These are some of the tracks that arose out of the time I spent living on my parent's acreage (known as "The Land") outside of Oklahoma City.  I set up a small studio in my grandmother's travel trailer named the "Casita".  The windows of the Casita looked out upon the woods.  I often heard the sounds of birds or the rustling of rabbits in the bushes.  Towards the middle of summer the otherworldly call of cicadas was ever-present.  All these sounds and images combined with feelings of disquiet and loss, as I groped for an anchor in post-University life.  My inner unease was balanced against the outward ease of living with my parents on this idyllic land.  In a sense it was paradise, but I hadn't earned it, and I didn't deserve it.   And so, that's what these songs represent to me, and I hope that you find something in them too.  

A very warm thanks to:
My Parents,
My Grandmother,
Kelsey (vocals on The Shadow of Joy),
Donald (drums on Ceaseless, Shadow of Joy, and These Days),
Connor (who set-up the drum recordings),
and other friends who encouraged me and gave me feedback (especially thinking of Otis, Tristan, and Joseph).

Growing Comfortable, Uncomfortable

This album was written, recorded, and arranged in the final weeks of 2015. It arose out of a series of improvisations with a Rhodes and a jam session with vocalist Sarah Nawotka. My emotions at the time centered around feeling excited about travel, mixed with a sadness about leaving people and places I had grown to love in Oklahoma. I felt I was coming to terms with the fact that certain parts of my life were coming to an end, and acknowledging that others weren't going anywhere. This is music about emotions swelling up and then subsiding. About things coming over you like a wave, wrapping around you, and then letting you go, and maybe taking some of you with them. I hope you enjoy it.

7 - Slowly Devoured

6 - While You Wait

5 - My Life Is Not A Mirror

4 - Arc Of A Swing

3 - Blue

2 - I Tried To Find Rest

This album was written, recorded, and arranged in the final weeks of 2015. It arose out of a series of improvisations with a Rhodes and a jam session with vocalist Sarah Nawotka. My emotions at the time centered around feeling excited about travel, mixed with a sadness about leaving people and places I had grown to love in Oklahoma. I felt I was coming to terms with the fact that certain parts of my life were coming to an end, and acknowledging that others weren't going anywhere. This is music about emotions swelling up and then subsiding. About things coming over you like a wave, wrapping around you, and then letting you go, and maybe taking some of you with them. I hope you enjoy it.

Again I owe huge debt to the voice of Sarah Nawotka for the sound of these songs and I encourage you to explore her work @

https://soundcloud.com/aktowanharas

1 - She Was Covered In Glue

I decided to make shortened version of this track that gets right to the point and is mixed a little bit differently (hopefully better).  I think it'd be a cool track try to throw in a DJ set, so it's free to download in case you want to play it out.

I owe huge debt to the voice of Sarah Nawotka for the sound of these songs and I encourage you to explore her work @

@aktowanharas

I Tried To Find Rest (edit)

Live set recorded October 10th on burst radio, featuring mostly unreleased new material with the exception of His Garden, available on my bandcamp.  Thanks so much to Burst Radio's Planet Funk, Brent Scudder, Gin Ebony of STEP 01, Sardashhh, and Sam Barker.  Feel free to download and share.  Thanks for listening.

Burst Radio - STEP 01 Showcase - Live Set

This track is a synth improvisation haphazardly layered on top of a drum improvisation, with bassline roughly thrust in there.

It's part of a release on just put on my bandcamp at askanse,bandcamp.com

askanse

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