Photo: Robbie Jeffers

We’re less than a month away from the release Beginningless, the forthcoming album from Anna Butterss, John Raymond, and Ben Lumsdaine. Their first album as a trio, Beginningless is the the fruit of years of friendship and musical exchange, and was recorded live over two days in a Los Angeles studio, with very little overdubbing or post-production. Following the hazy, enveloping and gripping title track, Butterss, Raymond and Lumsdaine have shared a sublime new cut from the album, ‘Parallax’. Speaking about the new track, Raymond says:

“Over the course of the two days we were together in the studio, I think we tracked over 400 minutes of music. Everything was improvised, but at times the energy felt so good that these spontaneous moments turned into something like a song…a melody appeared, we intuitively heard a form together, and there was this almost telepathic connection as we created an arc and developed it together. “Parallax” was one of those moments for me. Anna and Ben throw down in the most beautiful of ways throughout the song, and it felt like we found something in this one.”

Listen to ‘Parallax’ below and grab the album when it drops on November 13th though Northern Spy.

Three incredible musicians in their own right, Anna Butterss, John Raymond, and Ben Lumsdaine boast an impressive body of work spanning jazz, improvisation, indie, electronic music, and beyond. The three first crossed paths in Bloomington, Indiana, more than a decade ago, with Butterss and Lumsdaine meeting as students at Indiana University in 2010 and Raymond moving to the city in 2017 to teach at the university.  Their paths continued to cross in various projects and settings, eventually leading to the formation of this trio in 2024.

Now they’ve come together for Beginningless, their first album as a trio, born from years of friendship and musical exchange. Recorded live over two days in a Los Angeles studio, Beginningless is an entirely improvised record, with very little overdubbing or post-production. Despite their improvised origins, the tracks feel structured and melodic, each one building its own distinct mood. The trio use acoustic instruments alongside pedals and effects, expanding the traditional trumpet, bass and drums setup to create something atmospheric, spacious and unpredictable, with a strong sense of groove throughout it.

Beginningless arrives on November 13th though Northern Spy and coinciding with the album announcemente, Butterss, Raymond and Lumsdaine have shared the hazy, enveloping and gripping title track. Speaking about it, Butterss comments:

“Beginningless feels like a window into an underlying stream of music that is always around us. The loping bass and drums usher in a trumpet melody, which quietly floats through the rustling landscape. There’s a sense of unhurried tranquility, a gentle amble, as the counterpoint between bass and trumpet shifts, and the atmosphere gradually thickens. Ghostly trumpet undertones and bubbling drums build to a peak while the bass carries steadily on, giving the impression that the journey might continue on long after the song has ended.”

Listen to ‘Beginningless’ now.