Emancipator unveils ‘Mountains of Memory’ LP with new single + Ensemble tour
Fans of Emancipator (real name Douglas Appling) will be excited to hear that the Portland native is once again hitting the road on a spring tour. During that time, Appling will be debuting his sixth studio album, Mountains of Memory, via his very own imprint, Loci Records. He will be touring with his live band, known collectively as Emancipator Ensemble, alongside members Ilya Goldberg, Mub Fractal, Asher Fulero, and Colby Buckler. While the LP doesn’t land until April 3, the first single promises to run a “Labyrinth” in listeners’ minds.
“Labyrinth” captures Emancipator’s trademark sultry downtempo, offering an exciting glimpse into what he has in store for the future album. Marked by dreamy atmospheres, hypnotic string sections, subdued beats, and ethereal bridges, this is one world-influenced track that will have listeners yearning for more of Emancipator’s spell-binding power.
“Listeners will probably notice that it shares a lot in common with the original Emancipator vibe,” said Appling, speaking to the track. “It has a quest-like, adventurous spirit and reflects that part of the hero’s journey toward enlightenment. Musically, this song went through many forms over the years. It felt like I was building a labyrinth of melodies that I would have to produce my way out of, and here we are with the finished track.”
While the current tour is sticking largely to the west coast, fans from other markets can still look forward to phase two with dates all over North America. Stay tuned for more and purchase tickets to Emancipator’s Mountain of Memory tour here.
Tour dates for the “Mountain of Memory” tour.
Flow artist, pet parent, plant hoarder. I like to take long walks to seek out cats sitting on windowsills.