Breatherrr

Breather (the nom de plume of Mike Espinach) is a solo artist that defies easy description. That's not entirely surprising since he was formerly the guitarist for Long Beach experimental band I'MU. This EP begins with "Chai", and when you listen to this song, you realize how hard it is to define the music of Breather. "Chai" is a song that is a blend of industrial beats and a melody that is reminiscent of 90s English shoegaze bands like Ride.

One thing that Espinach has carried from I'MU is the ability to make is music sound extemporaneous no matter how much time he spent in the studio. He accomplishes this in a couple ways. First, he plays with a furious energy that makes even a recording feel like he's playing right in front of you. Second, he does this by being unpredictable. You never really know what's coming next within one song or from one song to the next. A good example of this is the split between instrumental songs and songs with vocals.
Overall, Breather doesn't really lend himself to easy comparison with other artists. The nearest you can get is to say that at times, he sounds somewhat like a particular artist or band. For instance, the guitar in "Merlot" sounds a bit like what you'd hear in a song by The Cure although you'd never mistake it for a song by The Cure.

This is a really solid EP of seven songs that defy genre classifications. I'll say this: this EP is perfect for those days when you want to block out the world. Your prescription: put on Resin Ballet by Breather, turn up the volume, maybe pour your favorite beverage. Then don't just listen to this EP; absorb every moment of it. It's kind of a musical exercise in living in the moment. This EP will be available at Breather's album release show on 20 September at DiPiazza's in Long Beach. - examiner.com

Just Breathe, Get Psyched

Alumni releases his debut album “Resin Ballet,” implementing a new take on psychedelic rock.

Jesus Ambrosio, Diversions Editor
October 22, 2014
Filed under Diversions, Showcase

His Fender Deville amp is plugged in, and the dark stage at The Nugget was illuminated by a purple rope light on Thursday; he began to play serene music, but he transitioned into something startling, confusing and somewhat spiritual.
Michael Espinach started making music about five years ago in an instrumental psych-rock band called I’mU with his friends Devin Davis and Stu Miller.
Eventually the band broke up, but Espinach said he had to keep making music. In 2013 he released his first solo album “Resin Ballet” under the name Breather.
Espinach graduated from Cal State University Long Beach in 2011. He studied religious studies with a concentration on eastern philosophies like Buddhism, Daoism and Hinduism.
“I found an affinity with Buddhism,” Espinach said. “A lot of different eastern philosophies promote centeredness and finding your center because things become so erratic.”
He said his music is a new form of psychedelic rock, which he has dubbed “post-psych” drawing from elements from older psychedelic music, as well trip hop, drone, industrial and noise rock.
The voice memos iPhone app was praised by Espinach, which has aided his music making process. Prerecorded sounds from his house heater and coffee maker are a few examples of sound bites he used.
Inspiration for Espinach comes from many musicians, ranging from Slayer and Pink Floyd to Miles Davis and John Coltrane. He called Billie Holiday “the best hangover music.”
The band Swans is a perfect example of what hopes to do with his music, he said.
“When I saw them recently, it was definitely a spiritual sort of thing,” Espinach said. “Two and half-hours to three hours, the use of repetition is a mantra.”
He said Swans shows are like Buddhist chant sessions that hit frequencies, which resonate in your body and can even “hypnotize you.”
Recalling the experience, he said he lost his equilibrium and footing during the performance. He remembers seeing a man tremble and fall to the ground from the powerful music.
“I think that what’s really cool about sound is shaping something so chaotic and how you can make it into something moving,” Espinach said.
Working and writing on his music for the past five years gave him a lot of time to figure out what he wanted to do sonically and thematically.
“Catching someone off guard and keeping things interesting and unpredictable keeps you on your toes,” Espinach said. “If you keep someone on your toes, they’re going to be more aware of what’s going on.”
During live performances as Breather, he is often likely to bust the strings on his Fender Jazzmaster from intense sonic psychedelic repetition, but always has his Fender Jaguarillo on stage for backup.
The music often flows like a dream. Audio clips from movies like “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” are played exclusively on his live versions of songs thanks to his Roland SP404, a music sampler, that also has all of drum, bass and synth tracks loaded.
The voice memos iPhone app was praised by Espinach, which has aided his music making process. Prerecorded sounds from his house heater and coffee maker are a few examples of sound bites he used.
The ability to be able to soundtrack a certain emotion, time or season is one of the best things about music, Espinach said.
His favorite time of the year is Christmas time; it’s a collective experience all religions have their own version of.
“It’s a fleeting thing and that’s why I’m attracted to it. It’s a rare sort of moment … where you can do certain [activities],” Espinach said. “I think that has a big thing to do with the music I make.”
Fascinated by the philosophies he studied at CSULB, he said he hopes his music transcends what is simply just heard.
“Michael Gira from Swans once said that the whole point of what he does is ecstasy, as in euphoria,” Espinach said. “Creating something euphoric and cathartic is the most important aspect of what I do. Something that removes you, but also makes you aware of where you’re at.”
To learn more about his music visit http://breatherrr.bandcamp.com. - Daily 49er

Michael Espinach stands alone on stage, his white Fender Jazzmaster guitar slung over his slender shoulder as ambient riffs seep from his fingertips. Behind an assortment of pedals, loops and sample machines the bespectacled artist blends genres seamlessly into a psych-rock tapestry known simply as Breather. Espinach started the one-man project early last year as a way to more fully express his musical vision—one that lacks boundaries in both influences and volume.

“I want to feel the ground shaking,” Espinach said.

breather-resin-bulletThe CSULB graduate has been performing as Breather since the beginning of this year, taking seven songs composed in his bedroom and blasting them through PA speakers from Shoreline Village to The Nugget Pub and Grill at Cal State Long Beach. And when he takes the stage at The Prospector on December 2 in support of his recently released debut album Resin Ballet [cover pictured left], he has no intention of keeping calm or turning down.

“A lot of the performance is very much based on what I’m getting back sound-wise,” Espinach said. “I like playing really loud because I can actually feel bass and it’s almost deafening. I love that. I hate it when I can’t hear myself.”

Resin Ballet takes the do-it-yourself ethos literally, all the way down to the flowers spewing out of Espinach’s mouth on the cover (he gathered them by hand from his East Long Beach neighborhood). Programming bass guitar into a sampler and using an iPad application to tap out the drum beats and add synthesizer accents, Resin Ballet is a labor of love that was stitched together in Espinach’s bedroom and mixed and mastered with the help from a friend at his rehearsal studio. The seven-song effort is eclectic in sound and visits topics of substance abuse, relationships and habits.

He admits that his first solo effort was daunting both because he lacked a sounding board in the form of other band members to give the thumbs up or thumbs down to song ideas, but also because he aimed for this album to be something people either really loved or really hated. Recounting a scene from the 2014 film Whiplash, Espinach said some of the most harmful words a musician can hear is “good job.” He didn’t want Resin Ballet to be lumped in with another bands’ sound and he didn’t want it to be “okay.”

“I didn’t want something of mine to remind someone of something from 10 years ago,” Espinach said. “I wanted it to be relevant. It made me think in terms of thinking of the project as whole and how much work I had to put into songs. What is it that I can do with this that could push it to that next level? I didn’t want someone to be okay with something. I want it to be very polarizing.”

Breather draws influences from sounds from all parts of the musical-spectrum. Espinach cited Miles Davis’ song "Round Midnight" for showing him that an instrument can narrate a song just as well as a human voice. His desire to play loud is a tip of the cap to My Bloody Valentine, as he recalled the volume rattling his clothing with each bass-laden riff when he saw them perform. And he credits Sacramento-based hardcore act Trash Talk for pushing him to incorporate his own vocals into the project, something he had little experience with prior to Breather. If they could shout their message in a two-minute song, he felt he should be able to do it in four minutes.

“Punk rock albums will be like 18 tracks and under half an hour and I was just like ‘that’s so incredible that you can get your point across in such a short amount of time just utilizing every moment of what you’ve got,’” Espinach said. “So a lot of it going into Breather was about how I could trim the fat with what I’m doing and make things even more effective.”

There was a lot of trimming, a lot of editing and a lot of tweaking that went into the production of Resin Ballet. Espinach believes that the biggest statement an artist can make is when they give their final stamp of approval on a recording. It’s a statement that says this is how you want to present yourself to the world. Some songs were engineered to his liking the with just a handful of passes through while others he revisited months after the initial recording. He wanted his statement to be something he was completely happy with.

The sixth track on the album title Stache, is the track that sticks out in Espinach’s mind as not only his favorite song, but as the song that best represents the effort he wants to strive for with future releases. The track, an off-beat ode to John Carpenter’s Halloween soundtrack which also incorporates some subliminal pornography samples, took the longest for him to be “okay” with, but also revealed to him the kind of effort that could be put into a song on the production side of the music. The resulting sound is something that Espinach said reflects the path he wishes to continue on.

“I have a bit more definition as to what it is I’m trying to do,” Espinach said about the completion of his album.

The most important thing is to continue to write music that make the hand labeling, hand cutting and distribution of his music worth it. Espinach likened his first effort to a fireball emanating from the palms of a gi-wearing video game character. And like the fighting arcade-game made popular in the 90s, he plans for his next release to have plenty more kick and punch.

“Ryu and Ken from Street Fighter, they do Hadouken,” Espinach said. “I feel like Resin Ballet was kind of like trying to shoot fireballs. Everything else after is learning how to combo. You have to build an artistic foundation before you can actually play with it and deconstruct it and expand upon it. Luckily I feel like this album created that foundation.” - Long Beach Post

Musician Michael Espinach, who goes by the stagename BREATHERRR, is a California State University, Long Beach alumnus who is making ripples in Long Beach’s psychedelic music scene.
The Daily 49er put on their swim caps and goggles and plunged into BREATHERRR’s world for a talk about his sound, what he’s working on and where he came from.

Where are you from?
I was born in West Covina area and I moved to Long Beach when I was seven. I’ve lived in Long Beach for a while. During high school I moved in with my dad who lives in Pasadena so I was there for four years. But for the most part, I’m in Long Beach. [Long Beach] is crazy eclectic. I love the fact that the vibe changes so drastically, like you can literally cross the street and you’ll be in a completely different sort of zone. I feel culturally things are really, really progressive here. There’s so much going on in L.A., but Long Beach has a certain open quality to it. I think it’s being by the ocean and because it’s so eclectic here you do get varying [music] genres and different audiences. You get people that are into lots of different things and it’s not as congested as going into the city. So that absolutely helps my creative process. It’s not stifling.
What did you study at CSULB?
I studied religious studies with a concentration on East-European philosophies like Buddhism. Recently I’ve kind of gone back to the simplicity from those points of view. The thing with college and the thing with my experience at [CSULB] was… my most college moment was my second to last semester, I was taking 18 units because I was trying to get out. I remember during finals week I was at the library and I saw these girls in their pajamas and they had sleeping bags and they were studying, and I just thought that was the coolest thing. All of these people are so amped on nailing this test and are willing to sleep on the ground. I love that people are being hungry for it and I think that’s the biggest thing that I got [from college] was knowing that I could finish. Knowing that I could see something through and that absolutely [meant] more than my major.
Why do you go by “BREATHERRR”?
What listeners should look forward to:


New music video by Khodee Billiet out on Halloween.
Show at 4th Street Vine on November 7 at 7p.m.
New album “Almond Noir” out next fall
I had an old band called I Am You and we were a three-piece psychedelic rock band, but we were mostly instrumental. Whenever we’d play live my tuning in between songs would take forever. Even live now I use segments from movies in between my songs so it keeps the story going. So initially I called it “Breatherrr” for that sort of interlude. Once I started making music under that name I [thought it was cool], like something that breathes. The significance [of the name] is actually pretty major now. I think when someone takes a breather they have to slow things down and they have to take a look at a big picture. Sometimes you get so involved in things that you kind of lose track of what you’re trying to do. As far as why there’s three r’s , it makes you look at it and wonder, “Why?” I’d rather people have questions than be able to try to sum things up as, “You’re this” or “You’re that.”

Why is your debut album called “Resin Ballet”?
It’s psychedelic music, and I remember I [smoked marijuana] for a very long while and what’s funny with “resin” that resin is when you’re out of weed and that’s the last effort, you’ve scraped the pipe for this one last black, sticky stuff and it’s not good for you, it has probably the most tar, but you have the desperation to get high. I like that juxtaposition of something dark and sticky, kind of desperate as oppose to something like ballet, which is immensely graceful and totally beautiful and gorgeous. There’s so much power and strength there. [Ballet] looks very effortless but you know that those ballerinas [put in work]. I love body movements and I think that this next album is really going to try to get into the nitty-gritty of that. Just humanness, being a creature. You can’t have the light without the heavy, you can’t have the light without the dark.

What is your sound and where is it going?
I try to have a certain juxtaposition between sounds like intense stuff with ambient stuff, while making it transition well. I call [the sound] post-psychedelic and although I’m sober, I feel like my life in general these days is very, very psychedelic. And think that my music is, if anything, going to get more intense. I’m defiantly messing with a lot of [different sounds] like jazz and jazz rhythms. If anything, I’m trying to make psychedelic-noise-jazz pop, like spiking the Kool-Aid. I’m applying pop structure to more things now. So when I say pop, I’m thinking in terms of Michael Jackson as much as Nirvana, what got me into music. I’m really into Miles Davis but then I’m also really into Slayer and Dub. I like especially what I am doing right now, as far as working on this new album, I am trying to apply certain aesthetic things that I am really into. I try to put myself in the certain headspace where every sound is something that you could imagine as a tangible thing.

What are your goals in the coming year?
Besides working on the album, getting new merchandise out. I’m also trying to curate shows [in Long Beach] with stuff that I’m into. I just submitted to South By Southwest [music festival] so ideally I’m looking to tour next year around March, regardless if I get into South By Southwest or not. Hopefully within the next couple of months I’ll have some more songs. I do plan on putting out a holiday EP, so hopefully within the next two months I’ll have at least a cover and a Christmas song. This time of the year is really big for me. I’m really into the vibe. Around this time of year everything slows down in a sense. I think it’s a very reflective time of the year because everyone is looking at the year thus far and what they’re going to do differently. - CSULB Daily 49er

“Let’s see . . . what is some shit that just blows my mind?”

The view of the Belmont Shore Pier resting on the Pacific Ocean, the Pink Floyd and Grizzly Bear posters hanging in his living room and the vinyl collection nestle in the corner of the room directly below the posters are some of the things that stand out as you enter his apartment.

As he sifts through his vinyl collection it’s safe to say that Michael Espinach’s taste in music is eclectic.

The records that rest against the wall include music from New Age, Pulp, Radiohead, Talking Heads, Fleetwood Mac, Flying Lotus, Fuck Buttons, Animal Collective, My Bloody Valentine, Wu-Tang Clan, Foals and of course Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon”.

“I even have some Sade,” Espinach says as he continues to browse his collection. “I didn’t even know I had that there. I need to listen to that pretty soon.”

He started collecting records around the time he started attending California State University, Long Beach. Espinach graduated from CSULB in 2011, where he studied religion with a concentration on eastern philosophies like Daoism, Hinduism and Buddhism.

“I bought Slayer’s “Reign in Blood” and Miles Davis’s “Kind of Blue” at the same time,” Espinach says. “And that has something huge to do with what the new record is about. That’s kind of the idea – having the super intense kind of shit with something melancholic and cool.”

Espinach started making music about eight years ago in a psychedelic rock band called I Am You, but went solo and now makes music under the name Breatherrr. His first solo album “Resin Ballet” was released in 2013.

He recently played several gigs in Texas during South by Southwest, and is currently working on a follow-up album slated to be called “Almond Noir.”

“Describing my sound is a bit difficult in words, but I think with this album I want people to trip, fuck and cry.” Espinach says laughing while sipping on some freshly-brewed coffee. “I want people to have an intense psychedelic experience. I’d like it if people fuck or dance to it and be very sensual with it and I’d love for it to move them in a way that can make them cry.”

He said he has always described his music “post-psychedelic.” Most notably his music draws from various type of genres including shoegaze, drone, noise rock, trip hop, industrial and older psychedelic music. There is no doubt denying the sound of his music can be deliriously repetitive and hypnotic.

The new album hopes to deconstruct the meaning of relationships, according to Espinach.

He believes that relationships are not limited to another person, but also habits, vices, or a relationship with yourself. He hopes thematically the work will play with the idea of alchemy, and especially hopes listeners will take his music apart in other to fully understand the narrative he is trying to tell.

He chose the name for the upcoming album because he is actually allergic to nuts. Even though he can’t eat nuts he feels a strong relationship between the idea of an almond, the taste of an almond and the look of an almond.

Not only is Espinach a music aficionado, but he is also quite the movie buff. His first record samples quotes from “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” His upcoming release has a track which samples the sword swinging fights from “Kill Bill” to create a seductive beat.

One day while watching the noir cult classic “Blade Runner” he decided it would be a fitting way to name his forthcoming project.

“The noir genre of film never has a clear cut ending,” Espinach says. “It’s not necessarily black or white. It’s very much grey. There is a lot of fear in that. What I am trying to do is very intense, but very pretty.”

During his debut effort he said he felt he would jam a lot in every track so that each one was a journey. This time around he hopes to dedicate each song to a particular set of emotions or emotional feelings that will tell a complete story when the record is heard.

“It’s intensity in the way that just being alive is intense,” Espinach says.

By the end he said he wants to create something he himself is shocked he is releasing into the world.

“It’s not that I’m trying to trip a person out; it’s that trippyness just happens. Because that’s what the song wants, it’s been sitting there the whole time you just need to write it. It’s waiting to happen, and you have to let that out. That’s what the record is about.” - The Edge Long Beach

Long Beach post-psych artist BREATHERRR (Michael Anthony Espinach) has been creating music since early 2014, gaining massive traction in his hometown. His biggest piece to note is his upcoming LP Almond Noir, which tells his own personal story of life with substance abuse. We have the exclusive premiere of his single off that LP, “Chantrieri”, right here.

Breathy vocals, interesting percussion, and sound effects hold the song together like glue. The song documents specific details, while bringing attention to otherwise unnoticed attributes like the flush of a face and freckles. He’s painting a very vivid picture, and it’s swarming around us in what we could only describe as a psychedelic cage.

Says BREATHERRR of the track, “‘Chantrieri’ is a mission statement of the themes and aesthetic of Almond Noir. Its mood: dark but cathartic; structure: chaotic though melodic; words: reflective and erotic; an alchemical approach to pop styling, while implementing the post genre psychedelia I have come to embody and voice.” - Impose Magazine

Long Beach, CA-based, post-psychedelic/electronic artist BREATHERRR, AKA multi-instrumentalist/producer Michael Anthony Espinach, takes an experimental approach to his intriguing music, interweaving strands of trip-hop, jungle, new wave jazz, pop, and more into his explorative soundscapes. BREATHERRR’s upcoming album, Almond Noir, is set for release November 11th worldwide.

BREATHERRR came to life in early 2014, quickly gaining critical acclaim and building up a strong following in the Long Beach and surrounding areas. He has played numerous shows at SXSW and performed to packed venues across Southern California, opening for artists like Pictureplane and DJ R.A.W.

Lead single “Chantrieri” takes the listener on a fantastic(al) trip through a psychedelic mash-up of exotic sounds, textures, and rhythms. On the tune, BREATHERRR roams through and fuses various music genres, from tribal to jazz and pop, pulling out all the stops by contrasting crisp, lively percussion with a hypnotically smooth flow. The result is a scintillating, seductive, destabilizing mix that is not to be missed.

Written by: Jen Dan - The Record Stache

Who’s in for a head trip? “Chantrieri” is the track for you today! With chorused vocals, echoes and synths all around, it has a steady and groovy beat that makes the track easy to follow.

Hailing from Long Beach (CA), BREATHERRR is a trip-hoppy, psychedelic outfit, brainchild of multi-instrumentalist producer Michael Anthony Espinach.

“Chantrieri” is the first single off Almond Noir, BREATHERRR’s upcoming album, set for release November 11th worldwide.

Give it a listen and show them some love! - Too Much Love

BREATHERRR is a recording project masterminded by Long Beach multi-instrumentalist and producer Michael Anthony Espinach. He’ll be releasing debut LP Almond Noir at the end of the year and ‘Chantrieri’ is the lead single. Somehow managing to be both minimal and intensely psychedelic, the seedy verses expand into a new wave chorus with restless nervous energy. Espinach employs strong bass grooves and nuanced percussive play throughout - even a cursory listen suggests he’s one to keep a close eye on. - Lost In the Mirror

BREATHERRR is a post-psych artist based out of Long Beach, CA. By interweaving roots in trip hop, jungle, and industrial with new found explorations of jazz and noise, BREATHERRR’s music aims to submerge listeners to a liquid state of ecstasy and catharsis.

BREATHERRR is the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist producer Michael Anthony Espinach. Founded in early 2014, BREATHERRR fuses psychedelic noise with new wave jazz and pop for a unique musical experiment. After only a couple of years, BREATHRRR has garnered critical acclaim and success in his hometown of Long Beach.

His most ambitious project to date is the upcoming LP entitled Almond Noir. The album touches upon finding strength in vulnerability and tells the story of Espinach’s own battle with substance abuse. .

Almond Noir begins with the leading single Chantrieri which fuses electronic beats with heavy bass and new-wave vocals. Chantieri is experimental yet with a pop sensibility rarely found in music today. In the second track Tar, BREATHRRR brilliantly fuses industrial beats and dark wave influenced lyricism for what can be described as a beautiful yet poignantly haunting musical psychedlic trip.

Fresh off of playing numerous shows at SXSW, BREATHRRR continues to play packed venues across Southern California opening for such artists as Pictureplane and DJ R.A.W.

Almond Noir is set for release November 11th worldwide and you can check out single Chantrieri below!



We managed to catch up with BREATHRRR as he talks about the upcoming release, latest song, fans and more!
So how pumped are you of the upcoming release ‘Almond Noir’ ?

I am very excited for the release, and also pretty anxious. Releases in general are incredibly vulnerable, and you’re setting a new bar for yourself. I feel like I’ve accomplished what I set out to do with this record, as far as the story I’m telling. I also touched upon many styles and structures that I’ve imagined incorporating for a very long time. Although there is a Pop structural leaning, I feel as if I still stuck to my guns with experimentalism and have made far strides in fully realizing my voice.

How has the first impressions of Chantrieri gone?

It has been received very well. Just yesterday the video was released and I’ve received a tremendous amount of support from not only personal friends, but new friends from the music community. I chose it as the first single for a reason: it really captures the vibe of the whole album, but it in a very balanced way. Dark but dancey, experimental though accessible. People respond to visual stimulus so immediately, so being to incorporate visuals with my music is always so exciting and magical.

Can you tell us a little bit about the album?

The album is meant to be listened to as a story, as opposed to a collection of songs. So there is an absolute transformation happening for the listener, not just on matter of instrumental changes, but lyrically as well. It is a very candid look into my thought processes. There are 3 underlying themes to the album, that all run parallel, although it can mean way more to each listener. On an essential level, it is my version a psychedelic trip, which equals out a Post-Psychedelic Pop album. Although I’ve flirted with pop structuring in the past, this is a full exploration of Pop and accessibility. This is accessibility being seen as “comfort” in a way, and what happens when that comfort transforms and changes. That runs parallel with the themes of personal relationships and substance abuse. You will have to listen to the album to see how those themes and the story unfolds.

How different is it from your previous releases?

This is technically the 3rd body of work I’ve written, the first being with my first band, I’mU, and the 2nd being RESIN BALLET, which I released 2 years ago. I’ve steadily been moving from an instrumental take on music to more vocally driven, or at least, vocal incorporative. I’ve always had psychedelia laced in my music, but how I’ve gone about expressing those ideas has expanded. It has to do with really owning the narrative part of my music writing, and wanting to be more clear about what my message is, instead of pure abstraction. I’ve also grown more confident with my own voice, so I’ve been more vocally active musically. With all that in mind, for the most part, my song lengths have shortened, in order to be more effective with my message. That not only comes from a strategic mind set on my part, but also the music that I’m more prone to listen to these days. I’ve drawn more and more influence from punk, metal, and pop, so feeding that need for immediacy has become a part of my music. There are absolutely parts of this album that are a little more drawn out, but it is all very intentional. I’ve definitely gotten a much clearer vision these days, so expressing that has been more focused and rewarding.

Will there be a tour with the release?

I absolutely intend to, although at the moment I am really focusing on gaining traction in LA as I have been doing a majority of my foundation building in Long Beach, which is my home. I’m really excited to bring these songs on the road. Doing shows in other cities is always crazy as you’re truly delegating for yourself in a place away from home. It really allows you to see what it is you’re trying to accomplish.

How much does your fans mean to you?

It is always a very crazy, yet heart warming experience to receive any sort of recognition for my art as it is so personal. At times I feel like what I’m putting out there might go over someone’s head, but for someone to not only understand, but enjoy or have an emotion response, is really special. I feel very lucky to be asked about doing shows, or for someone to buy merch or an album. They’re helping me do what I do, which I can have nothing but gratitude for.

Do you find it hard being a solo artist rather than in a band?

Being Solo is immensely rewarding as I’m fully immersed in my vision and I don’t have to compromise whatever crazy ideas I have. However, I love playing in bands. It’s truly magical, and I love the language that is spoken amongst band members. It is something truly special. Being solo can be a lonely affair, especially in matters of traveling, but scheduling is IMMENSELY easier. I can pick up and do whatever I want, whenever I want. And as finances allow, I will be able to provide a more sonically rich experience through my own sound system. There’s only one ego to deal with when you’re solo, hahaha. I love collaboration though, and being able to do that on this record was beautiful. I got to work with close friends and see their interpretation of my story. I provided a skeleton that they gave flesh to, which is an incredible thing to witness.

If you could work with any artist on a album, who would it be and why?

That’s so tough. Everyone I look up to musically would be a trip. If he were still around… Miles Davis. There’s just something about his work, even before his psychedelic era BITCHES BREW… like “Round Midnight” era, that is just so patient and emotional. I feel that I’m eventually going to make a jazz record one day. I do not know how it will sound yet… which is why I want to do it.

What has been your most proudest moment to date?

Everything feels like a step forward. I’ve gotten to not only book, but play with Pictureplane. I’ve played shows at SXSW, opening for 6blocc. I’ve had mentors tell me that I’m heading in the right path, and to keep going. I’ve had fans ask me about my music, wondering why it’s not my full time job yet. But really, my proudest moment so far is listening to my music and knowing, and feeling, that I’ve accomplished what I’ve set out to do. And that would be ALMOND NOIR. - OriginalRock.net

OK, so Breatherrr is the post-psych solo project of Long Beach, CA-based artist Michael Anthony Espinach who artfully melds industrial, trip hop and even jungle, with exploratory elements of both jazz and noise. The end result is what can basically be described as Psychedelic Thrash Rock. Well, today we have the pleasure of premiering Breatherrr's new single "Tar" which, as with the rest of his music, "aims to submerge listeners to a liquid state of ecstasy and catharsis."

Only some two or so short years since forming, Breatherrr has already amassed a dedicated following in Southern California and the release of his forthcoming album, Almond Noir, will only bolster that fan base. Due out worldwide on November 11th, 2016, Almond Noir is easily Breatherrr's most personal and ambitious project to date which "touches upon finding strength in vulnerability and tells the story of Espinach’s own battle with substance abuse."

Says Espinach, "This album points to the cultivation and letting go of certain relationships. Building and destroying romantic relationships, cultivating and abstaining from my chemical relationships, and hiding from and truly discovering the relationship with my self." - PureGrainAudio

Post-psych artist, Breatherrr is preparing to release his new album, Almond Noir on November 11th. Surviving the Golden Age is excited to premiere the music video for his new single “Chantrieri.” The snaky guitars and dark undertones are complimented perfectly by the haunting visuals. Bouncing between a choreographed ritual dance, a castration, and an extreme closeup of Breatherrr’s mouth, the video is probably not safe for work and some viewers might find it a bit disturbing but it is a captivating watch. - Surviving The Golden Age

In less than two years, BREATHERR has gained a strong following in Southern California by fusing psychedelic noise with new wave jazz and pop resulting in a unique musical experiment. Below you can listen to the infectious and melodic tracks, “Plume” and “Chantrieri”. Both songs get playful and experimental with synths and SFX parts but never strays so far off to lose focus. I think he’s simply brilliant with this masterful stuff called music, enjoy! - ElectroWOW

Steady constancy is not a means of creation for Michael Anthony Espinach. The Long Beach-based multi-instrumentalist likes to find new approaches that stimulate him, different forms of expression that are starkly honesty even if they could impart some obvious discomfort. His musical project, BREATHERRR, is about taking chances with undaunted persistence - it’s meant to fit no obvious genre, a technique that wholly feeds into his unpredictable streak. What once was an industrial-inspired-project with art rock elements has now transitioned into a sound that’s more embracing but no less challenging. “Plume”, the third track off of his third full-length Almond Noir, is one of the first times where Espinach places himself front and center, a candid piece of free-flowing poetry that is exceptionally suitable for the song’s glitch and thrumming electronic elements.
Almond Noir has a set release date of November 11 on all major music platforms. You can catch him on November 3 at Prospector Long Beach. - Juan Rodríguez - The Deli Magazine

BREATHERRR is the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist producer Michael Anthony Espinach. Founded in early 2014, BREATHERRR fuses psychedelic noise with new wave jazz and pop for a unique musical experiment. After only a couple of years, BREATHERRR has garnered critical acclaim and success in his hometown of Long Beach. His sound is a unique and stomach punching blend of genres, and manages to seem rebellious and homely all at the same time.

Tell me about your influences as an artist?
My influences range far and wide. On an artistic level, I love film and obviously various kinds of music. For this particular album, pop, jazz, and metal were explored the most: Coltrane, Miles Davis, Elvin James, Tera Melos, Dillinger Escape Plan, The Cure, Bleachers, Prince, HEALTH... the list goes on but those come to mind the most readily. I enjoy really immersive films like THE SHINING, Birdman, Akira, Inherent Vice. There was a good few weeks that I had HOLY MOUNTAIN just playing on repeat... it has such a bizzarely open-minded vibe that it kept me in a very creative space. Thematically... really my own experiences and growth as a human being.

Who inspires you the most?
HEALTH has always been a really big band for me, and seeing what they have been able to do without compromising their artistic integrity. I have a lot of respect and love for them.

You have a really unique sound, what's your writing process like?
Some of these songs started as guitar demos over 3 years ago, then they just transformed. It can be a riff, or a drum loop, and I just start building. All of these songs really just came together naturally, I didn't really write something to fill space between songs. Concepts are really huge to me, so being able to sonically recreate something I see visually in my head is the key. I conceptualize in terms of colors and shapes, and once you start bring your own narrative into it, those words and lyrics helps shape and give color to those sounds. It's all emotional, and I love juxtaposition, so making extreme parts, in either aggressive or relaxed fashions, is really enticing.

What was the inspiration for your most recent single Chantrieri?
Chantrieri is a letter to a lost love. I was trying to process changes that I had to make on a personal basis, and to also let this person know how much they mean to me, even if the relationship was not meant to move forward the way we may have imagined. So there is a sense of acceptance, but also dramtically, and graphically, telling someone that I miss them. Our band was The Cure, so the guitars really came together, at least tonally, from listening to a lot DISINTEGRATION. The dance aspect was really inspired by MISS YOU by the ROLLING STONES. The synth in there was influenced by old school gangster rap. The lyrics also lay reference to Genesis Breyer P-Orridge and Thee Temple ov thee Psychick Youth's PSYCHICK BIBLE, which had some very inspirational aspects creatively for me.

You're a great dancer in the video for Chantrieri, have you got any other creative outlets?
Thanks! Honestly, my music has been the main vehicle for all my creative output. So everything from the merch to the videos is an expression of the music. I do love cooking though.

Your video for Chantrieri is very shocking in parts, what was the concept behind it?
Going back to the Lost Love aspect that I mentioned earlier, it was about expressing that in a very extreme way. I love occult movies. Horror and avant garde movies are my jam. I mentioned Holy Mountain earlier... I think that being able to visually bring out a piece of art, especially on film, is total magic. So the more graphic parts of the video were really just me thinking, "Hmmm I haven't seen that yet. Let's Do it!"

Your new EP is about relationships, both with substances and people, could you talk a little more broadly about that?
The album draws a parallel between substance use, romantic relationships, and ultimately the relationship with my self. It starts with a very detached, but intrigued view, and transforms into an anxious, dependent experience. I ca't say how it ends, but musically it functions along that narrative. To use a romantic relationship as an example, it's documenting the initial meeting, first date, into something more involved, and the highs, lows, strength, and fragility that comes with that deeper connection. Lyrically and musically, you can see my thought process, so it gradually transforms the deeper you go into the album.

Your sound has gathered quite the following in California, what is it about that area of the world that makes it so special in terms of the music you make?
People are very open-minded around here, at least in a creative sense. There are so many artists being exposed to each other on a daily basis, so tastes grow more eclectic. With my sound, I benefit from open-mindedness. I think it's cool if someone is into a niche genre, and somehow connects that with what I'm doing. It makes it something special for them and me, like our own secret handshake. - INDIEBEAN