The second full length album from solo artist Natural Sympathies, ‘At the Limits of Earth’ is available on February 18, 2022 via Lava Cheetah Music.
Recorded and mixed at home during the pandemic by Natural Sympathies (Amber Goodwyn) with contributions from a small crew of collaborators, these new songs delve deep into mental health and healing, exploring a sonic directness through stripped-down production and the integration of early demos and first-takes. Musically, the album brings together fuzzed out guitars reminiscent of PJ Harvey’s more unhinged offerings, Zomes’ drone synth minimalism, Young Marble Giant’s skeletal rhythms and Kate Bush’s melodic reveries.
‘At the Limits of Earth’ is a departure from both Natural Sympathies’ previous, outer space-themed recordings as well as the ambitious rock music of her other band, Cobra & Vulture. This collection feels raw and personal, a pulling back of the curtain to reveal songs that veer almost too close in their depictions of grief, anxiety and old wounds. There are moments of levity and danceable pop songs sprinkled throughout, albeit shimmering with heartrending lyrical threads.
The songs on ‘At the Limits of Earth’ explore the barrows of the psyche, following paths into the underland and getting lost in the shadows. Figments of selves glimmer in the dark passages of the melodies, flashing moments of desire, terror, sorrow and a growing hope. Featuring close-miced vocals, raw demos and first takes, the album prioritizes the authenticity of emotion over the tyranny of sanitized production.
credits
released February 18, 2022
All songs by Amber Goodwyn
Artwork by Melanie Garcia
Mastering by Orion Paradis
Single photography for Coyote, Easy Love and Blindfold by Matt Horseman
Carl Johnson: Additional guitars on Fall in Love
Jeremy MacCuish: Drum machine on Around Here, Coyote, Cranium and Easy Love
Dana Rempel: Alto and tenor saxophone and flute on Blindfold
Jeffrey Romanyk: Drums on Blindfold, Act of Bravery and Fall in Love
Christopher Sleightholm: Additional guitar on Oblivion (song originally featured on 2018 Oblivion/Some Place Unseen split)
Songwriting made possible with support from SK Arts
Lava Cheetah Music 2022
Nowhere / Twin Spruce (2022)
A pair of songs that were made at the same time as ‘At the Limits of Earth’ but didn’t quite fit the album. Best listened to in sequence, with headphones.
Recorded and mixed at home.
Songs by Amber Goodwyn.
Mastering by Orion Paradis.
Artwork by Mike Rollo.
Songwriting made possible with support from SK Arts
Lava Cheetah Music 2022
released September 24, 2022
Natural Sympathies 