Sometime In February
Biography Sometime In February
Sometime In February
Originally founded as an instrumental solo project for guitarist Tristan Auman in 2020, Sometime in February became a fully rounded prog rock trio with the addition of drummer Scott Barber and bassist Morgan Johnson after making the jump from studio to stage following the release of their EP ‘Here Goes’ in 2021. The Carolina-based group has kept their foot on the gas ever since, touring throughout the Southeast US and releasing their follow-up, the debut LP ‘There Goes’, in 2023.
The trio’s connections extend into the progressive music world, featuring collaborations with Between the Buried and Me members Paul Waggoner and Dan Briggs. Tristan had been working for Waggoner in a local coffee shop. After getting to know Tristan, he went to see the band and was impressed by their live performance. He later invited Auman to fill in alongside Paul on BTBAM gigs. In return, Waggoner contributed to the track ‘The Bad Fight’ and appeared in the music video. “I had a part open for him on the song,” Auman recalls. “He sent over some ideas, and they were perfect, as expected.”
Briggs added a unique touch, playing textural elements and additional instruments like mandolin, rather than bass. The BTBAM connection also extended to the album’s mixing, handled by engineer Jamie King, who previously worked with Scott’s former band, Trees on Mars. “Tristan knew right away he wanted to work with Jamie, and I was all for it,” Scott says. “Jamie was great in the studio with a positive vibe the whole time.”
To enhance the album’s sound design, the band brought in Eric Guenther, keyboardist for The Contortionist. “We discussed sound design, and The Contortionist was at the top of our list,” Morgan explains. “Eric was our first choice, and he was on board right away. He had seen Tristan on the BTBAM tour, and he elevated the entire project with his contributions.”
For Tristan, ‘Where Mountains Hide’ represents a step forward, with an uplifting and optimistic feel. “For this album, I wanted the songs to stand alone more, instead of making everything flow together like typical prog albums. But in the end, it naturally felt cohesive. The album has a grand and fantastical vibe, and with instrumental music, it can be challenging to create a specific atmosphere, but that’s what I aimed for.”
