Ethan Gold - Earth City 1: The Longing (2021) Hi-Res

Earth City 1: The Longing represents Los Angeles-based Ethan Gold’s second full-length album proper, his first since highly regarded debut Songs From A Toxic Apartment (2011).

That's a 10 year interval. One reason for the break between releases is the accident that left Ethan Gold living without his cognitive skills and ability to communicate. It was a period when he was unable to utilise all the personality traits we generally define ourselves by. But Gold says, “my soul was still very much there and I could feel it there the whole time.”

Music wound up being a primary healing technique. Playing different instruments, and listening, was a major activity that helped Ethan Gold rewire his brain. Then living in New York City, he would sit in a nearly empty cathedral on Broadway listening to Bach organ music, as well as visit Tompkins Square Park to hear Puerto Rican and Cuban drummers. “Sitting and listening,” he reveals, “allowed me to rebuild my neural pathways.”

Once he began writing songs again, Gold discovered he was able to tap into a simplicity and directness that wasn’t there before. For many years, he had written his songs largely in his sleep and then put the finishing touches on them during the daytime. “What I try to do when I write is connect to my muses who speak to me and they speak to me largely through dreams,” he explains.

“But since the head injury, I have found that my connection is even stronger.” Rather than tinkering over his songs, Gold says that he now typically finishes the words and music before breakfast. “Part of that is my sense of purpose and mission with what I’m doing is very strong. I know why I’m doing what I’m doing.”

Having performed, recorded, and mixed his debut album at home, for his new album Gold focused on keyboards, guitars and bass, but also wanted other musicians and mixers to bring a wider energy to the songs of Earth City, with their global perspective. For album credits, please see below.

Even before making Songs From A Toxic Apartment, Ethan Gold received accolades for producing and arranging Elvis Perkins’ influential Ash Wednesday album.

More recently during his recovery time, Gold has been involved in a number of other projects. He put out several well-received singles, including “Not Me. Us”, composed the film scores for Don’t Let Go (Universal/Blumhouse) and The Song of Sway Lake (directed by his filmmaker twin brother Ari, and featuring John Grant and The Staves singing Ethan Gold’s songs), and released two albums of very enjoyable oddities: Expanses (Teenage Synthstrumentals) and Live Undead Bedroom Closet Covers.