Empty Sea Studios

29/03/2024

It's wonderful to read all these kind words for Gallowglass's album Dear Ruin, recorded and mixed by Michael here at the studio.

Some reviews of 'Dear Ruin', Recorded at Empty Sea Studios, in case you've not read them on our site 🦊

“Wonderful band, wonderful range of songs, not the usual. Lovely singing and the blend of musicians is fantastic. It’s a really good album that’ll definitely get plenty of plays on Ceolplay” - Colum King, Ceolplay Radio, Dublin

“What a beautiful and masterful recording. First- the recording quality is just lovely. More important of course, is what the music is like. I love both Jan and Mishon’s voices, and both of their singing is very very good! Also so love the interplay of bouzouki and harmonica and flute. Arrangements feel truly rooted yet so musically imaginative and impeccably played. I loved what they’ve done with rhythmic changes within songs, and with whole songs themselves (never thought I’d enjoy Believe Me If So much). This is really a wonderful piece of work. Thanks for the listen. Hope you get all the success you deserve (a lot!).” - Kevin Carr, musician and storyteller, Wake The Dead

“It’s truly unique, which is not easy to do, and is beautifully arranged and produced. It delivered everything it promises from the very first notes, is technically and soulfully mature, even daring, and superbly played. Not a note or rhythm out of place. I hope you win some grand folk award for it!” - Patty Chambers, Lindsay Street Band

” The singing is marvelous, and Mishon and Jan both have the kind of completely ‘natural’ and genuine-sounding voices that make this collection of songs as appealing as they are convincing. As other reviewers have noted, the four of you have managed to combine the instrumental and singing traditions of Ireland and Scotland in a way that works uniquely well., and the result is that the music presented feels simultaneously traditional and fresh…NOT an easy accomplishment!” - Becky Deryckx, traditional Irish musician, Skagit Valley, WA

From our Album Release Concert At New Prospect Theatre 🎭

12/03/2024

Great link to have on hand. NOMA Music is looking for rootsy / Americana bands based in the PNW for film / TV licensing opportunities.

                                                            Submit Songs Here                                                             

10/03/2024

Maximum saxophony has been achieved with ! Beautiful tones from the power couple of Cole 4038 + Neumann U87. Badass player also doesn't hurt.

07/02/2024

Check out the new music video from Gallowglass documenting their recording of Dylan's "Girl from the North Country" here at Empty Sea Studios. We had a great time working on this record and it's been receiving lots of good feedback!

28/12/2023

We’re proud to have three different studio projects featured in Cascadia Daily News’ yearly roundup!

Congratulations to:

Toadmortons - Susschord
The Unknowns - Uninvited
Gallowglass - Dear Ruin

All of these projects were produced, recorded and mixed by Michael here at Empty Sea! Check ‘em out.

Something for just about any music fan

18/12/2023

So happy to see this one released into the world! Recorded and mixed by Michael here at the studio, “Dear Ruin” is the long-awaited debut album from local legends Gallowglass. Check it out on all streaming platforms now.

Listening links here:

05/12/2023

Great writeup about Gallowglass's debut album, recorded here at Empty Sea. Hope to see y'all at the release show Dec 17th at New Prospect Theater in Bellingham!

Triumphant 'Dear Ruin' features exquisitely crafted traditional folk songs

08/11/2023

It was a pleasure to engineer and mix Gustavo Alonso López's new flamenco album `Espason` here at the studio. Featuring killer guitar, trumpet, bass, clarinet, harmonica, vocals and percussion, we did almost all the tracking here, along with flying in some parts from Spain-based flamenco luminaries.

Gustavo is a Fulbright scholar and was recently awarded a composition fellowship as an artist-in-residence with the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation.

Check out this interview with Gustavo here as he talks about the record:

https://fulbrighternetwork.com/news/1752976

17/10/2023

Mixing is well underway for Three For Silver's new record! Analog goodness in the house...

22/08/2023

Great to have The High Seagrass in the house for their debut album!

16/08/2023

First day of Gallowglass mixing today! Gonna be a good one.

08/08/2023

Cera Impala's new album "Wildest Dreams" is eligible for a Scottish Album of the Year Award! Mastered by Michael at Empty Sea, this is a beautiful, nuanced album worth several listens.

Wildest Dreams by Cera Impala

08/08/2023

Recorded and mixed by Michael at Empty Sea, Gustavo Alonso López's new album 'Espason' is a beautiful expansion of Flamenco boundaries - featuring guitar, percussion, trumpet, bass, clarinet, harmonica and voice, the project features PNW based musicians as well as Spanish-based luminaries of the art. Check it out now!

Gustavo has also just been awarded an artist's residency through the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation. Congratulations sir!

9 track album

18/07/2023

16/06/2023

https://syncopaths.bandcamp.com/album/be-like-the-sea

At long last, the Syncopaths' new album "Be Like The Sea" is available for streaming and purchase! Recorded by Michael here at Empty Sea and produced by Moira Smiley, we're really thrilled to get to share it with the world. Check it out!

02/04/2023

08/03/2023

Great montage from The Unknowns' final tracking day in the studio!

07/02/2023

Good note-taking assists any project.

03/02/2023

We had a great time with North Country Highway last weekend doing vocal tracking as the band works on their upcoming EP. It was a full house with Jeremy Wesley engineering, Michael Connolly doing vocal production, and band members Ryan, Kevin, Liz and Callum digging to get the best and realest moments captured.

11/01/2023

Great albums start with preproduction! The Unknowns came in this weekend to talk songs, arrangements, and recording strategies, and walked away with a game plan to make a killer record! Stay tuned...

Had a great day at preproduction with this weekend. Can't wait to start recording these songs!

05/01/2023

14 years ago today, I posted this image to Facebook – my first attempt to visualize the studio in its Phinney Ridge location in its concert setup.

What a run we had there! In its 10-year run (2009-2019) we produced approximately:

- 400 concerts
- 50 multicamera webcasts, and
- 110 albums (!)

It's been a pleasure to be a part of the PNW music community for the past 14 years. Thanks to everyone who's been a part of it so far, and please consider yourself formally invited up to Ferndale for your next 'retreat' recording project!