The inaugural recording from Shumoto and The Byrde, the improvised guitar duo of Jefferson Pitcher and Austin Hatch. With their commitment to deep listening, and a constant and strict adherence to simplicity and space, the long stretching out of time, This recoding feels incredibly present and alive. Shumoto and The Byrde masterfully create their own unique blend of drones, boiler room rumblings, underwater screech and gurgle, distant echoes, and the gentle, interwoven melodies that reside at the centre of their work. While the sections with guitars sound at times composed, it is through restraint and attentive listening that the two manage to blend their free improvisations so seamlessly. The sound world created by Shumoto and the Byrde is one of wondrous hidden complexities, ripe for exploration, amidst the low frequency drones, and crackles, the sound of giant insects, with achingly beautiful and nostalgic melodies sprinkled throughout. This is a contemplative record, one that brings the listener into the cave of Shumoto and the Byrde, one visited by Pauline Oliveros in her dreams, and one that has the power to carry you to The Place of the Way, wherever it may be.

“The final piece of this double album, “Mountain Above Sky,” brings the preceedings back to how it all began and is perhaps the most heartfelt tribute to Oliveros. Sparse chords and sung duet vocals make for the focus, balancing the large and small sound dynamics perfectly. the performance matches the mood in a sad, beautiful, and intimate way that, by its conclusion, features accordion in a final, appropriate tribute to her. Pauline Oliveros may not be associated with the guitar as an instrument, but Jefferson Pitcher and Austin Hatch have clearly taken on her methodology to sound and art and translated it to their respective instruments. Like her own works, Shumoto & The Byrde encourages deep listening and give the space for that to happen throughout this heartfelt, powerful record. The Sea Will Carry Me is the result, in the form of a loving, fitting tribute to Oliveros and her work that I am sure she would be extremely proud of in every possible way.” ~Brainwashed.