northern lights by cast off form

May 2025 marked the one-year anniversary of the biggest geomagnetic storm of the last 20 years.

That night, determined to see auroras after missing two prior opportunities, I drove over an hour north. On an isolated gravel road in the middle of sprawling fields of soy and alfalfa, I sat on the roof of my car watching the sky.

When the auroras were their brightest, the insects became deafeningly loud. Every cicada, cricket, and grasshopper buzzed and chirped as waves of white rushed overhead.

Northern Lights is anchored by field recordings of the chorus of tiny creatures. Incorporating experiments with an acoustic guitar and the East Beast semi-modular synth, the densely layer cacophony invites listeners to experience the aurora borealis.

Gear Used: Takamine EF261S-AN Acoustic/Electric Guitar, Crea8audio East Beast Semi-Modular Synthesizer, Boss RC-30 Loop Station, Boss DD-8 Digital Delay, Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor, Demonfx 10 Band EQ Pedal, Boss GT-1 Multi-Effects Pedal, Behringer Xenyx 802 USB mixer, M Audio speakers, Behringer PK110A, Sony Shoebox Cassette Player,

Emerging from Omaha’s noise scene, experimental act Cast Off Form draws from a diverse palette, blending organic and electronic elements including electroacoustic improvisation, field recordings, and off-label uses of (non)instruments.

The resulting sounds can be both abrasive and ethereal - thematic releases with densely layered textures, influenced by ambient, drone, and harsh noise.