Thumpermonkey singer and guitarist Michael Woodman has released a new video for Sacramento. It's taken from his upcoming solo album Psithurism which will be released through Believer's Roast Records on August 6.
Named for the ancient greek term for wind in the trees, Psithurism moves away from Woodman’s maximalist sci-fi contributions to Thumpermonkey’s recent Make Me Young Etc, fusing 70s progressive influences with 80s Scott Walker and weird fiction - "sinister narratives featuring backwoods criminality, cryptids hidden in the shin-tangle, recently burned buildings hissing in rain, and the warm, sad ochre of nostalgia"
Psithurism features the drumming, engineering and mixing talents of ex-Cleft’s John Simm, alongside bass by Guapo/Thumpermonkey’s Sam Warren, and saxophone by Knifeworld’s Josh Perl.
"Psithurism had a challenging, but ultimately very rewarding writing and recording process," Woodman explains. "It didn't have the best start; I was diagnosed with chronic ear disease in early 2020 and had to have my right eardrum and bones in my middle ear rebuilt before I could continue writing and recording - but luckily the surgery was a success.
"I wanted to make something that sounded as warm and organic as possible, but of course, restrictions imposed by lockdown meant that this was something that had to start life on a computer. It was at the point I brought in all my wonderful friends to be 'the band' that the recording started taking on a life of its own.
"As John started to replace my rather sterile drum programming with his performance, new rhythmic variations started to present ideas to Sam for bass parts that I would never have considered initially. There was also a wonderful sax arrangement by Josh that didn't quite work in the mix of one song - but I couldn't bear to let go of it. This arrangement ended up being the seed of a brand new composition; I worked backward from the abandoned part and created what ended up being my favourite piece of music on the record."
Psithurism will be released as a limited edition card digipak (with artwork by James Hutton which you can view below) as well as on digital platforms.
Michael Woodman: Psithurism
1. Sacramento
2. Petrichor
3. Cloned In Error
4. The Levitant
5. Seachange.
