Elm

Elm sounds like the physical manifestation of a coastal mist rolling over a dark forest. The music is built on long, sustained guitar drones that seem to vibrate with a hidden, ancient energy. It is slow, patient, and deeply textural, favoring the warmth of tape hiss and the natural decay of notes over traditional melody or rhythm. It feels like a private ritual performed in a secluded cabin.

What makes Jon Porras' work as Elm distinctive is the 'one-man orchestra' approach borrowed from black metal, but applied to the world of free folk and ambient. There is a sense of mystery and the unknown baked into the production, where instruments bleed into one another until the source is unrecognizable. It captures a specific headspace of productive isolation, where the listener is encouraged to lull and drift into a dreamlike state.

Start with 'Bxogonoas' to experience the project's foundational sound. It perfectly encapsulates the blend of psychedelic folk and heavy drone that Porras is known for, providing a gateway into the murky, evocative world he builds through home-recorded experimentation.