Himalayan Bear

'No Golden Kingdom' (album stream)

BY Sarah MurphyPublished Aug 31, 2015

Vancouver Island-based singer-songwriter Ryan Beattie has played with the likes of Frog Eyes, Chet and Kathryn Calder, but he's also been making music as Himalayan Bear for years now, He's just about ready to reveal his latest LP No Golden Kingdom, but before it officially arrives, Exclaim! is streaming the album in its entirety.
 
The record was made over the course of a year and features a "pool of friends and musical collaborators." It was recorded in Victoria by longtime collaborator Myke Hall and marks the sixth full-length release from Beattie's Himalayan Bear project.
 
Textural guitars and interesting vocal melodies blend together to create rich, deep soundscapes throughout the record, starting with the gorgeous, slightly melancholic "Fall from the Stage" and running through the fuzzy, psych-tinged "Raicilla," the static-y, almost ballad-esque "Scent in Memory," and finally, the previously heard ode to youth "Guitar Born to Howl."
 
Layered, rich and experimental, while retaining an organic, honest and accessible sound, No Golden Kingdom is available to stream in the player below. The self-released record officially arrives on September 1.
 

Latest Coverage