photo by Daniel-JohnsonAlex Simon, the multi-instrumentalist and sound behind Tone Ranger, has long been known for his desert house sound, music baked under the sun and cooled by canyon winds. “Confluence” marks his most ambitious release yet, a complete departure into mossy woods, star-speckled skies, and spiritual landscapes you won’t find on Google Maps.
Crafted across the tri-state triangle of Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico, and recorded everywhere from a van to a yurt to Santa Fe’s Animalia Studios, the album weaves field recordings, orchestral flourishes, and electronic murmurs into a textured whole. It’s part ritual, part rave, part whispered conversation with the universe.
This album refuses to stay in one lane; it’s neither strictly ambient nor dance, neither folk nor classical. Instead, it draws from each, stitching them together with an intuitive grace that feels entirely unforced. Fans of Geinoh Yamashirogumi, famed for Akira (1988), will recognise echoes of that exotic richness here, though Tone Ranger adds a distinctly groovier edge.
Simon describes “Confluence” as “stepping into the unknown, the darkest part of the forest, the depths of the ocean and finding home.” It’s a record that plays with opposites: vastness and intimacy, wildness and stillness, the animal and the human. Somehow, it makes space for all of it without feeling cluttered.
The guest list is equally eclectic. Female vocals come from Melas Leukos, Elena Shelton, Gracey Crane, Evelyn Drach, and Simon himself. Flute contributions by Mimoha and violin by Braydon Schmick add delicate, organic textures, with mastering by Maxim Trotter. The whole project is steeped in the sacred weirdness of the Southwest, echoing ancient oceans and whispering reverence for what remains.
Tone Ranger photo by Gabriella SimonAnd because one medium wasn’t enough, “Confluence” also arrives with a companion film. Directed by Simon’s wife, Gabriella Sonabend, and shot by Ryan Thompson, it’s a handmade, pop-up book fever dream where Tone Ranger meets creatures of forest, sea, and sky. Funded through a successful crowdfunding campaign and blending costume with animation, it feels like performance art, bedtime stories, and cosmic puppet shows all combined.
Since his 2018 debut EP, Tone Ranger has carved a niche that’s hard to define but easy to feel. He’s opened for Orbital and Thievery Corporation, played Burning Man and Shambhala, scored everything from indie flicks to R&B tracks, and composed for film while producing music across genres. “Confluence” arrives as both a culmination and a fresh starting point.
FOLLOW TONE RANGER
Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube |Spotify
