Emancipator - Seven Seas (2015)

Portland’s Doug Appling has been very busy lately, releasing new music as Emancipator and developing his own label, Loci Records. Aside from his own releases, the label has introduced us to likeminded artists like Stèv, Tor, and D.V.S*. Now, hot off the heels of his own Dusk to Dawn Remixes LP, Appling has announced a brand new Emancipator record, Seven Seas.

The first thing you’ll notice about the title track, “Seven Seas” is the presence of Madelyn Grant, a rare guest vocalist for Appling, who usually flies solo as an instrumentalist. Grant’s vocals are rich and soulful, adding buoyancy to the track’s forlorn strings and stormy synth swells. It’d be interesting to see Emancipator try an album full of guest artists, but until we see a track list, “Seven Seas” will have to hold us over. The full album is out September 25, and you can grab the incredible Dusk to Dawn Remixes now, featuring artists like Odesza, Eliot Lipp, and Little People.