Through The Clearing

2026

Composed in late 2019, Through The Clearing is a 5-track instrumental EP marking a shift into deep stillness. Written before the world changed, these pieces became a sonic sanctuary for guitarist and composer Thomas Nordlund during the years of isolation that followed.

The record mirrors its philosophy of restraint. Nordlund started alone in a small studio, tracking core guitar lines, piano, and sparse percussion. When the pandemic hit, recording moved to a space with complete physical isolation between rooms. With strong foundational tracks, Nordlund brought in one collaborator at a time—a drummer, a bassist, and a bassoonist. This one-by-one process let each musician fully engage with the quiet tracks, responding to the open space without distraction.

By choosing raw, hypnotic song forms over technical showiness, the electric guitar serves like a singer delivering poetic lyrics, moving at a slow, intentional pace and leaving space for the evolving acoustic backdrops. Supported by live drums (Jason McGlone), bass (Andrew Foreman, Mickey Mahoney), and bassoon (deVon Russell Gray), Through The Clearing invites patient listening. Minimal and sensual, it suits quiet rooms or long drives.

Credits

Thomas Nordlund — guitars, una corda

deVon Russell Gray — bassoon

Andrew Foreman — acoustic bass

Mickey Mahoney — electric bass

Jason McGlone — drums, mixing engineer

Rob Schlette — mastering engineer