A supergroup? The melodic manifestation after years of cosmic coincidence? Whatever it is, the California-based duo Western Extra, consisting of members Chris Rose (Vampire Hands, Robust Worlds, Web of Sunsets) and Donovan Quinn (Skygreen Leopards, New Bums), released their dynamic debut “Zig Zags on the Book of Changes” without hesitation over the summer, and thank God they did. We sit down with Quinn to discuss the band’s origins, which he says dates all the way back to 1997, the project’s overall process, and approach for bringing this brilliant body of work to life, working with the legend himself, Ben Chansy, and bringing on members Andrew Mart and Leslie Medford to help further expand the whispering wisdom that is Western Extra.

From the sonic soul and meditative mountains of the Primitive Guitar culture, Argentine-based saint of strings Mariano Rodriguez has been on the scene for over a decade and a half, while carrying the cosmic torch of some of his heroes like John Fahey, Robbie Basho, and several others. Having participated in some of the genre’s most critical compositions, such as “Imaginational Anthem, Vol. 7,” “Basket Full of Dragons (A Tribute To Robbie Basho Vol. 2),” and “Ten Years Gone: A Tribute to Jack Rose,” Rodriguez has placed himself amongst the greats, and will go down in harmonious history as one himself.

Indianapolis, Indiana-based multi-instrumentalist, composer, and sonic student of experimental exploration Landon Caldwell has been on the melodic market for nearly two decades. Having participated in groups such as Burnt Ones, Thee Open Sex, and Creeping Pink, Caldwell’s incredible output is nothing to take for granted. Blending and bending genres from one end of the galaxy to the other, Caldwell’s alchemical abilities to shift sounds and tonal textures into this fever dream of tangible teachings are sophisticated, as demonstrated throughout his diverse catalog of cosmic content.

Some have hobbies, while others passionately and obsessively collect anything and everything on their favorite and most cherished subject(s). This is the case for Miami, Florida-based Deadhead, archivist, and vintage seller of all things Grateful Dead, Jesse Lockwood. A fan whose cosmic connection to the Dead is universally undeniable, what makes Lockwood’s collection, and passion project, Primarily Dead, so incredible, is the deadly dedication to the band’s harmonious history and iconic impact on society through their mostly bootlegged merch. The electrifying ecosystem surrounding the Dead, specifically in the 1980s and 1990s, in parking lots around the country, is just as infamous as the shows they played. From the band’s crucial community and cosmic commitment to making ‘unofficial’ merch, taping shows, and carrying the tonal torch for all to hear and wear, their culture and history have only grown stronger since the passing of the late, great Jerry Garcia in the summer of 1995. While peering into the fragile fibers of the vintage clothing world, one may notice the varying prices, rarities of certain items, and climate in which they dwell, but for Lockwood, it’s all about the music. These garments speak of an endless treasure trove of melodic memories that continue to carry on through their brilliant graphics, stains, pinholes, and scars worn proudly by those who celebrate the past, present, and future of The Dead’s touch on the human experience.

From Philly to the Big Apple to LA, Swimming Bell’s Katie Schottland has quite a unique connection, and an anatomical approach to music, having started playing later in life than the more typical start-up when you're a teenager first finding your parents’ or grandparents’ record stash up in the attic. While making her critical connection to writing and recording music is nothing short of a melodic miracle, Schottland hit the ground running towards the end of her 20s and hasn’t looked back since. With the release of her 2017 debut “The Golden Heart,” the musician immediately gained momentum, conjuring a lush and wonderful body of work that transcends both Coasts by effortlessly expressing the country’s beautiful bookends the way Mitchell and Parton did during their romantic reign on the people’s psyche. Following up on last year’s full-length LP, “Charlie,” Schottland has returned with an electrifying EP, “Somnia,” set for release later this month on Perpetual Doom. We sat down to chat with her about her early years in Philly before relocating to Brooklyn to attend acting school. Quickly shifting mediums and focus, she began playing music as Stills before starting Swimming Bells, and the rest is history, as they say.

From the rich realms of one of the country’s most influential states for music, art, and creative culture, Chapel Hill, North Carolina-based folk, and purveyors of psychedelic perfection, Blue Cactus, have melodically made a name for themselves in this crazy world. Consisting of members Mario Arnez and Steph Stewart, the group has evolved into an electrifying effort in the endless eternity of songwriting where conquering your craft is just one poetic particle in the universe of unity. With a brand new album, “Believer” set for release later this month, we had the band sit down to tell us their story, and the journey from the end of the soul to the other.

Between France and Morocco, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France-based multi-instrumentalist and poet Sophia Djebel Rose first connected with music unconventionally. Performing in the streets with locals, Rose eventually started playing the guitar and shortly started her first band with Raoul Canivet as the duo of duality known as An Eagle In Your Mind. Releasing her sonic, self-titled debut during the early stages of the Covid pandemic, Rose quickly followed up with her first full-length LP entitled “Métempsycose” before breaking from the all-consuming serenading seance with 2025’s “Sécheresse.” A ritualistic revolution for the young artist, Rose’s poetic process is in full force on the album’s atmospheric interior while simultaneously exposing a gravitational light for all to hear no matter where you are on this mortal marble.

An Arizona-based multi-instrumentalist, recording artist, educator, and all-around student of sonic soundscapes, Cameron Knowler grew up in a rather isolated environment in the Midwest, eventually leading to the musician’s ecstatic entry into the wide world of sound, tonal theory, harmonious history, and constant contemplation on the ideology of instrumentation. With the highly anticipated self-titled album “CRK” set for release in April on Worried Songs, Knowler transcends time and space by combining the past with a contemporary cosmicism that radiates a revolutionary realm in music culture like that of the greats before him.