Without People

Released in late 2020, Without People is Donovan Woods' seventh studio album and represents a significant evolution in his recording process. Created during the height of global lockdowns, the album was produced remotely, with Woods collaborating with musicians and engineers across North America via digital file sharing. This context of isolation is baked into the record's DNA, both lyrically and sonically. While Woods remains rooted in the indie-folk tradition, this album sees him leaning further into 'chamber folk' territory, utilizing more complex arrangements and subtle digital textures than his earlier, more strictly acoustic work. Critics from AllMusic and Rolling Stone noted the album's ability to maintain a sense of intense intimacy despite its fragmented production origin. The record features notable collaborations with artists like Katie Pruitt and Rhys Lewis, adding new vocal dimensions to Woods' established sound. It stands as a definitive document of the 'isolation era' of songwriting, focusing on the internal shifts that occur when external social structures are stripped away.