Goldfish 404 releases ‘Sky Gazing’ LP

Over the last couple of years, Goldfish 404 have been making music through curiosity, experimentation and a steadfast mission of doing things their own way. Based between North Wales in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, the project is the long-running creative partnership between Steven Twery and Lynn Schumann, two artists whose different backgrounds coalesce into a fiercely original musical vision. Lynn, a former poetry major, brings vocals and a lyrical style based in imagery and emotion, while Steven, trained in electronic composition, handles guitars, bass, keyboards, production duties and a wide range of additional instrumentation.

Together, the pair have spent years building a catalogue that reflects both technical exploration and artistic freedom. The origins of Goldfish 404 go back to a rural Pennsylvania farmhouse, where the duo first developed their creative process and while surrounded by a distinctly DIY environment, they crafted songs alongside Lynn’s brother, who built custom instruments and effects pedals. That independent context remains central to the project today and while Goldfish 404 now operates primarily as a studio-based endeavour, both artists bring extensive performance experience to the table.

Lynn’s background includes alternative and underground rock venues in New York, while Steven’s musical adventure has taken him through country bands, post punk projects, wedding groups and even theatrical rock performances built around ambitious visual concepts. Since arriving under the Goldfish 404 banner with their 2024 debut album Enchanted, the duo has expanded their creative world through a series of singles, an EP and full-length releases. Across those recordings, they revealed their knack for venturing into the musical unknown, incorporating unusual instrumentation such as bagpipes, accordion and bodhrán into their work.

But with their latest album titled Sky Gazing, Goldfish 404 take another fascinating leap forward, embracing a sound that feels markedly different from what came before. Sky Gazing sees Goldfish 404 shift towards something looser, more atmospheric and deeply immersive, captured in a record that flows through ambient, rhythm-driven compositions that develop organically, favouring movement and texture over traditional song structures.

Developed remotely between Lynn’s studio in Leeds, Massachusetts and Steven’s Red Room Studio in North Wales, Pennsylvania, the album showcases how distance can still foster creative unity. Across the record, long-form textures associated with Underworld sit alongside the cinematic experimentation of Björk, while traces of Stereolab and classic English poetry further inform the record’s character. “SnakeCharmer” sets up the album with the rustling of percussion and pulsing instrumental tones as sweeping textures and spacey vocal elements combine to form a slick avant pop jam brimming with steady forward motion, intricate synth-focused arrangement and immersive atmosphere.

“Splendour Falls” slows things down to lean into a more trip hop-inflected style where metallic percussive shots, murky instrumentation and hazy vocals swirl into a mesmeric soundscape peppered with bright tones and airy melodies. “Milk White” lands with a bouncy groove of pattering drums, flickering instrumental textures and hypnotic vocal lines, casting an engaging sound that’s playful, mellow and truly original all at once.

Tracks like “Sky Gaze” pair shuffling beats with drifting sonic textures to strike a deft balance between smooth musical energy and dreamy aesthetic while Lynn’s ethereal voice floats above to spin delicate melodies throughout. The pulse of tribal rhythms and twang of buzzy tones on “Black Cap” sees the pair lean into a brooding soundscape to deliver a trance-inducing listening experience that’s memorable and subtly intense. “State of Doubt” builds on that rhythm-driven sound with the punch of drums and zap of synths creating a brooding scene while expressive vocals roll above to serve up an epic jam packed full of twists and turns.

With “See Through,” the dance-tinged energy of crisp percussion and dash of rhythmic instrumental shots are topped by stretched vocals, setting up an invigorating sonic voyage that glides through multiple switch ups before “Ride” lands with a downtempo groove of popping bass lines, rattling hi hats, shimmering textures and elegant vocal performance. Closing the LP with “EverWalk,” soft percussive elements and gliding instrumental timbres are tied together by atmospheric vocals to deliver an engrossing finale to Goldfish 404’s superb new album.

Listen to Sky Gazing below