Ryan Farish celebrates his new album on summer solstice titled "Solstice"

Stream the entire album HERE

With the excitement of the warmer and longer summer days, Ryan Farish releases his 22nd album Solstice out June 21, 2022. Solstice contains 14 songs that have come together over the course of the past two years. This collection of tracks continue on Ryan’s signature sound wrapped in layers of analog synths and electronic chill out rhythms.

Over to Ryan to describe the album’s concept…

“As often is the case for me, the direction of an album begins to take shape usually about halfway during the recording and production process. With Solstice, I found myself many times during production reconnecting and rediscovering some of my earlier influences, sounds, production style and voice… But returning to these roots with a new perspective. It’s been exciting for me to see sounds and ideas from my past find their way into these new songs… In this sense, for me it all feels like one big composition. I hope this new album and the music is exciting for you as well, and let me know if you pick up some of the clues from my earlier work.”

Buy/Stream the album Solstice out now.

Tracklist:

Solstice
Sea the Sky
Warmth of the Sun
Purify
Promises
Restoration
Wait for You
Until We See
Across the Ocean
Dunes
Fill My Heart
Sunset Pallisades
Surfacing
Vibe

To help further promote this release, I reached out to Ryan. I’ve actually interviewed him several times before, so it made since we reconnect. He was gracious enough to answer a few questions about his new release. Enjoy!

Tell me about your new album Solstice.
Solstice is my 22nd studio album and contains 14 songs. Two of the songs “Sea the Sky” and “Warmth of the Sun” were released early as singles. The album for me really feels special, because during the writing and production process of the album, I found myself reconnecting with some of my earlier work and being inspired by some of it. In fact, some melodic ideas from previous songs were sprinkled in these new songs, these ideas just felt like they were reappearing for me, surfacing in undeniable ways, but all with a new perspective and flowing into the new music. It felt at times a bit magical, like the songs themselves over the years have taken on their own life and journey and were now returning to join the new compositions in bits and pieces.

Wait a second… You released this ON Summer Solstice. That is amazing! Who came up with that idea?
Yes, I did. Summer Solstice being the longest day of the year, felt appropriate for the title to this album, because with some of the earlier song ideas finding their way into these new songs, I came to the realization that for me, my entire career of writing and producing feels like one long composition… One long day in a sense.

The pandemic has been rough… How have you handled all this social distancing? And has this impacted your sound?
It has been difficult for all of us, but I count my blessings. My career has been focused on songwriting and production, not touring, but in 2019 I had started to perform and of course soon after everything just shut down. It’s been hard not to have been able to visit or feel as comfortable around people in person as much as it used to be, but it’s funny I remember reading an article where folks were getting stir crazy working from home after just a few months, and I thought to myself… I’ve been doing this for years. Through this season, I believe many of us got a much-needed reset, and perhaps that is one positive outlook to come out of all this pain. To realize that in fact, life is fragile and that health, family, and connecting with what moves us and finding the balance of it all should not be overlooked, tomorrow is never promised.

What can fans expect from Solstice?
My very best effort to move us together emotionally with sounds and melodies, and the very best attention to every detail that I am capable of from the writing, producing, mixing and mastering of this experience. During the past two years, I became really obsessed with how to achieve the very best in my recording process. I restructured my whole recording process and brought in analog gear from Manley, API, Neve, Bettermaker and Solid State Logic or SSL. This album is the first one in which every track, from the beginning to the end, was passed through this gear. Nothing brings to life the warmth and clarity that can be achieved with tubes and transformers, and I wanted to bring those aspects to this album. We are in an age where digital technology, plugins and the tools we have available in the computer can achieve these sounds of course, but there is something to be said for putting your hands on the gear and feeling the music change and take new life as it runs though these handmade analog pieces. The entire process feels collaborative with the brilliant engineers and craftsmen and women who lovingly design and build these instruments. They allow me to perform a mix, vs program one.

14 tracks on the album… Possible to pick your favorite?
The title track – “Solstice”. There’s a powerful, subdued energy in this song… From the very beginning this was a song that felt special to me, as if the song has its own thing going on, and I’m just showing up to bring it into reality. Another song from the album “Until We See” is probably my next favorite as well. I layered over a dozen of my vocals to create the atmosphere in this piece.

We live in LA now. Any chance you’re planning to come visit anytime soon? I’d love to meet you, man!
Yes, I always have California as part of my life. I really find balance between the West Coast and the East Coast (where I was born). I plan to go back and forth all my life. I love being by the water as it brings inspiration from the illusion of infinity, and the rolling rhythm of the ocean, but also the mountains on the West Coast bring a symbol of stability, perspective, and a legacy and strength to my spirit. A bucket list item for me started four years ago… I got a camper in 2019, an Airstream. The first intention of camping was to experience those moments in nature that you just can’t have unless you are submerged in it, and then have the ability to immediately go back into my camper filled with inspiration and to be able to put down those ideas in my mobile studio. So shifting over to that bucket list, I would love to go all across the country in the camper and experience all the terrains and cultures. Then be able to bring what those experiences inspire back into my songs and recordings.

Who did the artwork for Solstice?
Charles Krausz. Chuck is an incredible talent, and I’ve worked with him on and off for over a decade on projects like my website, and album covers like “Life in Stereo”, “Destiny”, “Warmth of the Sun”. He has two companies The Firm Graphics and The Firm Graphics Web in Denver.

How do you decide what singles to release before the album drops?
I felt like the songs “Warmth of the Sun” and “Sea the Sky” were the most extreme corners of the album sonically, and I wanted to highlight them. With “Warmth of the Sun ”, this track held on to many classic characteristics of my early recordings, blending the choirs and piano melodies with swooping flutes and synths. On the other end with “Sea the Sky ”, this track really captures more my dance influenced side with the laid back but driving percussive grooves layered with vocals. I wanted to release the full spectrum as a sneak peek of this album by sending off these two singles ahead of the album for release.

Are you already working on your next single? Or will you take a break before getting back in the studio?
I’m already working on my next single, and album. Making music for me isn’t what I do, it’s who I am. A day without music is like a day without the sun. Music is how I best express myself. I am either writing music or I am working on how to improve my recording flow and end results. And just a sneak peek… On my last camping journey, I spent time in the mountains of Asheville, NC. I met a highly acclaimed luthier who had an old friend selling a 1921 Roth violin he had had for 25 years. Violin was my first instrument. I started at age four on a stick attached to a pea box learning how to hold a violin and played all the way through high school. So, playing the violin now is like rekindling my youth. This 101-year-old violin was in wonderful shape and has this beautiful deep, rich warm tone. There is a real appreciation of the violin’s journey when one is that old. That also puts an accountability of care and respect while I am the steward of the instrument, as it should theoretically outlive me and be handed down to my daughter one day. I have been practicing most days since that trip and getting back my feel for the instrument. I look forward to what this violin will bring to my music.

What else can you tell us about Solstice?
There’s quite a bit of violin and strings added into the mix on this album.

With the theme of the sun and solstice, I wanted to bring in the warmth that strings bring to music. I am very proud of this album and how it came together. I spent endless nights tweaking every nuance of the sound and mix.

Thanks again for sharing this with us. Anything else before I let you go? Realizing this is our 5th interview, wow man… Incredible.
Thank you so much for believing in my music and for sharing it with your audience. I appreciate it so much, Man. Let’s get together when I’m back in town… Maybe hit the driving range too?!

About Ryan Farish
Certain paradigms in the world of electronic music cannot be entirely replicated, and the body of work by Ryan Farish deserves such an accolade. The decorated DJ, producer, composer and multi-instrumentalist has touched innumerable hearts over the course of his career. Although best described as downtempo or chillout, Farish’s music exists in a category all its own. By pairing rich instrumentals with elements of ambient and uplifting trance, he’s yielded a polished and unmistakable sound that resonates with a wide international audience. He’s garnered over 330 million streams across the major digital platforms. As electronic music’s youngest generation of enthusiasts continue to discover the music of Ryan Farish, his catalogue of music will continue to expand. For Farish, the artistic journey continues to be embarked upon with new avenues constantly being explored – with Solstice and forthcoming bodies of work still to be revealed being of no exception.