Mr. Elevator Shares Latest Single From Goodbye, Blue Sky Album

Photo SOFIA KARCHI

Recent Oh Sees recruit Tomas Dolas has announced his first album on Castle Face Records. Due out January 17th, Goodbye, Blue Sky is the long overdue return of the keyboardist’s Mr. Elevator project. Castle Face co-founder/Oh Sees overlord John Dwyer describes the psych directives of its current lineup (rounded out by drummer Jesse Conlee, bassist Jon Tattlemen, and fellow synthesist Justin Ruiz) perfectly as a “rapid eye movement enhancer and Neuromancer, a capsule garden soundtrack, a killer live band… for fans of Tangerine Dream, Air, Donovan (think the Hurdy Gurdy Man LP) The Troggs, Irmin Schmidt, Egg, Stereolab, and even early Mute records.”

The album’s latest single hammers this point home, existing out there in the ether with vapor-trailed verses and synths that sparkle and fade like stars. “This song was an idea that started on an old upright piano,” explains Dolas. “As it went to be tracked in the studio, it transposed into organs, synths, and mellotrons, running through all sorts of outboard gear and tape delays and then ultimately significantly slower tape speed playback.”

Matt Jones — Dwyer’s other half on the Castle Face front — gets to the heart of the matter even more, telling us to “lean back and let the invisible hand of Mr. Elevator escort you heavenwards for a spell…. Circling higher and higher you see buzzards on the wheel below…. Then airplanes…. When you’re this high above the clouds the air gets thinner, the sky gets blacker, and the only way to go is down.”

Check out a complete rundown of Goodbye, Blue Sky below, along with a previously shared psych out (“Alone Together”) and the flyer for the record’s official release party in LA….