On February 2, Dischord Records will release J. Robbins’ second full-length solo album, ‘Basilisk’, on LP and digital formats.

Also in February, Robbins will tour the east coast and midwest with a full-band, including stops in Brooklyn, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and DC. Find a complete itinerary below. J. Robbins says, “‘Basilisk’ is my second solo record. I’ve been writing and co-writing songs in bands since I was 19, but for a long time the band was always the point, more than anything I personally was trying to express – though there was a lot in there that was always trying to come out. In 2010, Chad Clark invited me to play my first solo show as part of the ‘Story/Stereo’ live series he was curating. That experience focused me on the fact that I had been writing songs for most of my life, and that pursuit was feeling more urgent with time, not less. After this I chose to start writing in a way that was more personal and more portable, where songs would be more adaptable to different formats and not so dependent on the dynamic of a particular band to make their point. Which is to say, ‘Basilisk’ (and my first record, ‘Un-Becoming’) are not anomalies or side projects, they represent the main current of my creative efforts.
 I had also been working on more abstract, electronic based music inspired by my love of film soundtracks, Peter Gabriel’s music, and by studio work I had done not long ago with the band Locrian, using granular synthesis, sampling, and software synths. So as ‘Basilisk’ come together, I wanted to see if I could pull those sounds into the flow of the record, open up its vocabulary a little and still make something cohesive.
 Connection has always been the whole point of music making for me. There are so many ways to come at it, and I don’t want to close any of those doors. Going forward, I only want to open more of them.”

Catch J. Robbins on tour:

2.15.24 – Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups w/Minnows
2.16.24 – Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen
2.17.24 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop w/Whatever. and Sunburnsun
2.18.24 – Pittsburgh, PA @ The Government Center
2.20.24 – Brooklyn, NY @ Union Pool w/SAVAK
2.21.24 – Troy, NY @ No Fun
2.22.24 – Medford (Boston), MA @ Deep Cuts
2.23.24 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s w/Bitter Branches
2.24.24 – Washington, DC @ Comet Ping Pong

Photo by Shane K. Gardner