SHOP PROFILE:
BRAND
PHOTO: Stephen Jende
RIDER: Laura Rogoski & Kara Black
CAMERA: Canon EOS R5
#ItsTits
PHOTO: Peter Limberg
HUMANS: Billy & Goo
FILM: 35mm
LOCATION: Minneapolis, MN
OPENING ATC Act
Despite many attempts by various entities, snowboarding has always been a community that eschews the overall buzzkill defined as rules. We do what we want, or failing that, at least do things our way. That said, a laundry list of "unwritten rules" does exist, but even those are up for debate. Most will agree that "no friends on a pow day" can unquestionably get bent. However, very few riders will ever tempt fate by violating the unwritten rule of "never call last run." We mention it because you, dear reader, might have noticed we've ignored a few major unwritten rules with this issue's cover. Our choice of Laura Rogoski and Kara Black, as shot by Stephen Jende at Snowboy Productions' ItsTits event, has already made the rounds on all pertinent social media pages. It's also a slushy park shot to begin the volume. Conventional wisdom states we are supposed to show you an epic pow shot to get you hyped for the season. In our minds, we assume you're like us. We've been hyped for the next season before the last was over. We don't need no stinking pow-shot to get those vibes going. They run 365. Conventional wisdom will also tell you we shouldn't place an image that's 18 months old and already made the rounds on our cover. Again, we absolutely do not care.
We break these unwritten rules because we love the shot and want to view it on something other than a screen. A wise philosopher once said, "You've got to know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em," with this one, we choose: "Hold 'em," literally. On the opposite end is this back lip photo of Casey Pflipsen, shot by Mariah Crabb. While it has also appeared on Casey's Insta, it adheres (correctly, in our opinion) to two fundamental "unwritten rules" for a proper capture. The rail is directly centered between the bindings and no Zeach. Sometimes, you choose to break the rules, and sometimes, you choose to follow them. We hope you enjoyed your summer, broke a few rules, and are just as stoked as we are to put this summer heat behind us. See you on the hill!
Photo: Mariah Crabb Words by Daniel Cochrane Rider Casey Pflipsen
PHOTO: MIKE BOGS
SHOOTING GALLERY
PHOTO: Willy Nevins
SKATER: Matt Bergmann
CAMERA: Camera Canon EOS 6D
LOCATION: Salt Lake City, UT
SHOOTING GALLERY
PHOTO: Ben Girardi
RIDER: Leanne Pelosi
CAMERA: Canon EOS R5
LOCATION: Pemberton, BC, Canada
PHOTO: Peter Limberg
RIDERS: Brady, Justin, Ben
CAMERA: Olympus Stylus
LOCATION: Woodward, Park City, UT
PHOTO: Trevor Slattery
RIDER: Gavin Matson
CAMERA: Canon 1DX Mark 2
LOCATION: St. Paul, MN
SHOOTING GALLERY
PHOTO: Jacob Durham
BIKER: Sam Taxwood
CAMERA: Olympus Style
LOCATION: Salt Lake City, UT
PHOTO: Peter Limberg
HUMANS: LoLo & Luke
CAMERA: Olympus Stylus
LOCATION: Salt Lake City, UT
PHOTO: Peter Limberg
HUMANS: Payton & Jeff
CAMERA: Olympus Stylus
LOCATION: Salt Lake City, UT
PHOTO: Peter Limberg
HUMANS: Noah Peterson
CAMERA: Olympus Stylus
LOCATION: Salt Lake City, UT
PHOTO: Willy Nevins
SKATER: Cal Ross
CAMERA: Canon EOS 6D
LOCATION: Salt Lake City, UT
PHOTO: Cole Johnson
RIDERS: Ben Gergich & Bre Tobin
CAMERA: Nikon OneTouch Zoom 90.S
LOCATION: Montana
PHOTO: Colin Droster
SKATER: Brandon Lahee
CAMERA: Fujifilm X-T20
LOCATION: Madison Goodman Skatepark
SHOOTING GALLERY
PHOTO: Weston Colton
SKATER: Jake Taylor
CAMERA: Canon EOS-1D X Mark II
LOCATION: Heber, UT
SHOOTING GALLERY
PHOTO: Benjamin Littler
RIDER: Darrah Reid-Mclean
CAMERA: Camera Canon EOS 6D
LOCATION: Little Cottonwood Canyon, UT
A film by Patrick Johnson, Josefa Breckterfield, & Weber State Snowboarding Club Nov. 12 | The Monarch Ogden, Utah | 6pm
DEPTH OVER DISTANCE
Words & Photos by CHASE BURCH
Shot on YASHICA ZOOM 70 + PURPLE FILM
Cycling exists in many forms. As with many other “sports,” we are led to believe that competition is the pinnacle, measured by achievements in speed and distance. For most, however, cycling began as a mode of transportation and exploration. From the driveway, down the sidewalk, and through the neighborhood. Fast enough to cover ground but easy enough to stop, turn around, or sidetrack when we want to.
Furthermore, the engagement required to ride a bicycle evokes a heightened awareness of body and mind and a keen observation of the world around us. These are why I still ride a bicycle - albeit in my 30s, the “neighborhood” has grown - but my rascality remains. (proceeds to skid back tire)
I have been lucky enough to have traveled to Japan many times - primarily during winter - in search of powder snow. While on these trips, I began to connect the dots and realize that so many aspects of Japanese culture and infrastructure would make for remarkable bikepacking. Safe roads, kind people, onsens, incredible food, well-placed vending machines, and a strong USD/JPY exchange rate - each exists amongst volcanos, oceanic coastline, and a lush landscape. Could it be? A friend once told me, “Go so you know,”… and so we did.
My partner Jess and I embarked on two weeks of pedaling throughout Honshu, Shikoku, and Hokkaido - using the public transportation network to optimize our route(s). Unconcerned with distance (but covering it), we used our bicycles for transportation, exploration, and a deeper connection with a place that holds so much beauty off the beaten path. It was exhausting but incredibly fulfilling - with no shortage of actual and metaphorical highs and lows. A full debrief of the experience is far beyond the scope of this article, so we’ll let these images speak what they may, and I’ll supplement with this consideration...
“What
would you wish you had done before you died?”
Group Effort
Words by Daniel Cochrane
Photos by Tristan Sadler
Featuring Madison Blackley
Shot on Canon EOS R5 & Chase Burch
& Cody Lee
Powder Mountain has many qualities that make it one of Utah's most notable mountains. One of the most distinctive aspects is the locals' penchant for creating unusual routes around the resort. Rather than the typical method of lapping a particular lift, many riders of this northern Utah gem have instead created extensive resort tours. Referred to as "super loops” by many locals, these tours from lift to lift can sometimes last as much as two hours despite rarely covering the same ground. Though a twohour tour may sound extreme, it comes as no surprise when considering a mere half dozen lifts facilitate Powder's 8000 acres of accessible terrain. Particular routes vary from crew to crew and are sometimes altered based on daily conditions. While local knowledge and "super loops'' are not a mandatory part of the Powder Mountain experience (I confess that I have dedicated entire days just lapping the fixed double Timberline Lift), it is a highly recommended adventure if one is fortunate enough to have a local tour guide. Arkade reached out to a few of Powder Mountain's faithful to get the lowdown on their version of this unique tradition.
It's called Powder Mountain for a good reason. It lives up to its name but is a bit long, so we call it Pow Mow for short. One of the most unique things about this mountain and one of the best parts about it on a pow day is that it is one of the few inverted mountains in the country, meaning you park at the top instead of the bottom. This is so fun because you get to take a pow run before you ever have to ride a chair lift; no racing, just rope dropping, and everybody can get first tracks.
Because of the way the mountain is set up, it is cold, colder than some other resorts in Utah, but that keeps the snow good if you can be prepared; I usually run my Airblaster one-piece beast suit to have maximum warmth and no snow will get anywhere if I'm taking a few bails in the fluff. I typically start my days dropping from the Timberline lot to the Timberline Lift. This chair accesses so many fun, playful features in the trees with lots of poppers and even a jump off the ridgeline. If you know where to go, you can see people backflipping it from the chair, but it's more challenging to find than you'd think! Next, I drop to Paradise and hit a few larger cliff zones before buzzing back to Hidden to get one of the best bus lap runs, Woodies World. This is one of those zones that stays good till the end of the day because after taking the bus back up, it's at least 2 chair lift rides to get back to ride it again. You can never get too stuck in one zone; the mountain doesn't allow that. After bus laps, I save the best for last with the Lightning Ridge cat and drop back to Paradise. The tour de pow mow never gets old and always keeps it interesting."
Powder Mountain… where to begin (literally and figuratively). There are many ways to slice this Paradise, and the "right" way seems to be a moving target - as with most places - based on conditions, time of year, solar aspects, and who's in the crew.
Powder Mountain took me a while to figure out, and when I first got a pass here ~ 15 years ago, I didn't know anybody and was always riding alone. Nobody to show me the ropes, just pure exploration, and an ever-evolving mental map. I also got to make up my own names for things: The bone zone, the cone zone, the blown zone… yeah, I know. However, birds of a feather flock together, and like-minded riders eventually merge into the same lines, places, and go-to's - even at North America's most extensive ski area.
The "Super-Loop" remains one of the better ways to navigate this upside-down mountain. Here's the skinny: Sundown > Lightning Ridge > Paradise (+1 lap if it's good) > Hidden Lake > Woody's World > Back up to Sundown and end with a slice at Lucky Slice Pizza. This loop takes about 1:30 to complete and gets you a tour of ~75% of the mountain in the process, along with some of the best terrain it offers. Another quirky thing I find myself doing is riding the Lightning Ridge cat up and following the cat track back down to the pickup because it's an ever-refreshing cord every time the cat laps by. Not to mention, it rests on a beautiful scenic ridgeline. Call me basic, but a creamy fresh cord is a real treat! But, as a real Pow Mow local, I have to tell you - the road is AWFUL, the lifts are super slow, and the terrain is totally flat here. So… don't come."
CHASE Burch
My dad has been a volunteer ski patroller at Grand Targhee for about 20 years, and by default I've been the "test victim" for many of their scenario training sessions. In my junior year of high school, we traveled down to Powder Mountain for ski patrol training, where I was slated to be a victim. Luckily, they had extra volunteers, and I could ride all day instead. It hadn't snowed for a bit, but I explored around and found untouched pow and mini poppers to jump off. That day was a massive influence on my decision to attend Weber State and lay my roots in Ogden. Fifteen years later, I don't regret it one bit.
I've been lucky enough to be shown around by JP Goulet, Pat Lundin, Chase Burch, Alex Andrews, Nicky Keefer, and many more. Each crew has its own way of riding here, and there are so many zones that accommodate different tastes. Getting around turns into the real crux of this mountain because it's not uncommon to burn a full two hours until you can get back to the same zone. I might be the odd man out on this, but instead of doing the "super loop," I've always preferred to pick a zone for the day and milk it for all it's worth.
The nicest thing about Powmow's unorthodox layout is the freedom to choose any aspect you want to ride based on current conditions. If the winds come in strong from the West, the windlips will be insane off Lightning Ridge. If the sun is cooking all the snow, plenty of north-facing slopes on Paradise or Woody's World stay cool and protected. No snow for a few days? There are always fresh tracks in the lower-angle terrain off of the T-Bar. And on the deepest days, when you can hardly make turns or hold any speed, I always bring a Powsurf with me for a few bindingless bus laps or drop the plumb line down the south face of Lightning Ridge. No matter where you go, carrying a shovel and verts opens up many possibilities to create your own enhanced natural selection style playground."
CODY Lee
Written by Mark Seguin
From New York to Colorado to Utah. Leonard's journey west may have had an initial focus solely on snowboarding, but along the way, he found passion in brewing as well. Gath's early days of snowboarding included DIY plywood snowboards, Brushie trouts, and being a goofy footer learning on a regular setup. His lead-up to the brewing business started similarly with him selling bottles to the shop. A credit to him tenaciously pursuing his passions, he is now a marketing wizard for Uinta Brewing and a ripping snowboarder. He has merged those worlds by leveraging Uinta support for events like Interlude Snow Show, Turn N Burn Banked Slalom, and Beyond the Boundaries. Perhaps the most unique collaboration is the Uinta Brewing "Fava Gold" Japanese-style lager, which came to fruition in celebration of the Fava family edit, "ABOOM." Still, his favorite times are when he can be on the snow, sharing his love for shredding and brews.
Name:
Nickname:
Birthplace:
Hometown:
Years snowboarding:
Moment of Pride:
MoP in snowboarding:
Other hobbies:
Leonard Gath
Not really, just Leonard
Upstate New York
Cortland, NY
32
Becoming a father is the top
Probably having my pictures printed in Arkade. The opportunity to be part of this is huge for me, but every time I get an excellent pow turn or ride away clean off a drop, that's everything.
Bikes, art, lampin
Skateboarding. I've always struggled with it, but I'm working on getting better so I can share that with my daughters.
Pow and natural transitions for sure
Everyone out there doing it for the passion
Send it!
PHOTO: Pat Fava
LOCATION: Salt Lake City, UT
PHOTO: Paul Bundy
PHOTO: Matt Foley
Written by Mark Seguin
High, They're ?
Snowboard origin stories vary widely, from the prodigy who is standing sideways in diapers, to stories like that of Rori Avelar. A girl from Flagstaff Arizona who’s ski loving father had skis strapped to her feet about the time she learned to walk. Avelar’s background in gymnastics helped her immensely as she transitioned to snowboarding around the age of 7 but more seriously around 14 years old. The transition from a regimented gymnastics schedule to the freedom snowboarding at Snowbowl offered her was immediately refreshing. Fast forward to today, coming off success in slopestyle and big air, Rori hopes to take that and build it into time filming both on the streets and in the backcountry. From Arizona to Colorado to Salt Lake, watch for Rori to make noise wherever snowboarding takes her.
Name:
Nickname:
Age:
Birthplace:
Currently Living:
Home Mountain:
Years snowboarding:
Sponsors/Hookups:
Moment of Pride:
Other hobbies:
Heroes/Idols:
Best advice given to you:
Favorite trick:
Currently working on:
Rori Avelar
Plans for the future:
Park or pow:
Flagstaff, Arizona
Salt Lake City, Utah
I grew up riding Arizona Snowbowl. Living in Utah, I mainly ride at Park City, Woodward, and Brighton. 9 years seriously.
Solomon Snowboards
I went to Low Maintenance this year at Baldface and it was the most insane time ever. I got to cat board for three days with the coolest people ever!
I love being outside with my friends. The last two summers I’ve lived in Hawaii. I’m a big fan of the ocean. Laying down some doodles while listening to music, and I’ve gotten into skateboarding a bit as well.
Chris Waker helped push me to be my best. He is such a dope boarder and good human.
Think about all that you are instead of all that you are not.
A nice frontside 360 on a big jump feels so good.
Slopestyle has taken me to some of the coolest places and I’ve met so many dope people because of it, but my focus is shifting to filming in the streets and backcountry.
Film in some capacity and just keep having as much fun as possible on my snowboard!
Nothing beats a good pow day.
On April 1st 1988, Cal Surf opened on Lake Street in the Uptown Neighborhood of Minneapolis. 36 Years all for some April Fools joke? Although there’s plenty of jokes to be had around here, Cal Surf is serious about supporting skateboarding and snowboarding in the Twin Cities. A lot has changed in the neighborhood, but the shop is still in the same spot with the same love of boarding. We even made it through the summer of 2020 and the devastation of Lake Street.
With Minneapolis being a hotbed for street snowboarding, we’ve been lucky to have been a stopping off point for snowboarders here filming; whether it’s for a base grind, a spot’s pin, a premiere, or a party. It goes as far back as Mack Dawg Productions' first visits to the midwest. We helped line up local premieres for crews like Kingpin Productions, Forum, Grenade and others. Quick turnarounds on board repairs became common for riders from Videograss, Think Thank, and Peepshow to make sure they could get back out filming.
Watching the lineage of local crews to come up in the Twin Cities has been really special. We got to see the trajectory of Riley Erickson from Newsroom Cinema and Bad Ideas to starting House of 1817 with team members John Hodge and Joe Sexton. Jake Durham, Matt Boudreaux, and Danimals of Make Friends or Die grew up lurking in the shop and went on to create masterpieces. The Impaler Mag crew has been a familiar face to us even back in the early days of You Know My Function and Working for the City. With this rich history, it’s no wonder current crews like Riddles, Panic Order, Onlookers, Meliora, and Pink Dollar Posse keep coming through the door and carrying the torch of making incredible street snowboard videos in Minnesota.
The legacy of people who grew up shopping here goes beyond videos. Cal Surf Scott has poured support and care into the Minnesota skate and snowboard community for over 30 years. So much so, that owners of other shops like Zombie and Damage Boardshop, Afterhours Skateshop, and 3rd Lair Skatepark shopped at Cal Surf growing up and acknowledged the positive impact Scott had on them. In other regions, these other businesses could be viewed just as competitors, but here they’re also our friends. For Cal Surf, what’s best for the community always comes before dollar signs.
Words & Photos by Rob Zeglin
PHOTO: Peter Limberg
RIDER: Laura Rogoski
"Snowboarding is inherently a risky endeavor," says Laura Rogoski of We're All Mental. "There is a lot of pressure to perform, and in many instances, our identities directly tie to our accomplishments and skill sets." Unfortunately, injury is an all too real outcome in the daily life of professionals, ams, and those aspiring to join their ranks. The combination of physical injury, emotional stress, and the pressures to produce within snowboarding's seasonal timeline leaves our community especially prone to unhealthy thinking styles and depression. Unhealthy coping mechanisms and an inability to locate valuable resources can heighten these feelings for those teetering on crisis.
In July of 2021, while working through this very scenario, Laura produced a mini-magazine of art, writing exercises, and other materials she found helpful to buoy her emotional wellbeing. Marie Hucal, herself no stranger to the hardships and challenges of professional snowboarding, contacted Laura and offered her a weekly space to chat via Zoom. The weekly meet-up quickly expanded to include other friends within the industry, planting the seeds for what has become We're All Mental. Weekly virtual meet-ups continued, and in July of 2023, a second weekly meet-up was added to the W.A.M. itinerary. To date, more than 125 virtual meet-ups have taken place. Laura also takes advantage of her position as a member of Snowboy Productions' build crew to hold in-person meet-ups around the country at the various stops of the Snowboy Tour.
Words by Daniel Cochrane
Because many within the snow community lack healthcare or the ability to navigate the healthcare system if they do have coverage, We're All Mental's goal is to provide free, easily accessible resources and build a community that promotes healthy habits while offering support. They produce and distribute a free mental health-focused magazine that includes writing prompts, inspirational stories, and artwork from members of the snow community. They have held online wellness classes focused on healthy relationships with one's body, including yoga, sensory integration, and other fitness and physical health aspects. This year marked the third year of We're All Mental's Dark Park event with Darkside, Vermont, in Killington. It is an event designed to strengthen community bonds while forging new relationships and building confidence. These actions are in addition to the numerous booths, cross-promotional events, art auctions, and premieres across the community.
PHOTO: Anna Burch
Laura points out that We're All Mental is not a substitute for formal professional care nor a supplier of it. Instead, it is an organization that supports what she refers to as the "brushing your teeth phase" of emotional well-being. This phase refers to implementing healthy daily routines and peer support, which data has proven to reduce the need for professional support.
Laura concludes, “We’re All Mental” doesn’t mean we’re all madcrazy - or unstable. It means that we’re all human, we all have ups and downs, good times and bad times. If you are feeling lost or scared, you’re not alone. We are all in this together. We are building a community of friends supporting friends.” For more information, links, resources, and material, please visit WeAreAllMental.com.
PHOTO: Anna Burch
PHOTO: Ryan Bethel
Morgan Sims
Morgan Sims leans over an enormous blank canvas within his grad student art studio in 2009. He laboriously silkscreens individual squares of color on the large, uncooperative, half-rolled canvas. Frustrated with the process, he chooses to stamp the color with a homemade wood block instead. Tired and sore, he leans the canvas against the wall to alleviate his aching back. His first stamp of the relatively runny ink, intended for use with silkscreen, results in the ink dripping down the canvas. Sims, who admits he has always been drawn towards abstraction, it was an a-ha moment in which he recognized the potential to devise and employ a technique to produce works using purposefully dripped paint.
Sims has spent countless hours since refining his paint mixtures, textures, and approaches while honing his application techniques seeking the balance between control of the medium and the inherent unpredictability of the method. A process that admittedly keeps him simultaneously frustrated and intrigued. Since that fateful studio moment, his constant improvement of technique and experimentation have allowed his creations to blossom. The Gumby and Pokey panel included in the accompanying gallery is an example of some of his earliest work with this process. His "Portraits" series, composed of musicians and other people of note, exemplifies some of his most recent works and the results of his years of modifying and improving the technique. Finally, after fifteen years of hard work and innovation, he has achieved overnight success (sarcasm).
Flashback to the 1980's. It was in this era that artist, musician, and occasional snowboarder Morgan Sims grew up in a blue-collar Sacramento, California home. An environment he considers instrumental in teaching him the value of hard work and an affinity for working with his hands. He also acknowledges his pocket of the West Coast fostered an atmosphere where creativity was viewed positivity and respect. He remembers being attracted to art for as long as he could remember and that his teachers would praise his artwork throughout school. Still, it was only in college that he began considering it in earnest as a career focus. "When I went to college, I didn't know what I wanted to major in necessarily, but it became pretty apparent that I excelled and enjoyed art class. I didn't immediately try to pursue art, but once I did, it seemed like grad school was a good direction to take," he says. Initially focused on printmaking, he expanded his focus to canvas work in graduate school. Sims explains that he enjoys the printmaking process and the individuality of painting, so unsurprisingly, some of his works and methods have evolved into a marriage of the two, process and individuality.
Words by Daniel Cochrane
73 PHOTO: Sarah Krusen
While his drip art style has garnered much-deserved praise for its originality, Sims continues to push his artistic boundaries in other directions. His other current works have included crisp geometrics, about as far from the drip art style and process as possible. Other offerings include paintings on rock, and multi-media neon and geometric pieces. Recently, he has begun a series of interpretations of classic works with his drip style. For Sims, it is all about pushing new boundaries. Where many artists find a style or niche and dive headlong into it as an identity, Sims prefers to mix things up. "I just want a whole new challenge, something to shake my studio practice up. At this point, though, if I am known for any one thing, I'll take that as a victory and don't really worry too much about what it is. That doesn't mean I'll only push one idea out there forever, though, as my own interests are a little too varied."
You can follow Morgan Sims on Instagram as @morsims and view much more of his fantastic work at Morgan-Sims.com. Morgan is also a featured artist of Philadelphia's Bertrand Productions, found at BertrandProductions.com
SOUND CHECK
by Daniel Cochrane
“I saw a movement around my narrow bed Oh, a ghost in giant sneakers, laughing stars around his head
Have mercy on me
This flaming boy
Who sat on a narrow bed
He said, ‘We’ve seen too much sorrow. Now it’s time for joy.”
So sings Nick Cave on “Joy” from Wild God, the 2024 release with his band The Bad Seeds. It has been a painful and tumultuous period for the artist who has made a career as troubadour of the outcast, the seedy, the sad, and the forgotten. Cave lost two sons in less than a decade. The result was two haunting yet clearly complex albums of Cave dealing with these losses. Cave has admitted 2016’s Skeleton Tree as the only release to deteriorate his mental health.
The follow-up 2019’s Ghosteen featured more introverted dirges, haunting and beautiful but clearly coming from a person still dealing with unfathomable loss. With Wild God Cave has turned a corner. The album is busy, electrifying, sprawling, and harmonious. Featuring lush orchestrations and accompaniments from a chorus of backup singers, the songs of Wild God beg to be played live. It’s not to say that Cave has healed. He has merely accepted his new and permanently broken state. The previously mentioned “Joy” was initially tapped as the album’s title. Perhaps, for Cave, that wasn’t quite the message he wished to convey. Instead, Wild God, an ode to an old god searching for meaning in a world he realizes is beyond his control, became the album’s titular track. Wild God still asks many questions and deals with Cave’s grief, but it comes from a man in a much better place than he has been in many years. Perhaps not happy in the most basic sense of the word but at the very least accepting, much like his Wild God. Suppose you’re not a devotee of Nick Cave. In that case, finding a starting point in a forty-plusyear catalog can present a daunting task, but this is a beautiful album to introduce yourself to the band’s unique brand of storytelling.
Musor (@musorband)
Musor is a Salt Lake City three-piece (occasionally four when performing) creating excellent spaced-out garage psyche works infused with a healthy dose of Hispanic influences. The band has released two E.P.s, Musor and Musor II, respectively, and one single, 2023's Spooky Cumbia. Musor II is the pick if you're looking to rock out. Meanwhile, its predecessor, Musor, is best for settling down and spacing out. The Musor E.P. 's first track, Sigue Intentando, was one of my favorites of 2022 and is an excellent introduction to the band's overall spirit. The four-song E.P. wraps up with the 10-minute opus Inanna, which gives strong summer desert evening chill-out vibes. Musor II opens with Estamos Igual, a perfect bridge from the first E.P. From there, the final three offerings shift to a more frenetic pace, mirroring the powerful stage presence of the band's live gigs. Musor is definitely worth a visit on Bandcamp or streaming services.
Coming at you from out of left field under the "wait, say that again '' genre description: Sante Fe, New Mexico's Tone Ranger. The project is a mash-up of Southwestern desert music, a la Americana/spaghetti western fare mixed with house and ambient music. We will give you a moment to digest that. The project has existed since 2018, and the self-titled E.P. from that year is an excellent way to dip your toes into the waters and see what the music is all about.
For more adventurous listeners, 2022's Reins or 2020's House Made of Sun will put your feet right into the fire. Tone Ranger also boasts its fair share of visuals and multimedia output.
The most recent release, “Through the Canyon Doorway” is a live performance soundtrack and short film from the heart of Diablo Canyon, New Mexico. More information about Tone Ranger can be found via the Link Tree in their Instagram Bio.
Miss Grit is a conceptual project from New York-based artist and musician Margaret Sohn. Sohn created the project as a persona to facilitate her analysis and exploration of the concept of "self." Within the project's vision, Miss Grit is a cyborg understanding that its creation is functional. However, the cyborg grapples with simultaneously understanding the creator dictates its purpose, yet as an A.I., its desire lies in the potential beyond. The project began during the shutdown era, and its subject matter has proven increasingly relevant over the past couple of years with the proliferation of A.I. and the conversations surrounding it. Two E.P. (Talk Talk 2019 and Impostor 2021) and a full-length (Follow the Cyborg 2023) have so far surfaced. Musically, I am reminded of some of St. Vincent's earlier works. It's both stark and minimalist yet full and expansive. If that's your jam, you might find Miss Grit a pleasant listen.
Night In Athens (@night_in_athens)
It wouldn't be a music section if I didn't squeeze in at least one underground darkwave band, and Night In Athens is this issue's subject. The project of Londoner Tina Boleti, Night In Athens produces dark, provocative, almost antagonistic yet still melodic music. Great Darkwave succeeds by walking a fine line between the uncomfortable and the accessible. Night In Athens manages this with ease. The project's output comes primarily from a few singles and a full-length (Metropolis) released in 2021. However, 2022 did produce a fivesong E.P. (Crime Seen). Despite the absence of physical output over the past 18 months, Boleti continues to perform as N.I.A. and has teased new songs and a forthcoming 2024 album in June. N.I.A. comes highly recommended to anyone looking for Darkwave that is a tad grittier than some of the more mainstream bands that have popped to the top of the genre of late.
With a little over 100 monthly listeners, no BandCamp (AFAIK), little to no digital footprint, and only two songs ("Knowing" and "Spiral") available on streaming services, Nashville duo Pressure Heaven is clearly in the very early stages of their journey. However, the band's self-described "Industrial Dream Pop" is a well-produced and infectious introduction to the band. "Knowing" is the heavier offering of the two singles and certainly the one to push the industrial side of the band's sound with its droning, fuzzed-out undercurrents. "Spiral" leans heavier on the dream pop but still packs a punch on the low end. I love the vocals on each of the singles. I hear HUGE similarities to the early 2000s trip-hop underground cult classic one-off collaboration L.P. by Alias and Tarsier entitled Brookland to Oaklyn. EDIT As we go to print the duo has released their newest and third single “Say Goodbye”
Glom (@newyorkglom)
Founded in D.C. but now based in Brooklyn, Glom is the archetype of modern indie music. They are an amalgamation of nearly fifty years of indie influences, seamlessly blending postpunk, shoegaze, and dream pop elements to create their mish-mash take on the indie genre. With such a broad swathe of stylistic influences to pull from, Glom is one of those bands whose unique sound revolves around not having a solitary unique sound. At times, I hear Pinback; other times, I hear Pavement, even distant hints of R.E.M. or The War on Drugs. Glom pulls it off by focusing on inspiration versus imitation, a trait many younger bands could do well to figure out. The band has two full-lengths, a handful of singles, and an E.P. available on Bandcamp and streaming services.
Miss Grit (@miss_grit)
Pressure Heaven (@pressureheaven)
Tone Ranger (@tonerangermusic)
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
Wild God
L.P.
Justus Hirvi photo
FINAL DESTINATION
The white room, barreled, throwing buckets… whatever you want to call it, there’s no feeling quite like a heelside turn in deep powder resulting in a billowing powder cloud. In open terrain, it’s nearly impossible to convey how euphoric it feels to toss up a massive cloud and blow through or around it at full speed. In tight terrain, however, you must know confidently what your next three turns look like or scale back enough to be sure you don’t blind yourself with your slash and risk a collision. With good technique and some experience, you can have your cake and eat it too. Knowing that with enough speed and the proper maneuvering, you can create something that not only feels incredible as a rider but is visually stunning as well.
Words by Mark Seguin
PHOTO: Ben Girardi
RIDER: Ben Poechman
CAMERA: Canon EOS R5
LOCATION: Whistler, BC
Editor & Adversiting
Cred-
HUMANS: Jeff Holce & Madison
LOCATION: Brighton, UT
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Editor
Daniel Cochrane daniel@arkademagazine.com R.C. Llewelyn cory@arkademagazine.com
Editor Peter Harvieux theipproject@yahoo.com
Layout & Design Editor Jake Kenobi jake@springbreakjake.com
Contributing Photographers
Stephen Jende, Ben Girardi, Peter Limberg, Trevor Slattery, Willy Nevins, Mariah Crabb, Jacob Durham, Cole Johnson, Colin Droster, Weston Colton, Benjamin Littler, Chase Burch, Tristan Sadler, Rob Zeglin, Anna Burch, Ryan Bethel
Contributing Writers
Mark Seguin, Madison Blackley, Chase Burch, Cody Lee, Rob Zeglin
PHOTO: Peter Limberg
Blackley
