Tone Ranger, the musical alter ego of multi-instrumentalist Alex Simon, is back and this time he is reaching even further. Confluence, released today August 8, 2025, is his most daring and unclassifiable work yet. If until now we associated him with his unmistakable “desert house” sound, here the horizon expands into something much more cosmic, layered and emotionally charged.
The album was born while travelling through the wild landscapes of Utah, Arizona and New Mexico, recorded in places that already sound like part of a legend: a van, a yurt and Animalia Studios in Santa Fe. Confluence is not just a record, it is a deep listening experience that feels ancient and futuristic at the same time, grounding you while pushing you to look toward the stars.
A sound without borders
What immediately stands out is its complete freedom. Confluence flows effortlessly from indie electronic to ambient, from orchestral to avant-garde, without ever losing its emotional thread. Each track tells a story not with words but with breaths, silences and spaces.
It opens with an energetic burst of synths and rhythms, then drifts into more intimate and meditative territory. At times it feels like walking through an enchanted forest, at others like floating in the middle of a star-filled sky. Nature is a constant presence, not only in the field recordings but in the way the music evolves and breathes like a living organism.
As Simon himself says, Confluence is about “stepping into the unknown, into the darkest part of the forest, into the depths of the ocean… and finding home.”
Collaborations as spells
The album also comes alive through the voices and instruments of those who joined the journey: Melas Leukos, Elena Shelton, Gracey Crane, Evelyn Drach and Simon himself on vocals. Mimoha adds the breath of the flute, Braydon Schmick brings the depth of the violin, and Maxim Trotter seals it all with a crystal-clear mastering.
The spirit of the American Southwest: its colors, myths and shadows is everywhere. This is music that remembers the oceans buried beneath desert sands and honors the unseen energies that shape our world.
A visual world for a dreamlike sound
To complete the experience, Confluence is accompanied by a handcrafted short film directed by Gabriella Sonabend Simon and shot by Ryan Thompson, made possible through a successful crowdfunding campaign. Set in a pop-up book universe, the film follows Tone Ranger as he meets beings of forest, ocean and stars, serving as an artistic extension of the album’s vision.
Final thoughts
With Confluence, Tone Ranger does not simply release an album. He opens a portal. This is music that invites you to truly listen, to feel deeply and to remember that the world (both outside and within) is still full of magic.
It is the sound of someone in communion with the land, the cosmos and their truest self. Expansive, spiritual and absolutely worth your time.
Tone Ranger Online
