Three years ago, I posted an announcement that new music was forthcoming. I guess it wasn’t entirely untrue. I have breathed some life into this little eccentric project of mine. Four tracks are finished, two more to go and I will have a little something to share. The collection should be posted this summer (2026).
Over these three years I have continued to play and reconfigure. My equipment has expanded a little and I have found new ways to experiment. I plan to release a simple video walking through what I used and how I recorded the tracks for this upcoming song collection as well to serve as a sort of personal log on my current process.
More to come by July, 2026.
Leave a CommentLife has settled. Time to begin recording again. Expect something different soon.
much love,
Ryan S
Leave a CommentMy Umbra Scryer project still means a lot to me, but it has had to take a back seat to my grad school work lately. I will keep this site alive, and plan to do some free-flow recordings to share as time goes on.
I have two of these blogs that I am maintaining. One for my music (this one) and one that is geared more toward my profession and philosophical pursuits (zazenlibrarian.com). I expect neither to get much attention. These are more like a resource to journal experiences and record my work in various areas.
I also suffered a major data loss recently. I am still recovering from that, but suffice it to say that no matter how well this might go I have lost some Ardour project files. A lesson in impermanence, no?
Leave a CommentThe Umbra Scryer project is still alive, albeit somewhat quiet as of late. I recently began taking lessons to help improve my piano playing technique. For years I have played synth-action keyboards and recently decided that to take my music to the next level I need to improve my technique.
There are plans to play at an open stage in the near future. Look for that sometime soon.
Leave a CommentHere is another track that will likely make the cut for the first Umbra Scryer EP. Now that I have time, I have been working more diligently on creative endeavors.
Not all of the new tracks will be this pace. There are solid plans for some hard-hitting tracks on the way.
Leave a CommentThis is the first release of the Umbra Scryer project. The current plan is for most (all?) releases to feature both a music and video component. I am unsure if every song released will feature a full video, but there will most certainly be a visual aspect for each one.
More on that as it unfolds.
Leave a CommentWanted to post two of my favorites from the recent release.
The first is fire mind. This track was constructed when I was reflecting on extreme problems with ruminations and the resulting anxiety that comes with them.
This next track is one I wrote in response to online culture.
The album is only six tracks in length. Stream it in full on the music page here, or stream/download it for free from my bandcamp page. I also have some select tracks up on SoundCloud.
Leave a CommentA new machine xi album is on the horizon. Right now I’m in the process of finishing up the mix (not my strong suit…). I am very pleased with this one, and see it as a major jump ahead in quality from manifest (the first album).
The new album is titled reflection and should be out on the bandcamp page within a week or so.
Once this is finished and out, I plan to work on the Umbra Scryer project (for which my blog site has been named). Umbra Scryer will be a Dark Ambient/Drone music project. It is going to feature some new gear and new ideas. I’m very excited to be pushing this out there.
Concerning Umbra Scryer — I’m undecided on whether I will be releasing this work as a full album, or tracks as I complete them. I’m very tempted to release as I complete tracks on Sound Cloud, then do a full album release on Bandcamp. We’ll see what happens.
Leave a CommentI have decided to start a new solo music project under the nom de plume of Umbra Scryer. The idea is going to be for me to capture free flow synth experiments. I will be using a sequencer and drum machine, so it will be rehearsed, just not multi-tracked. I am still working out how I can record this and still mix it… as my setup goes now everything is piped into a single mixer with one out going to a DI box. My recording capabilities can handle four inputs, but getting those from my rig to the computer will be a bit challenging. Hopefully more on this within the next few months.
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