered Moments” are spur-of-the-moment pieces, meant to capture what he is feeling when he writes them. “Being in and out of the studio was really fun, but I wanted something less controlled,” Mascarenas says. “A song simply for just existing. I’ll write and record something and never go back, and have to be finished that day.” He says that the point is not to make something with a commercial finish, but to create and release songs just for the sake of it.

Creating “Scattered Moments” has taken some of the edge off of being in the studio to work on the new album. “It’s definitely a heavier, more rock record,” Mascarenas says. “Maybe that’s why with ‘Scattered Moments’ I’m getting this stuff out. It’s still just in the moment, so we’ll see what happens with it.”

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Trea Lavery is a Blast correspondent

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