Formless Edge, released in June 2017, was my seventh full length album and one of the most ambitious projects I had taken on. The concept followed the arc of a life, beginning with emergence and moving through different emotional phases before arriving at a sense of something beyond physical form. The opening track, “Gimme That Hope,” sets that intention, and the rest of the album moves through chapters that reflect growth, struggle, clarity, and transformation.

I pushed myself in every direction with instrumentation and sound design. I used more than thirty instruments throughout the record, blending electronic elements with acoustic textures, ancient instruments, and anything else that felt expressive. I pulled from my own studio and from the instruments of friends, treating the entire process like an attempt to explore the widest palette possible. Each track became a small world of its own, but still part of a larger narrative.

Collaboration played a huge role in shaping the album.
Ilya Goldberg, also known as Lapa, contributed violin, oud, mandolin, percussion, and more.
Jason Kalidas brought the voice of the bansuri flute.
Rigzin added Tibetan chant to “Bodhicitta,” which quickly became a fan favorite.
Kyrstyn Pixton and Peia added vocals that gave the album a strong emotional center.
Indeara Rose played harp, and Nick Lynch (Trippy Nick, also known as Nick Valentine) added piano.
My longtime friend Cedar contributed percussion.

Many other friends added textures and ideas along the way. The sessions felt expansive, but the process itself was surprisingly fluid and natural.

Formless Edge was also technically demanding to make. I spent a lot of time sculpting sounds from the ground up, often blending unexpected sources. I might pair an analog synth with a plucked guzheng and a field recording of ice cracking, shaping them into one coherent voice. The challenge was to keep the emotion clear even when the sound design became complex.

The album cover was something I created myself using ink, water, and a porcelain mask to form an abstract, almost Rorschach style image. The final piece is actually a photograph of an aquarium and a mirror. I also released a physical booklet with additional artwork from the same process.

In the end, Formless Edge felt like both a completion and a beginning. Listeners often tell me the album helped them reflect on their own life path, which is the most meaningful response I could hope for.

You can check out two music videos from the album below. Huge thanks to Abandon Building for “A Little More Free” and Pete Burkeet for “Repose” featuring Peia.