2024 reissue of 2019 album.  Sunbather Pink Vinyl.

Over atmospheric instrumentation expanded by cinematic structure and pacing, Pearlty presents Knifeplay somewhere between dream-pop influenced shoegaze and lofty slowcore, never fully committing to one or the other in its insistence on creating an immersive, organic world.

Originally released in 2019, Knifeplay’s vivid debut Pearlty documents songwriter Tj Strohmer’s expressions of early adulthood in what he describes as “the journey from innocence to experience.”

Written during a time of immense inspiration, Strohmer was able to peel himself away from detached nihilism, uncovering the physicality and therapeutic powers of songwriting. Newly emboldened by this discovery and the talented community surrounding him, Strohmer channeled this revelation into his work, taking Knifeplay from a bedroom experiment that merely wrote songs to a more substantial project with a purpose.

Pearlty’s various climactic passages, like those heard on the impressionist album opener “Tears”, envelop listeners in textured walls of distorted guitar and noisy breakdowns, a distinct hallmark of shoegaze – but Knifeplay’s compositions go far beyond such conventions.

Also featured are downtempo compositions – such as the tribute track “Angel” – that call on a range of influences, from grunge to lofi pop, all the way back to slowcore. Layers of Strohmer’s falsetto lilt adorn the songs with another dimension of sentimentality, while rounding out the sonic vastness of the group’s emotionally enrapturing style, lending impressive depth to the band’s debut full-length.

all songs written by Tj Strohmer

produced and recorded by Cameron Konner and Tj Strohmer

Patrick McBride - lead guitar on Tears, Suffer, Specula, Held My Hand, and Lemonhead
Alex Stackhouse - bass on Tears, Suffer, Lover, Specula, and Held My Hand
Alex Ha - drums on all except Mirage
Chris Norcross - keyboard on Tears
Tommy Fala - keyboard/piano on Angel and Lemonhead
Harmony Tividad - guitar on Bouquet
Cameron Konner - auxiliary percussion, and a few other things

mastered by Jeremy Kinney

cover art by Tj Strohmer