Award-winning composer and producer Robot Koch returns under his ambient alias Foam & Sand with a new album, 'Quieter,' set for release on 29 May via Trees and Cyborgs. The project marks a significant shift in focus, moving away from spectacle toward a deeply restrained, functional listening experience designed to foster stillness.
Across the album, Koch strips his production back to its essential elements. By utilizing analogue synthesisers, vibraphone, bells, chimes, and intricate tape processing, he creates a warm, expansive environment where subtle shifts in texture and tone take center stage. The record is intended as an invitation to pause, encouraging listeners to engage in a form of deep listening that promotes nervous system regulation and sustained attention in an increasingly overstimulated world.
This release is a natural evolution for an artist whose work has long bridged the gap between traditional music and the science of human experience. In recent years, Koch has expanded his creative practice through collaborations with organizations dedicated to neuroscience, consciousness, and therapeutic sound, including The Monroe Institute and The Beckley Foundation. His compositions have even been utilized in clinical research surrounding psychedelic-assisted therapy, further cementing his reputation as a pioneer in the field of functional sound design.
The album features guest contributions from Peia, Priscilla Ahn, and violinist Masha Brodskaya, adding layers of organic depth to the project's minimalist framework. Beyond the recorded music, 'Quieter' serves as the foundation for a new series of immersive live events. Koch has announced plans for a 360-degree spatial audio pop-up and a UK listening premiere with Polygon, scheduled to take place later this May.
'Quieter' arrives 29 May via Trees and Cyborgs.
