Our Song of the Day comes from Blurry the Explorer, the project of experimental composer, drummer, photographer, and world-traveller Jeremy Gustin. There is very little information about this project out there. However, the notes accompanying the self-titled debut that slipped past my radar in 2021 offer some insight into this remarkable project.
Blurry the Explorer began with “no band, no songs, and no concept for a record at all” before bassist and composer Ricardo Dias Gomes (Caetano Veloso), guitarist Ryan Dugre (Rubblebucket, Joan As Police Woman), and Leo Abrahams (Brian Eno, Paul Simon) came on-board. The approach to that release was, if anything, unconventional, with Gustin recalling how they had two days to record; “I didn’t really realize I was producing the record yet, and with no one steering the ship, I remember feeling bewildered and excited.”
The band name offers some insight – taken from the title of an amusing story penned for a friend by the celebrated diarist Anne Frank. Gustin recalls how during lockdown in “a completely desolate and quiet Manhattan”, he noticed the complete and original (unedited) Diary of Anne Frank on his friend’s bookshelf. “I picked it up and was immediately swept away by how incredible she was. It gave me a profound perspective in lockdown.” Somewhere in the middle of the book, Frank mentions that she wrote an amusing story for a friend called Blurry the Explorer; “It was one of those moments. I read those words and it hit me like lightning. The connection between the band being not only an exploration, but a creature exploring, and being “blurry,” as in, nothing was clear about this project at all. In fact, it’s very much still being revealed.”
That debut album may well have been made with playful choices, based on gut feelings, miraculous experiences, and unbelievable coincidences, but the final results more than spoke for themselves, featuring contributions from the likes of Brian Eno, Tenniscoats, Kalmia Traver (Rubblebucket, Kalbells) and CJ Camerieri (Ymusic, Sufjan Stevens).
The new album, Angel Ecology, set for release on NYC boutique record label Island House Recordings (12th May), is equally collaborative, featuring once more Kalmia Traver and CJ Camerieri. Other guests include Indigo Sparke, Tall Juan, Yuan Liu, Durham, North Carolina-based indie-folker Alycia Lang and Tōth (aka Alex Toth of Rubblebucket).
The title track, Angel Ecology, was released as the lead single last month and is also our Song of the Day. Alongside Gustin, Ricardo Dias Gomes, Leo Abrahams, and Ryan Dugre, they are joined by Aliya Ultan on cello. The accompanying video was Directed and Filmed by Rita Ansone and edited by Gustin. It was filmed in Santo Amaro, Portugal and Passeio Maritimo de Oeras, Portugal.
Pre-order the album here: https://blurrytheexplorer.bandcamp.com/album/angel-ecology
The song can also be heard on our Mellow Folk Playlist.