IF YOU HANG around the Pacific Northwest indie scene long enough, you’ll eventually cross paths with Anacortes, Washington musician Karl Blau. In his 20-year career, Blau has been a touring member of Laura Veirs’ band, Mount Eerie, Earth, LAKE, and Your Heart Breaks; he’s served as a studio musician and producer for a few dozen bands; and he’s performed more than 1,000 shows. He has accomplished all of this while becoming one of the region’s most prolific solo artists, with a discography that extends from folk and garage rock to experimental electronic and drone.
The fact that most people, even around these parts, haven’t heard of Blau is a regularly discussed injustice among fans and musicians. But given his penchant for odd instrumentation, off-kilter production, and a complete disinterest in sticking to a single genre, it’s not altogether baffling.
“Being accessible—it’s not really what I strive for,” Blau says. “When I’m behind the wheel, I’m trying to make something I’ve never heard before.”