Altered Zones

We first came across New York ambient trio Future Shuttle back when their recordings sounded like the finest drunken star-ogling soundtrack ever recorded on an iPhone. With the passage of time and a little help from Sam Haar of Blondes on production, the band's updated sound on upcoming Water's Edge EP (which length-wise is more of an album) finds them in a more controlled sonic environment, with clear, robust vocals and synth patterns populating open-field compositions that retain the loose and improvisatory feel of their earlier work. EP highlight "Fog Spelunk" layers distant chants, drones, and throbbing, time-frozen strings atop one another, swelling gradually to a pining, beautifully textured crescendo. (via Don't Die Wondering)

MP3: Future Shuttle: "Fog Spelunk"

Water's Edge EP is out this year on the Holy Moutain-affiliated Intercoastal Artists, founded by Kip Uhlhorn of Cloudland Canyon, whom we interviewed here. 2-song 12" vinyl accompanied by 6-song download of the full EP