ALTAR EAGLE

I first heard Brad Rose's work on his collaboration with Rameses III under his nom de plume, The North Sea. That album showcased his drone-folk tendencies. The Tulsa-based musician—and founder of the impeccable Digitalis enterprises—is mostly known for his juxtapositions of noise, British Isles folk, New Weird Americana, and healthy smatterings of field recordings. All in all, his signature output is not too distant from the oeuvre of the Jewelled Antler family...

But this ALTAR EAGLE is a whole other thing entirely. Along with his wife Eden Hemming, Rose has cobbled together a gauzy dream-pop album that falls somewhere between Beach House, The Knife, and Cold Cave. It's remarkable that someone with such a natural handle on organic soundscapes can segue so smoothly into digital beats. But what's more striking is how discernible the links with his other more folk-inclined work truly are. The synth blankets, rhythms, and samples aren't treated all that differently from his usual harmonium drones, acoustic guitars, and chirping birds. And yet the result is worlds apart, if not seasons... Rose's music—to my ears at least—seems perennially wintry, and this is no exception. With indie music's recent fixation on all things beachy and summery, and with the warmth retreating, it's about time for some cold-but-cozy tunes...

Mechanical Gardens is available now on limited pink vinyl from Type. Get it while you can!

ALTAR EAGLE - Mechanical Gardens by _type