marine eyes – idyll

idyll is the debut record from Los Angeles-based Cynthia Bernard, aka marine eyes. Cynthia is also half of the electronic ambient duo awakened souls. She worked on this album while her children were sleeping or attending virtual school to create this collection of songs that signify the coming of the spring.

idyll is a collection of organic materials coming together – field recordings, synthesizers, guitars, and vocals emulating the sounds of ocean waves, wind through grass, soft rain, dew on budding flowers – intended to create a peaceful, gentle place, much like their namesake hills.

Cynthia captured field recordings in Ojai, various hiking trails in LA, her bedroom window, and wove them into each song. With her mid-90s Mexican strat and sound on sound guitar, she began with a simple strum, then incorporated vocal loops and Strymon, Empress, and Chase Bliss pedals.

The result is indeed an pacific, pastel ambience, very of-the-earth but simultaneously something heavenly.

Get idyll on Bandcamp, out now on Stereoscenic Records.

Album art by Nevia Pavletic