Phil Lomac’s third official release, Northern Cities Southern Stars, was recorded in Chicago throughout the course of last year. Lomac mostly did it all, serving as multi-instrumentalist, engineer, and producer. He tracked softer material at his Lakeview apartment and louder material inside the century-old Unity Lutheran church in Edgewater. The intent of this – “a profusion of both intimate and intense musical components placed in juxtaposition throughout the songs” – was certainly achieved.
Lomac, a songwriting veteran who traces his musical roots back to Cold War era Berlin, has played with a bunch of bands over the years, though this release marks his first new batch of material in eight years. The album’s opening cut, “Northern Lights” navigates confidently from the briskly suave verses, into an upbeat and infectious chorus accompanied by strings and twangy guitars. It’s a track that nicely hints at the album’s beautiful tonal dichotomies.
Stream it in the full below:
