Umber

Sometimes it's the most unsuspecting of things in life that turn out to be some of the best and most refreshing - like an email I got from artist Alex Steward, who also goes by the name Umber. He asked me if I might be interesting in the ambient/folk music that he makes on his own. That's about all the information I got. Turns out that Alex might either be a bit modest or completely unaware at how just how impressive the music he makes is.

As This Is Fake DIY mentioned in the First On piece on Umber earlier this month or as Music Fan's Mic echoed, this 'ambient/folk' music is so much more than those two words might suggest. Far from the acoustic singer-songwriter drivel that one might expect, Umber's sound is minimal, stunning and frankly beautiful. Kind of the meeting place of post-rock and folk, guitar twangs gently besides delicate layers of piano, violin and slight electronic noise to create sounds laid back but entirely encapsulating. It's music that you want to listen to alone in the dark with no distractions and just get lost in its beauty.

Listen below or over at bandcamp.

Umber - Tomorrow We'll Throw Out Some Old Shoes

Umber - The Day We Left For Earth

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