FORESTER

Forester, the indie/electronic solo project of El Paso, TX native Austin North, isn’t easy to describe—his music is at times influenced by acts like Boards of Canada, Radiohead, James Blake and Frank Ocean in its emotional palette, and continues to evolve and develop with each subsequent release. North, with his background in jazz guitar and affinity for effect pedals, uses almost entirely analog gear and keeps song structures more loose and linear than one might expect, making for a direct and unique listening experience.

His upcoming record, “Honey I’m Home”, is primarily composed of elements of indie rock, ambient music, singer-songwriter, and jazz, and his careful use of vocoder effects, a pedalboard that weighs more than him and vintage gear are all part of what keeps people on their toes when listening. The record, inspired by North’s partner, is full of deep and intense feelings, both of love and of the anxieties that are inherent in it. Recorded primarily on a Yamaha CP20 keyboard, North composed guitar accompaniments where needed and took risks laying his songwriting out so bare and focused

Forester’s solo live show goes either one of two ways, and it’s no simple act—it either features heavy bass and drum machines, along with soaring vocals, guitar and analog synthesizers, or features North balladeering on his electric keys alone. He has released five records as Forester in 2021, after putting out his debut in March of 2020. He embarked on four solo tours in the West Coast, Northwest and Southwest US from December 2019 to March 2020 to promote the release of the record, before the pandemic. North’s full band, Sleepspent, released multiple singles in Summer 2021, have opened up for artists such as Cold War Kids, Blue October, and Jim Ward, having developed a strong fanbase throughout the western half of the US through their 3+ years of consistent on-and-off touring before COVID.

“Forester’s emotional lyrics and captivating instrumentation make him stand out from the crowd.“

Music Mecca

“..an album that can enrich your soul as much as it entices your ears.“

Jammerzine