Muchacho (out now on Dead Oceans) is the kind of album you can lose yourself in. Whether you’re on a crowded train or alone in your bedroom, this album will make you feel like you’re a Zen master, at one with the world.
That is the effect of talented musician Matthew Houck, who performs under the moniker Phosphorescent. This is the singer-songwriter’s sixth album (seventh if you count 2004’s EP The Weight of Flight) which will be followed up by a North American and European tour.
Highlights include opener “Sun, Arise!” a haunting yet uplifting track that sets the tone of the album. “Song For Zula” relies more on Houck’s song writing, which nod to his country influences: “Some say love is a burning thing / that it makes a fiery ring / Oh but I know love as a fading thing / just as fickle as a feather in a stream.” Houck’s music, however, stays with you long after it’s over.
Phosphorescent’s shows are already selling out in advance so be quick if you want to see this talent in the flesh.
