The Third Eye

LFZ is the moniker of Sean Smith, a guitarist/synthesist living in California who releases music via Gnome Life Records, Stimulus Progression, and Castle Face Records. He’s back with a trippy new single called “View From Here,” off his upcoming record Raveled Veiled Known, which is due out on March 22nd.

Raveled Veiled Known is an album of monumental synth-focused tracks, finding LFZ at the apex of fluidity and prowess. The record deals with concepts of growth, change, the depth of the unknown, and how we organize our understanding and interpretation of these things. The cover art is hand-embroidered artwork by LFZ, depicting esoteric imagery derived from Astrology, Numerology, Sigil Magick, and the pioneer plaque.

Big Sur’s Gnome Life Records will release the new album, LFZ’s fourth full-length album, and the first in five years. That doesn’t mean he hasn’t been making music lately, though. LFZ has released several EPs in the past few years, but this new record is his grand gesture.

Raveled Veiled Known was created over a long period, in many locations, by various means of recording, but primarily came to be in the months leading up to and following the birth of Smith’s daughter. “The transition into fatherhood is a mysterious simultaneous journey into and from darkness and light,” Smith says. “It is disorienting and grounding. Unmooring and solidifying. The sense of self becomes fractured and yet, more clear than ever.” 

After the birth of his daughter, Smith’s music-making began to reflect these qualities. He had reached a level of self-awareness within the LFZ realm, but as he carved out familiar foundations, he’d often find himself in chaotic or profoundly abstract storms of improvisation. “At any given step of the process, I could be in complete control or have a sense of channeling,” Smith says.

I didn’t listen to the whole album but thoroughly enjoyed the new single, “View From Here.” It’s an exquisite result of cassette recording experimentations improvised by LFZ in one night. He says the song represents themes of being trapped inside the boundless prison of one’s solitary perspective and the peace and madness that can co-exist in that space.

It’s a relatively long song at six minutes and thirty-seven seconds, and the looping patterns of the synthesizer have a jarring quality. Oddly, the sounds also become relaxing because of balancing qualities and how the loops are sequenced, luring the listener into a soundscape that’s entrancing.

Check the song out for yourself below:

If you like “View From Here,” consider pre-ordering LFZ’s upcoming album, Raveled Veil Known. I look forward to the release and hearing the rest of Smith’s synth-guitar explorations. You can also check out the rest of LFZ’s music on Bandcamp, including his recent “Sketches of Jupiter” series. Enjoy!

Pre-order Raveled Veil Known by LFZ on Bandcamp here.

Support LFZ by finding him on Bandcamp, Instagram, or see all his links here.

Support Gnome Life Records by finding them on Bandcamp, their official website, or social media (Instagram, Facebook).

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