Robert Humber – into air | Redshift Records

Releases February 27, 2026

Music by Robert Humber

TRACKS
1-3. into air (2021)
4-6. mothmouth (2022)
7. murmurations (2020-2021)
8. singing in circles (2022)

CREDITS
into air (2021)
5 violins – performed, recorded, edited by Adrian Irvine; mixed, mastered by Michelle LaCour; recorded in Adrian’s bedroom studio in Toronto
We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.

mothmouth (2022)
3 classical guitars – performed by Ben Diamond; recorded, mixed, mastered by Nick Bendzsa; edited by Robert Humber; recorded at McGill University
We acknowledge the support of MusicNL.

murmurations (2020-2021)
6 grand pianos – performed, recorded by Stephen Eckert; mixed, mastered by Michelle LaCour; edited by Robert Humber; recorded at University of Ottawa

singing in circles (2022) – solo cello + cello octet
performed by Heather Tuach; recorded, mixed, mastered by Louis McDonald (of 62 Broadway); edited by Robert Humber; recorded at Our Lady of Mercy Heritage Church in Port au Port, Newfoundland
We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.

Additional mastering to all tracks by Louis McDonald
All compositions written by Robert Humber
Album artwork by Robert Humber

Extra special thanks to Jessica Pereversoff, Mark Marinic, Stephen Eckert, Ed and Debbie Humber, Andrew Staniland, Jocelyn Morlock, Linda Catlin Smith. All of these people either supported/encouraged me throughout the process of making this album and/or gave me incredibly valuable advice about the pieces while they were being written.
Also a special thanks to Jordan Nobles of Redshift Records and Nick Storring of Riparian Media.

into air is available for pre-order from:

into air is a collection of four pieces written for multitracked soloists between 2020-2022. My first album of contemporary classical pieces, it was originally envisioned as a “Covid album.” During that stretch of time, I really wanted to be writing large, expansive textures rather than solo music. Of course, ensembles weren’t really… a thing, as groups were unable to gather. My workaround for this restriction was to write a collection of pieces for groups of like instruments (ie. 6 pianos, 5 violins, etc.). These pieces are possible (although sometimes impractical) to play live with an ensemble, but also have the possibility of being recorded/performed by a single musician in the safety of their own home.

Overall we took a DIY approach to making these recordings happen. Adrian recorded violin in his cramped bedroom studio in downtown Toronto. Stephen recorded piano in their professor’s campus office (while the hallways of the school were largely vacant, peak pandemic). Since we were not able to record the other two pieces until after the shutdowns, the recording situations were slightly more conventional. mothmouth was recorded at a proper studio at McGill University. singing in circles was recorded in a fantastic heritage church in Port au Port, Newfoundland.

Originally, I planned to release this album in 2022… I’ve since realized just how much work goes into completing a classical album of this scale. The bright side is, now I am able to look back with a deeper appreciation upon the time that these works were conceived. It was a time of creative blossoming and experimentation for me; I was throwing lots of ideas at the wall that I had wanted to try for many years without the means to accomplish them. I have since stopped making multitracked pieces (for now), but I see the four selections on this album as important pieces for me, catalysts for my own self-discovery during that unusual time. I am forever grateful to everybody listed in the album credits. Many rewarding, longstanding relationships with cool, dedicated, likeminded collaborators were built during the creation of this project, and for that I am grateful.

A short explanation of the pieces:

1) into air was inspired by a plane trip I took from Calgary to Vancouver during peak wildfire season. I had never seen anything like the endless expanse of smoke that covered the Earth below us. The implications were terrifying and heartbreaking, yet I couldn’t help but find beauty in the ripples of grey, orange and brown.

2) mothmouth was inspired by the incredible collage work of John Stezaker, and moths. I squashed together a variety of source material to create the piece, like a musical collage filled with quotes from SOPHIE, Talk Talk, and some old repurposed scraps from my own withdrawn works.

3) murmurations attempts to emulate the complexity and vastness of the natural world. Filled with guided improvisation, and timed with stopwatches, the parts move together yet separately. Inspired by leaves flowing down the path of a river, a massive waterfall slowly drying up, the death spiral of ants, and more.

4) When I wrote singing in circles, I felt myself approaching a breaking point. I was isolated, anxious, and without purpose. It was only the help of some close friends and family that eventually pulled me out. Inspired directly by, and dedicated to, the seminal cello works of two important mentors: “Exaudi” by Jocelyn Morlock, and “Still Turning” by Andrew Staniland.