Advance Base

Listening to Advance Base feels like looking through a stranger's old photo album found in a damp basement. The music is built on a foundation of warm, wobbling Rhodes pianos, vintage Casio keyboards, and primitive drum machine patterns that feel less like a beat and more like a steady, lonely heartbeat. It is an intimate, hushed sound that prioritizes the space between notes and the hiss of the recording tape over polished production.

What truly distinguishes Owen Ashworth's work is his hyper-specific storytelling. He writes short stories disguised as songs, focusing on the mundane tragedies and small joys of suburban life. His deadpan baritone delivery doesn't demand your attention; it invites you into a private conversation. There is a profound sense of place in the music, specifically the quiet, snowy stretches of the American Midwest where the nights are long and the memories are heavy.

Start with 'Animal Companionship' to hear the project at its most refined and emotionally resonant. It perfectly balances the electronic minimalism of his earlier work with a richer, more melodic sensibility. From there, 'A Shut-In's Prayer' offers a rawer, more isolated look at the Advance Base sound that will appeal to fans of skeletal folk and lo-fi pop alike.