astronauts, etc. – “shut my mouth”

– featured image courtesy of brendan nakahara –

anthony ferraro has undergone a subtle transformation in the three years since the release of mind out wandering, his first full-length as astronauts, etc.  while that album allowed the oakland singer-songwriter to filter his classically-trained piano chops through the prismatic lens of outwardly-sunny, falsetto-tinged pop structures, his subsequent work has been decidedly more cosmic.

“shut my mouth,” the third single off of ferraro’s forthcoming follow-up living in symbol, is the sonic antithesis of its predecessors: comparatively sparse, devoid of piano, and prominently featuring ferraro’s natural vocal register.  interstellar percolations quickly give way to a simple, descending guitar melody, fed through an aging tape machine and fleshing out the contours of ferraro’s lead vocal.  a prominent bass line augments a lyrical rumination on silence, sculpting “shut my mouth” as a muted exercise in the left-field psychedelia astronauts, etc. has gravitated towards under the watch of producer chaz bear.

living in symbol arrives july 27th via company records.  listen to “shut my mouth” below.

Advertisement

astronauts, etc. – “the border”

– featured image courtesy of brendan nakahara – 

it’s been about three years since anthony ferraro released the excellent astronauts, etc. album mind out wandering, a ten-track collection that paired the bay area musician’s penchant for sharp pop songwriting with psychedelic meanderings.  later this summer, ferraro will return with a follow-up full-length, living in symbol.

co-produced by toro y moi’s chaz bear, living in symbol appears to fully embrace those swirling polychromatic tendencies of its predecessor.  lead single “the border” is awash in eerie strings and soft acoustic guitar strums that ease into the syncopated bass and drum groove as ferraro’s sonorous lead vocal floats by.  it’s a careful and methodical track, one that hints at a further refinement of ferraro’s already-robust songwriting with a tinge of deepened introspection.

living in symbol arrives july 27th via bear’s company records.  watch the spaced-out music video for “the border” below.