Steve Von Till, Alone in a World of Wounds

is out now

+ new shirts added to the neurot store

Steve Von Till latest solo album Alone in a World of Wounds arrives today via Neurot Recordings. Each song is physically enveloping, forebodingly beautiful, and draws on the animistic spirit of the natural world.

Ploughing a different furrow, Alone in a World of Wounds is a collection of sweeping gothic tinged Americana, tripped out drones, beautiful world weary vocal melodies and slowly unfurling cello arrangements. Initially inspired by the harmonic resonance of piano and synths and his long standing love of ambient music, Alone in a World of Wounds follows 2021’s No Wilderness Deep Enough in reflective ambience. Opening up his voice in ways he has never done before, the album's genesis came via intuitive improvisations. "The complex overtones of upright piano and synthesisers really inspired me to sing out more, to seek out the implied harmonies, and to find unique approaches within the limitations of my voice." says Von Till.

Initially inspired by the harmonic resonance of piano and synths and his long standing love of ambient music, Alone in a World of Wounds follows 2021’s No Wilderness Deep Enough in reflective ambience. Opening up his voice in ways he has never done before, the album's genesis came via intuitive improvisations. "The complex overtones of upright piano and synthesisers really inspired me to sing out more, to seek out the implied harmonies, and to find unique approaches within the limitations of my voice." says Von Till.

Aside from‬ music, Von Till is a poet (he published his first collection - Harvestman‬ - in 2021) and has a deep bank of poetry and‬ wider writing that he draws on, frequently reflecting on our place within the universe‬ while leaning into themes of loss and longing. Likewise, it is our place in nature and - crucially - our current disconnect from it that prove key to the sonic tapestry woven‬‭ on‬‭ Alone in a World of Wounds‬. The album title itself‬‭ was inspired by a quote from‬ forester and environmental philosopher Aldo Leopold from his 1949 book‬‭ A Sand‬ County Almanac, which called for a reimagining of‬‭ the relationship between people‬ and the natural world (‘one of the penalties of an ecological educations is that one‬ lives alone in a world of wounds’), while - outside of music - Von Till remains‬ equally committed to education (he has been an elementary school teacher for 24‬ years and also serves on the board of directors for the Firekeeper Alliance non-profit‬ which is committed to reducing suicides among the youth of the Blackfeet Nation in‬ Montana).‬

While‬‭ Alone in a World of Wounds‬ may be far removed from the caustic aggression of Neurosis, make no mistake - the‬ life-giving energy of punk rock and DIY ethic continue to provide deep inspiration‬ and grounding to him.‬ ‭The search for deeper connection, living with the sorrow of our separation from the‬ natural world, and relying on gut level instinct to get closer to the primal creative state are all key to Von Till’s process.

“It is the transcendent nature of music, the cathartic healing process where I can leave everything behind and become one with sound. When you allow yourself to go beyond the ordinary you might be fortunate enough to find a moment where you are creating in alignment with the flow of the river of the universe.”

The majority of Alone in a World of Wounds was recorded at his barn studio at home in Idaho and mixed at Circular Ruin in Brooklyn, NY, with storied producer Randall Dunn (Jóhann Jóhannsson, Sunn O))), Earth, Jim Jarmusch), and also boasts cover artwork from Spokane, WA based alternative process photographer Brian Deemy - who works with colloidal wet plate ‘tintype’ aesthetics, which compliment Von Till’s uniquely ancient yet grounded aesthetic, and one that perfectly matches his desire to reimagine the connection between the human and the more than human world.

Alone In A World Of Wounds is available on LP, CD, and digitally. The vinyl is pressed on a galaxy effect of Cloudy Clear with Black in the US and Graphite Grey Eco Mix in EU; both are available at Neurot's US store.

To celebrate the release, there are new shirt designs available including artwork from SubterraneanPrints, Mazatl and Henry Hablak.