For fans of Broadcast, Stereolab, Darci Phenix

The intrinsic pursuit of understanding and connection is deeply embedded in the works of Portland (and Nevada City) based multidisciplinary artist Danielle Stech-Homsy; her new project—the Blue Knots—releases its sun-dappled debut album, Becoming Noise, on April 25. 

Dating back to her work as Rio en Medio in the mid-’00s, Stech-Homsy’s creative output exudes a beautiful desire, whether romantic, interpersonal, or with the organic world. Becoming Noise is no different. Each track on the album has a circuitous rhythm, informing its own little ecosystem that then swirls into the greater wholistic ark of Becoming Noise and gives the album a hypnotic, bubbling pulse. 

The outsider folk elements informing her earlier Rio en Medio project are still very much present on Becoming Noise, but her evolution into the Blue Knots marks a distinct shift in Stech-Homsy’s sonics. Where her earlier output features analog instruments like the baritone ukulele, the Blue Knots sees Stech-Homsy exploring the vastness of synthesizers and electronic processing. Micro-beats coupled with bright, jingling keys create a living bed of sound that her dreamy, melancholic vocals float up from. Becoming Noise is what you want to be listening to in the park, wrapped up in a blanket, as the spring sun sets through the blooming trees.

Becoming Noise is accompanied by a printed companion to its aural half, a spiral-bound book pairing minimalist ink drawings with poetry by Stech-Homsy, giving dimension to its sonic counterpart. The context lent by the book is fascinating as it was created over the last several years, whereas the album was written almost entirely in one night. It’s a special moment while relistening and rereading Becoming Noise when you realize that both are now integral pieces of Portland’s expansive music and arts ecosystems. 

The Blue Knots will be celebrating the release of Becoming Noise at Turn! Turn! Turn! on June 20.