This time of year, especially in the Mid-Atlantic region, it's often tough to spend time outdoors. This is generally a period when much time is spent inside, and the yearning for the woods and more primitive things is at its highest. While I can't offer you 75 degree temperatures and a campfire, I can offer you two new EPs from The Treehouse.
Wigflip Records, a brand new label put together by Baltimore's Happy Family, has offered both of these EPs for free download as part of their first handful of releases. The Roots The Sun and Songs About Little Things In Nature are ideal compliments to one another, and are just another reason why this collection of artists will be providing us with great things in 2010.
The Treehouse is comprised of Chris Masciari and friends, and here's his thoughts on it:
"...a place of peace and immersion, where sun showers reflect off of metallic ornaments hanging from the arms of small idols, everything seems to shimmer ever so slightly, something has begun..." [via]
There is an inherent call to nature when experiencing this music, yet this is often pulled off without using samples actually from the outdoors. For example, in the track "Leaves are Falling Through", layered xylophones and bells wind in and out much like the sounds of running water in a creek and birds chirping. When the song hits a more synth-based and electronic pasture, it's almost as if the sunlight has broken through, and a breezy meadow is in sight.While there are endless interpretations for such thought-provoking sounds, one thing is consistent, these are meditative and ambient journeys. Much like it might help you remember the outdoors in a time when it's most needed, these come at a time of the year when stress is typically at a high. While these would be great for long hikes or late night porch chats, I've found them very comforting in my current winter-like surroundings. In other words, these are just what the doctor ordered.
Download these EPs, close your eyes, and think about nothing for awhile.
