Introducing Almost An Island!
I started a new project 🏝️
Hello All,
Excited to share the beginnings of Almost An Island with you! This new project is a collaboration with my husband James Bernard and our friend Kenneth James Gibson. James and I did a remix for Kenneth’s 2023 album Further Translations, which featured contributions from artists including the late, great Brian McBride of Stars of the Lid (who was also Kenneth’s bandmate in Bell Gardens + a dear friend of his), Christopher Willits, Scanner, and Less Bells.
Our remix of The Art Of Forgetting Yourself clicked in a way that felt unexpected and creatively exciting. It was clear we’d tapped into something and Almost An Island grew from that spark, with us all making a conscious choice to see where else it could go.
Our self-titled debut just went up for pre-order this past Wednesday via Past Inside the Present and the album will be out in full on July 30th. Our first single What Got Us To Our Feet is available on Bandcamp and all streaming platforms too. Huge shout out to Brad Rose of Foxy Digitalis for the single premiere + write-up and early radio play from DJ Alex on KEXP’s Pacific Notions too.
Almost An Island is this special mix of where we each have been creatively, but also what we’ve all been sitting with: the passage of time, the quiet shifts in our lives, embracing magic when you feel it, and the importance of connection. The album is ambient Americana at its core, but there's a sense of movement and no specific genre underneath it all. For me, this project was about listening, trusting the process, and letting the music take shape. I’m really proud of what we made together, and I’m happy to start letting it out into the world.
Collaborating with collage artist Michael Hentz on the album cover was another dreamy part of the project. We used one of my double exposure film shots, taken in the local Southern California desert just north of where I live as the backdrop for Michael’s stunning collage work. I’ve admired his art for years, so having him contribute to this project only deepens the magic of the record.
I’ll be sharing more creative insights on the project as it continues to roll out, and be prepared to hear me talk about my new love of chopping raw pedal steel files (thanks David Cuetter) repeatedly.
Thanks for being here and see you next week with a new women of ambient!
—Cynthia (marine eyes)
This music is delicious.
Super good music