Heather Trost is best known as one half of the global folk duo A Hawk and a Hacksaw along with Neutral Milk Hotel drummer Jeremy Barnes. She has also played with Neutral Milk Hotel, Beirut, Josephine Foster and most recently with Thor & Friends, the ensemble led by Thor Harris formerly of Swans. All of these experiences have been formative for Trost as she embarks on what may be her biggest and most creative endeavor yet.
On June 2nd Trost will release her debut solo album Agistri on Living Music Duplication. Agistri is as eclectic and exploratory as anything Trost has done in her other projects. The album was recorded at Sonido Del Norte in Albuquerque, New Mexico and features contributions from Neutral Milk Hotel’s Jeremy Barnes on drums and bass, Deerhoof’s John Dieterich on guitar, and Drake Hardin and Rosie Hutchinson of cult New Mexico band Mammal Eggs.
Today Glide Magazine is excited to premiere Heather Trost’s Agistri in its entirety. The album is a charming collection of dreamy psych pop. As a solo artist, Trost crafts a sound that is atmospheric and spacey, taking you to the mysterious sunny island and its gorgeous beaches that served as inspiration. Her vocals come front and center as she conjures a sound that feels exotic and timeless.
Reflecting on the story of how the album came to be, Trost says:
I visited Greece last summer while on tour with A Hawk and a Hacksaw, and we went to this Aegean island, Agistri. It’s a tiny island, with hidden beaches surrounded with pine trees, quite hilly, so the beaches are straight down from the main road. Somehow as I rode my bike around the place I felt like I had been there before. It got me thinking about generational memory, how the world is changing so quickly, and yet we’re all tied into place and community in the same ways we always have been, much like they have been doing on these islands forever. This was the inspiration for ‘Agistri’ and also Agina, named after the next island over. I’m so lucky to have an amazing community of musicians in my life that generously lent their time and talent to add to these songs. Namely Jeremy Barnes, who helped form the melodies and harmony on ‘Agistri’ and Agina, and John Dieterich who is an amazing guitarist, and makes things sound totally unique. Rosie Hutchinson is an amazing violinist, and singer who sang the harmonies on many of the songs, and my sister who sang harmonies on Agina.
LISTEN:
Heather Trost releases Agistri June 2nd on Living Music Duplication.
