In the autumn of 2022, musician Phil Cook found himself living alone on the edge of a forest in Piedmont, North Carolina. Surrounded by quiet stillness and the daily chorus of birdsong, he developed a personal ritual. After leaving his window open overnight, he would play back voice memos of the sounds he recorded, sitting at his piano to improvise in real-time, responding to nature’s soundtrack.
This intimate connection with nature inspired Appalachia Borealis, Cook’s newest and most personal work. Produced by his longtime friend and Bon Iver frontman Justin Vernon and released via Sylvan Esso’s Psychic Hotline label, the album consists of 11 solo piano meditations that take listeners on a journey of solitude, discovery, and renewal during a challenging time. “My piano music stems from my communions with quiet spaces unattached to man-made schedules and institutions,” Cook shared with Atmos. “Places where I fall away and exist within a continuum stretching back and forth indefinitely. It is from here that truth and beauty emerge and sing.”
The album is not only a personal reflection but also a testament to collaboration. Directed by Daniel Fox, the visual aspect of Appalachia Borealis comes to life in a 35-minute film that features serene scenes of nature and wildlife, the same elements that inspired the music. “Phil and I have developed a deep trust and shared vision of making things that feel human and real,” Fox explained. “Our relationship often brings us together in nature, walking in the woods along rivers and mountains, and this project is a manifestation of that peace we both return to.”
With its slow, contemplative pace and painterly shots, Fox’s film complements the emotional depth of the album. “Some of the deepest healing I’ve received in my life has come from exploring new wild places, recognizing my kinship with the animals, the plants, the land and water itself,” Fox added. “The footage in this film was collected over the last decade of my travels and has been waiting for the right project to summon it off of my hard drives.”
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