East Forest is the musical project of Trevor Oswalt, who premieres his latest song, “Fresh Start, today on Popdust. His sound merges shamanic overtones with ambient electro-pop, and is somewhat similar to Sigur Ros, Philip Glass, and Aphex Twin. East Forest’s goal is to produce sonic architecture, allowing listeners to explore their inner space.

The song is from his latest album, called CAIRN, a deluxe version of his 2017 album, an exploration of the breakdown of a protracted personal relationship and the resulting adjustments that took place.

“Fresh Start,” featuring Keith Sweaty, opens with an elegant piano flowing into galloping percussive elements. The music, compact and mellow, glows with luminous energy. Flavors of EDM, electro-pop, and trance hip-hop combine to provide coruscating textures and pale whispery tones. The overall effect is gorgeously sublime.

The video is surreal, full of anthropomorphic parameters, as Oswalt builds a tower of rocks, a cairn, to mark his emotional journey and serve as a signpost to others. It’s a ‘Killroy was here’ statement made via a monolith.

The lyrics exude his emotional turbulence and, most importantly, nuanced optimism.

“When you depart / I want a fresh start / May I erase, make my case / I want a fresh start / Can you let it go, of what you know / It’s just a phase, a passing wave / It’s just a stage, of my age / Can you let it go.”

“Fresh Start” is smooth, polished and excellent, a musical confection of pure elegance.

Follow East Forest on his website, Facebook, and Twitter.

Randy Radic is a Left Coast author and writer. Author of numerous true crime books written under the pen-name of John Lee Brook. Former music contributor at Huff Post.

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