silent collision releases new LP ‘String Theory’

For Oklahoma-based artist and producer Austyn Moffat, finding a genuine musical identity meant first recognising how much of his previous creative work had been influenced by the expectations of others. Working under the name silent collision, Austyn now writes, performs, records and produces music that places emotional expression above genre, building immersive electronic soundscapes from synths, environmental recordings and deliberately imperfect textures. His music moves between moments of darkness and unexpected beauty, reflecting an ongoing journey towards understanding himself and finding the confidence to forge a sound that’s entirely his own.

The origins of silent collision came after Austyn received an autism diagnosis, prompting him to reconsider the different musical projects he’d pursued. Looking back, he realised that he’d been masking through his music, moving between genres as opposed to discovering what naturally struck a chord with him. Determined to create something that reflected his own identity, he began moving away from computer-based production and exploring more tangible ways of making music, eventually finding an important creative connection with his Moog Muse synth.

Initially, Austyn struggled to find inspiration, questioning whether music was something he should continue pursuing but then, during one session, he struck his head against the synth keys and accidentally held down two notes. The sensation was electrifying, giving him a feeling he’d not previously experienced through his music and those two notes became the spark for his first silent collision composition, “Storms Within Stillness,” a title that captures the tension of struggling internally while presenting a different version of yourself to the outside world.

His debut single, “Static Drift,” introduced the silent collision project in 2024, followed by a run of releases that led towards his debut album, Storms Within Stillness, which arrived in July. Since then, Austyn has developed an audience of more than a hundred thousand monthly Spotify listeners, alongside editorial playlist support across platforms. Inspiration can come from almost anywhere for Austyn; the humming of air vents, lawn mowers moving across his backyard and the sound of running water in the shower all find their way into his recordings.

He also takes the songs he creates during the week into therapy, using them as a means of exploring feelings that might otherwise be difficult to convey and in this sense, the music becomes both an expression of his internal world and a tool for making sense of it. That context now reaches another stage with his brand new sophomore album titled String Theory, a record which traces Austyn’s life so far, moving through moments of exhilaration, uncertainty and the gradual process of self-acceptance. Its arrangements are built around synths and sounds that can feel at once beautiful and unsettling, creating a cinematic environment in which each track becomes part of a larger emotional arc.

Opening with “Approaching the Precipice,” the release forms with a hazy blend of sparse synth notes and smokey vocalisations as airy instrumental textures drift alongside birdsong to craft an immersive curtain raiser. “Freefall” follows with bubbling synth tones, stretched notes and cinematic strings to cast a mesmeric musical moment that builds throughout. “Everything, All At Once” glides with lilting rhythmic sway as eerie instrumental elements float above the steady pulse of arpeggiated synth lines, resulting in a transportive and wholly absorbing instrumental soundscape.

Tracks like “Doom, Impending” craft an unnerving atmosphere through woozy synth tones and sweeping textures, presenting an engrossing scene that’s hypnotic and uneasy in equal measure. “Impermanence” flows with muted piano notes as delicate strings swell to form a stunning showcase of Austyn’s creativity and highly original vision while “Surrender” leans further into a synth-inflected sphere where washing waves of electronic texture swirls around the intricate melodic lines.

“The Sky Opened, For Me,” pairs elegant piano backing with graceful string leads to create an emotive sound that’s spellbinding and highly affecting from start to finish. Closing the album with “The Warm Embrace of the Sun,” the flicker of chiming tones, soft piano runs and bright string leads combine to form a playful arrangement to conclude the record with a feeling of openness, belonging and acceptance. With silent collision, Austyn Moffat has found a way to make music without the guardrails that once shaped his creative decisions and String Theory captures the uncertainty of that freedom but also the beauty that can arise when he allows himself simply to feel.

Listen to String Theory below