Dark Canyon - Long Days, Pleasant Nights (2024) [Hi-Res]

DARK CANYON is the solo project of Chicago-based musician and producer Michael Franz Novak.

Long Days, Pleasant Nights is Novak’s new offering, a spacious exploration of grainy western landscapes. Following on the heels of his self-titled release, LDPN embraces a minimalist flair and emphasizes the time between notes. Inspired heavily by Stephen King’s Dark Tower series, this record has been conceived as a metaphysical western. Those who know the Dark Tower collection will quickly pick upon thematic elements described through its pages, however familiarity with these books is by no means a requirement. Indeed, the tape delay echoes and haunting pedal steel passages presented here will welcome all listeners.

From the first mellotron notes to the final guitar swell, LDPN unfolds over the course of ten tracks, all thoughtfully arranged and wonderfully sparse. Analog production combined with sporadic improvisation guides the tonal voyage. Featuring contributions from some of Chicago’s finest players, LDPN offers a cinematic escape and an introspective journey that is a welcome new chapter in the evolving Dark Canyon sound.



Tracklist:
1 A Different Where and When
2 The Bear and the Turtle
3 Bone Collector
4 Low Men
5 Beam
6 Blue Smoke Rising
7 Ghostwood
8 Wolves
9 Lonesome Town
10 Long Days, Pleasant Nights