If I awoke in a cold sweat, panicked and shivering to the bone, this would be the album that introduced me to that nightmare. There is no hope, only entropy.

Released on February 27, 2019, these tones resemble a somatic abyss waiting to be explored; excavating through such matter to string a chronicle of extraterrestrial life and whimsical instruments. Comparing this to my favorite album of his Colony, this EP – 4 extensive tracks – detailedly explores a different side to his artistic endeavors – which is admirably important with any great artist. Whereas Colony explores the nature of dirty and unstable instrumentation – mostly guitars – THERE IS NOTHING WAITING FOR YOU AMONG THE STARS explores the quantity of such power.

The album was conceived from the small town Travis (Trucking To Tokyo) lives in. “The constant overcast, snowy landscape inspired me to create an album that reflects the mix between dark dreariness that looms over the city during the late winters and the hope for a better day in the future,” he says. I’ve got to say he’s pulled it off magnificently.

Opening with Wake, from Your Sleep, we are suddenly stranded among strange and muddy overtones shivering along formless patterns dancing in the night sky; effortlessly. An arbitrary presence of erratic frequencies sets something that is otherworldly and esoteric in nature – allowing for creative images to flow, adorned.

A peculiar star rises from the east, setting a mystifying nature that lurks behind the wall of this light. The electronic voice from this light breaks through the frigid night, an illusion of desire.

Spring Rain Breeds Lament is a great song to sit and stare off into empty space. Deep basses bubble and surround you as cloudy tones embellish this richness. Solitary banging from some hollow tom, exchanges the pitch of the cold and mechanical choir.

Next, we find Coup de Grace, a whir of white noise and sonorous tones ring across a cosmic valley. The mountainous terrain of noise and ethereal hardware brings together a delicate world. Longing seems to be an expression here – longing for freedom, away from the mundane social masque of diurnal activity; and away from this town. Maybe, the song ponders, maybe there is something of unity, something that is waiting for me among it all. But, deep down, the music expresses this feeling in other means, acknowledging its place in the universe. The piano hints at this wonder; voicing a fascinating thought to revel in but only a mere thought.

The nest song, Goodbye, is something out of a cinematic dream. Muddy guitars shape an environment of hope lingering in unexpected places. The star now be emits a special glow, encompassing the fragmentary sensations preceding the last song. Birds communicate through the fabrics of bliss, the symmetry of nature perfectly encompass the body of the guitar. A duality of organic life and hardware springs quintessentially into its evolving concept.

THERE IS NOTHING WAITING FOR YOU AMONG THE STARS was a dream like no other. A fascinating experiment of weird, eclectic sounds and arrangements which seem to resemble field recordings, I was taken back by the glowing textures of the album’s universe.

You definitely need to check out Trucking To Tokyo, this guy is an amazing sound designer and artist – really let’s his creativity flow.

Purchase There Is Nothing Waiting For You Among The Stars by Trucking To Tokyo on Bandcamp

https://truckingtotokyo.bandcamp.com/album/there-is-nothing-waiting-for-you-among-the-stars