Galena is the solo project of Billy Sprague, co-owner of the Oakland based Sanity Muffin label specializing in awe-inspiring cassette tapes and now vinyl & CD releases. Originally issued last year as a cassette release Grave News For You received rave reviews and a beckoning call for vinyl & CD release. Now offered as an expanded edition on LP & CD for the first time.
Utilizing analog synths, vintage drum machines, baritone guitar, space echo treated vocals and tape loops, Sprague creates a dark textural landscape with throbbing dynamics and distorted shimmering interludes. Bursts of wet synth and saturated guitar lines guide you along sonorous white noise snow storms. Vocals appear like inner thoughts dictating the listeners next navigation. Galena unravels a naive exploration of nostalgia, grief and affection through an array of tactfully presented sounds. Immersive yet carefully controlled distorted washes brings to mind influences of Flying Saucer Attack sharing his 4-Track with Cold Cave. Fans of the Vinyl on Demand label issuing early 80s minimal synth and experimental works will find this release a refreshing new expansion upon those lost and found sounds.
Beautiful, abstract & psychedelic graphite drawings grace the album cover (also done by Sprague).
