Album Premiere: Manatee Commune - Manatee Commune

Forget anything you might already think about Northwest electronica. For all of our gloomy and rain-sodden days and our fern-covered evergreen terrain, we sometimes produce bubbly and even tropical music. Take, for instance, Bellingham producer/multi-instrumentalist Grant Eadie, who with his project Manatee Commune is among the latest rising stars, not just from our upper-left corner of the country but among new electronic artists anywhere. He first broke through our local scene in 2014 with his verdantly produced, blissfully shimmering debut LP, Brush. On it, he mixed the electronic with the organic, combining programmed beats with acoustic orchestration while allowing the sounds of nature creep in. (We are outdoorsy people up here, after all.)

Eadie has since left the forest but hasn't lost sight of the trees, as the new songs on his Thistle EP, released earlier this year, kept his organic inspirations intact but were more likely to emulate chirping birds and gusting wind digitally. And now, Manatee Commune is about to release his second and self-titled LP, which is also his first full-length on Brooklyn label Bastard Jazz Recordings. You can expect the same dreamy psych-tinged electro-pop, bubbly synths, unhurried beats, and euphoric melodies, plus more frequent guest vocals. The overall approach is far more sophisticated. Says Grant of the recording process:

I grew up a lot over the eight months of making this album, finally settling into my studio, finding a routine that consistently gives me inspiration, and managing to maintain my health despite the physiological punishment of digging for creative energy every day. The bitterness and frustration I felt toward the sleepless nights in front of the monitors, hoping around on my viola, re-recording a thousand times only to scrap the final product, was replaced by contentment. The process became cathartic and fun and the reason why I get up every morning.

The new LP comes out this Friday, September 16th, but we are excited to share an exclusive premiere with you today! Have a listen to Manatee Commune's Manatee Commune and bask in the glow of the sun-kissed Northwest:

Also, you can catch Manatee Commune for his KEXP sponsored CD release show at Neumos on Saturday, October 1st. Check his Facebook page for more info.