Exclusive album premiere of ‘Unspoken Ghosts Vol. 1’ by Daniel G. Harmann, out today.

One day in January 2022, Seattle-based singer-songwriter Daniel G. Harmann found himself in a relatable situation—on the internet, spiraling down a synthesizer video rabbithole. When he finally surfaced, Harmann, known for making heartfelt indie rock and minimalist guitar pop, headed straight for the buy button and landed a Teenage Engineering OP-1.

The OP-1 drew him in for a couple reasons. First, it’s just the coolest looking damn piece of hardware ever, like an expensive foreign toy that only the richest kid in class gets for Christmas. And underneath its slick exterior, the thing is wired to the hilt with features—sampler, drum machine, effects processor, four track recorder.

But best of all, it’s tiny and battery powered, making it completely portable. Harmann travels a lot. And the worst part about always being on a plane when your guitar is your primary tool is that it’s impossible to get to work when inspiration strikes. You’d think folks on holiday would be stoked to witness art in the making. Why are they always so aggravated and eye rolly?

<a href="https://thetroublestarts.bandcamp.com/album/unspoken-ghosts-vol-1">Unspoken Ghosts, Vol. 1 by Daniel G. Harmann</a>

Harmann made a pact with himself to use the OP-1 (and a pair of headphones) to write and record one song on each of the next six flights he was on. En route to New York, London, San Francisco, and other fancy cities, he came up with a half dozen tracks. He loved them but set them aside, since he was focusing on a series of collaborations with other artists.

Then in June, Harmann suffered an accident that kept him totally bed-ridden for a month. (If you see him, please don’t ask for details because, well, the experience just really flat out sucked.) Without the ability to play guitar or track vocals, he decided to take a second look at the sounds he’d built out while in the air.

He dumped the tracks into Logic and tweaked and toiled away at them day and night for weeks. As he lay down, laid-up, high on painkillers, watching baseball, and listening enviously to his wife and dogs sleeping easily beside him, he slowly, steadily shaped the rough material into something new and beautiful.

The result is ‘Unspoken Ghosts, Vol. 1’, Harmann’s first instrumental EP, a collection of sweeping synths, downtempo beats, and chopped samples. The first single and EP opener, “when she opens the door, I am reborn,” sets the tone for this unexpected but fitting new direction for the musician. As you listen, think back to a time when you faced a bummer situation and decided you weren’t going to let it get you down.
– Eric Steuer

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