1 Octobre 2021
From CANADA •
NYC collective Star Rover present their new single 'The Springs', the second taster of their eponymous album 'Star Rover'. Set for release on September 30, a this is a cohesive yet eclectic statement, melding the improvisational energy of their live sets with the depth and fidelity of the studio to create something dynamic, aggressive, nostalgic and beautiful all at once.
Earlier, the duo (Will Graefe and Jeremy Gustin) presented lead track 'Ghosts of New York State', along with an animated video directed by Clara Trevisan, teasing this series of lyrically whimsical tales - half dreamscape, half reality.
"The Springs is the name of the town in Long Island where we recorded. The small beach house / studio where we recorded this music was very much a place, a refuge, an oasis etc. Some of the drawings even resemble the shape of the house. A strange beautiful connection that made everything feel that much better, and that much more finished," says Jeremy Gustin.
“Often I’ve found with music videos, the music supports the video more than the video supports the music. After sitting with this for a while, I got curious about adding some words and/or animation on top of the footage. I asked Clara Trevisan, who I’ve worked with now a few times. She’s very intuitive and I love her aesthetic. She’s a Brazilian living in in Port Alegre. She really only had the video to work off for ideas. She played with words about a place, an oasis, a refuge, being here or there, etc .. Her drawings were mostly of homes in places they may / may not be expected to be."
With the break in performances caused by the pandemic, Star Rover seized the opportunity to work on their music free of time constraints. Frequent collaborator and Grammy award-winning songwriter Jesse Harris produced the new record at his Long Island studio, a fruitful exercise of telepathic communication in spirited live takes, using those as springboards for sonic experimentation.
Working with engineer Vira Byramji, environmental sounds inspired the material. In several songs, one can even hear the buzz of insects and crashing waves in the distance, in addition to two musicians playing in a woody beach house room - no headphones, just the room.
Through early sessions playing together at Gustin's Bushwick loft in 2011, they bonded over their shared love of John Fahey, as well as the spiky post-rock of Deerhoof and Lightning Bolt. Later that year, they recorded their first record 'Western Winds Bitter Christians', a short lo-fi collection of grungy Fahey covers and distorted originals. Besides touring throughout the USA, Europe and Japan, they have both become in demand session and touring artists, working with the likes of David Byrne, Kimbra, Bill Frissel, Okkervil River, Sam Amidon, Marc Ribot, Delicate Steve and Nels Cline, among others.
Between touring and other recording work, Star Rover's writing developed towards futuristic post-rock, connected to the directness of folk melodies, leading to their 2018 album 'I May Be Lost But I'm Laughing', a more produced effort featuring such artists as Sam Evian, Shahzad Ismailly, Rob Moose (yMusic), Daniel Rossen (Grizzly Bear) and Sarah K Pedinotti.
The next year, Star Rover collaborated with Brazilian musician (and frequent Caetano Veloso collaborator) Ricardo Dias Gomes. They wrote and recorded 'This Whole Emptiness' album in Lisbon at the studio of Marcelo Camelo.
As of September 30, 'The Springs' will be available across digital platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music. The 'Star Rover' LP, released on October 15, can be ordered at https://ffm.to/starroveralbum or via Bandcamp.
"Vast expanses of polyrhythms and waves of sound that engulf the listener in a blazing covenant of inescapable tunefulness that crumbles sonic boundaries" ~ PopMatters
"As diverse as they are fantastic... reminiscent of TNT-era Tortoise... Sheer excellence, this is vacillating instrumental post-rock with an Americana tinge" ~ The Spill Magazine
"Quite stellar... this music lies in a beautiful no-man’s land between Tortoise, MGMT, Animal Collective and Foals" ~ The Big Takeover
"Impeccable and moving music that is this intricate, deep, shifting and tastefully orchestrated... flawless" ~ The Record Stache
"Gorgeous, astounding musical tapestry" ~ Amplify Music Magazine
"Golden era post-rock mixed with sophisticated avant-pop" ~ Impose Magazine
"Ephemeral and immediate, existential yet grounded; a sort of alternative electronic folk... full of color and emotion, it resonates with the glow of an experiment gone right" ~ Atwood Magazine
Star Rover
The Springs
Peppermint Olive Records
30 September 2021
CREDITS
Written by Jeremy Gustin (Peppermintolive Publishing) and Will Graefe (Gravymusic Publishing)
Will Graefe - Guitars, vocals, bass, programming, Casio
Jeremy Gustin - Drums, percussion, vocals, programming, Op-1
Jesse Harris - Bass, Casio
Shahzad Ismaily - Bass, Moog
Produced by Star Rover and Jesse Harris
Recorded at Secret Sun East
Engineered by Vira Byramji
Mixed by ze’ Nando Pimenta
Mastered by Michal Kupicz
Videos created / directed by Clara Trevisan
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DIFFUSION October, 1st, 2021