{"title":"Blue Lake","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBlue Lake is a talented and versatile artist who has been making waves in the music industry for over a decade. With a unique blend of soulful vocals, heartfelt lyrics, and catchy melodies, Blue Lake captivates audiences with his powerful performances. His music transcends genres, seamlessly fusing elements of pop, rock, and R\u0026amp;B to create a sound that is truly his own.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBlue Lake's journey as an artist began at a young age when he discovered his passion for music. Since then, he has honed his craft through years of dedication and hard work. His commitment to excellence is evident in every song he creates, as he strives to connect with listeners on a deep emotional level.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith several successful albums under his belt, Blue Lake continues to push boundaries and explore new musical territories. Whether performing live or recording in the studio, he brings an undeniable energy and authenticity to every project. As an artist who values artistic integrity above all else, Blue Lake remains true to himself while constantly evolving as an artist.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"sun-arcs","title":"Sun Arcs","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBlue Lake\u003c\/strong\u003e is the musical moniker of American born, Copenhagen based multidisciplinary artist and musician \u003cstrong\u003eJason Dungan\u003c\/strong\u003e, who signs to the Tonal Union imprint for the release of his new album \u003cem\u003eSun Arcs\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA self-taught player, Dungan began freely experimenting with self-built multi-string instruments, preferring to build his own hybrid 48-string zither and working in the realms of left-field ambient music, off-kilter folk, and improvised acoustic minimalism.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe starting point of \u003cem\u003eSun Arcs\u003c\/em\u003e saw Jason travel for a week alone to Andersabo, a cabin set in the idyllic Swedish woods just outside of Unnaryd. Known also as the music project, festival, and residency space which has been run by Dungan since 2016, hosting artists like Sofie Birch, Johan Carøe, and Ellen Arkbro.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhilst writing 1-2 pieces per day, a conscious decision was made to leave behind everyday distractions and shut out the outside world to instead focus on the natural passage of time as Dungan recalls: “My only sense of time came from these daily walks out in the woods with my dog, and an awareness of the sun’s path as it moved across the sky each day.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMusically, it portrays a form of double life led by an American-identifying person living in Scandinavia, and a newfound presence in Denmark, seeking out underdeveloped marshlands and barren stretches of beach adrift from other rhythms and distractions. Highlighting their individual and potent importance, Dungan concludes: “Both places feel like ‘me’. I think on some level the music is always some kind of self-portrait.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e‘\u003cem\u003eSun Arcs\u003c\/em\u003e’ depicts the intricate balance of nature’s cycles and the paths outlined by the seasons, from winter dormancy to a warm sun-drenched scene. The album scales new glorying heights and further defines Dungan’s musical narrative, inhabiting a unique space in left-field, improvised, and experimental music, birthing his most accomplished compositions to date. A singular and visionary expression, drawing on an array of instruments and sound worlds with a renewed sense of joy and discovery.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tonal Union","offers":[{"title":"Yellow LP","offer_id":50412239651147,"sku":"2019872","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Clear LP","offer_id":50412240273739,"sku":"2169868","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"LP","offer_id":50412236079435,"sku":"2019871","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/TU002DM_-_Blue_Lake_-_Sun_Arcs_-_cover_-_HI_RES_002833f0_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726666157"},{"product_id":"weft-2","title":"Weft","description":"\u003cp\u003eBlue Lake’s new offering \u003ci\u003eWeft\u003c\/i\u003e sees its creator Jason Dungan unearth new musical terrain with a mini-album which presents the projects evolution. Finding inspiration in the craft of weaving and embracing a collective spirit as a band leader, all while readying a new studio album expected later in 2025.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt follows the lauded album \u003ci\u003eSun Arcs\u003c\/i\u003e (2023) with Pitchfork naming it (Best New Music, 8.3), amongst numerous other accolades. Blue Lake is the ongoing musical project of American born, Copenhagen based musician Jason Dungan which serves as his artistic platform as composer and collaborator. Developed over the period of 2024 and witnessed at live performances across a swath of European cosmopolitan cities and festivals, the project stands at a new creative juncture. The earthy title track 'Weft' emerges with a sense of ease and familiarity as looping guitar riffs in open tunings bed in around a warm cello pulse that provides the essential heartbeat. These interlinking parts align to create his most explicit version yet of an American writing country music in Scandinavia. Dungan named the release \u003ci\u003eWeft\u003c\/i\u003e as a reference to the weaving practice of his partner, Danish visual artist Maria Zahle, whose work “Torso” is featured on the album’s cover. With her works providing a constant source of inspiration to his music and practice as an instrument-builder, Dungan found a symbiotic connection between their mediums, which is reflected in the music on \u003ci\u003eWeft\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eWeft\u003c\/i\u003e is a collection of new works that casts a net into new sound territories with distinctive timbres yet always channelled through the refined lens of Dungan’s prism. Infused with an ongoing connection to nature, it furthermore expands his unique meld of off-kilter folk, jazz, country and left-field experimental ambience. ‘Weft’ then is an accomplishment of growth, of bolder objectives and of collaboration with like minds. The Blue Lake project takes a dynamic step forward venturing into new creative spaces while leaving some clues along the way.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tonal Union","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":51113867018571,"sku":"2228072","price":22.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/d93bac06-3295-7604-dba5-269c23a62773_d3258038_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1737091132"},{"product_id":"the-animal-1","title":"The Animal","description":"\u003cp\u003eBlue Lake reveals his most ambitious album yet, which finds its visionary creator Jason Dungan harnessing the collective alchemy of his band, with ten spirited tracks that resonate with a powerful directness, evoking an ecological connection to the wider world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrowing up in Dallas, Texas, Dungan then moved around for many years, living in both Europe and the USA, before finding a close connection to the Danish capital Copenhagen, where he now resides, a location heavily spotlighted in recent years as fertile creative ground for fellow experimental artists like Astrid Sonne, ML Buch and Clarissa Connelly. This well travelled upbringing would no doubt prove of spiritual significance on Dungan’s emergence as a singular artistic voice, traversing the planes of Ambient, Americana, with hues of Kosmische, uniquely infused with his own Nordic aesthetic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe solo project (Blue Lake), now on its fifth album, found its name and inspiration via Don Cherry’s 1974 live album, sparking a creative epiphany in Dungan, who set off on a path into his own untapped sonic world, guided by what he cited as the emotional potential found within non-lyrical composition. With a newly inspired ethos aimed toward creating direct and simple instrumental music imbued with a deep sense of feeling, Jason began combining an array of musical elements that gave rise to his highly revered album \u003cem\u003eSun Arcs\u003c\/em\u003e (2023), with its “ornate, zither-led lattices” (Pitchfork, Best New Music). Conceived in the blissful isolation of a Swedish cabin set in the woods, this was music that soundtracked spring in full bloom. Then, in contrast to the solitary approach of \u003cem\u003eSun Arcs\u003c\/em\u003e, the highly lauded mini-album \u003cem\u003eWeft\u003c\/em\u003e (2025) began to set the tone for a more band-oriented approach to delivering the Blue Lake sound. Jason had by this time experienced a special collective energy with his band during a swathe of live performances, which he then sought to harness and distill on \u003cem\u003eThe Animal\u003c\/em\u003e, leading him to take the project into a traditional recording studio (The Village) and its limitless potential along with his gifted cohorts.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Magical in it's simplicity\" \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePitchfork\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“Gentility and grace\" \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNPR, All Songs Considered\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Irresistibly radiant\" \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUncut\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"A shimmering, drifting quality, like dappled sun on water\" \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Quietus\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tonal Union","offers":[{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":52620377424203,"sku":"R5986-7429","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/unnamed-2025-07-02T103339.693.jpg?v=1751448831"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/collections\/test_803b9ae0_thumbnail_4096_500466d2-6a96-4d1f-b03d-17b22b93cd4d.jpg?v=1726666113","url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/collections\/blue-lake.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}