Surf guitar, punk and metal-inspired NYC artist GUITARMY OF ONE presents 'Soylent Sea Green' with hyperactive video

November 2, 2023

“An accomplished ex-punk who has made the striking transition to atmospheric soundtracks” ~ Big Takeover Magazine

"Helland has tapped something interesting and, dare we say, magical... Soundtracks for the movie in our minds" ~ PopMatters

"A clever and flexible visionary musically... A fascinating listen through and through, each song is engaging with anticipation towards the end of each ending in delight at the start of the next" ~ The Spill Magazine

"Fom hardcore punk to thrash metal, to folk-punk cabaret, to working with J. Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.), and more; Helland never fails to surprise with his continuous evolution as an artist" ~ Ghost Cult Magazine

"Outlandish, playful, mysterious... plays out like the soundtrack to an old detective television show" ~ Alt77

NYC indie surf rock instrumental artist Guitarmy of One presents his new video 'Soylent Seafoam Green', filmed in Paris, Whitby, UK and New York State. This is the latest offering from his new spy-themed album ‘The Wave Files’, influenced by surf guitar, punk and metal. This adventurous 10-track album, crowdfunded earlier this year via Kickstarter, is a driving fun mix of dark ominous riffs, guitar swells and foreboding reverb-drenched melodies.

Guitarmy of One is the solo project of guitarist Scott Helland, an ex-hardcore punk bass player turned instrumental songwriter, whose first band (Deep Wound) was formed with alt-rock trailblazers J Mascis and Lou Barlow (Dinosaur Jr). He later joined hardcore/ crossover thrash stalwarts Outpatients, School of Violence and Darkside NYC before ultimately forming post-punk duo Frenchy and the Punk in 2005.

Soylent Seafoam Green' was inspired by the 1973 sci-fi dystopian cult thriller 'Soylent Green', which takes place in the future in New York, which is dealing with the effects of overpopulation, depleted resources and dying oceans. In the film, a mysterious food source is being given to people and the detective wants to find out what it actually is.

"I continue with my own campy spy and detective role in this new video. The song mixes dark ominous guitar riffing with surf guitar swells and foreboding reverb drenched melodies. It’s surf rock with a gothic edge," says Scott Helland.

"The videos are a totally DIY series, where I film and edit these shorts to bring the visual element to my surf spy rock instrumentals. It completes the 'movie in your head' aspect of the music. As a kid, I wanted to be an actor before discovering music and following that path. Now I get to do both!"

This video follows the latest one for 'Kolchak Meets The Sea Mobster', which was inspired by the 70s thriller detective show 'Kolchak the Night Stalker', and ‘Top Secret Agent Man on a Wire Tapped Phone at Sea’, the first taste of 'The Wave Files' LP.

The album involves coded intrigue, each song blatantly and not so blatantly containing the word ‘sea’ in the lyrics. This record's concept is rooted in spy and detective shows from the 60s, 70s and 80s - like the sonic equivalent of those shows, riding the waves of intrigue and espionage. For instance 'Hawaii 5-0' inspired 'Jack Lord of the Sea' and the tv show 'The Saint' spawned 'Seance for the Saint'. Even real life mobsters like Legs Diamond inspired the song 'Sea Legs Diamond'.

Following his 'The Spy Detective Collective’ LP, this album combines the thrilling sounds of spy-themed instrumental surf guitar music with punk vitality. Guitarmy of One creates a sonic adventure to the realms of intrigue, danger and surf-soaked excitement with Helland channeling that raw and unconventional spirit into a quirky fusion of genres.

"I wanted this album to be music you want to travel with - in your mind or physically. It’s action music, and I think it should ignite your imagination and take you on a journey. Wordless music relies on the visuals it creates so if it can take you on a sonic adventure across continents, or at least counties, my work is done," says Scott Helland.

Guitarmy of One conjures up images of secret agents, high-speed chases, and hidden agendas through his intricate layered compositions. His mix of surf guitar techniques (i.e. reverb-drenched chords, lightning-fast tremolo picking, and tremolo bar vibrato albeit with a Bigsby bridge pedal) creates a sonic landscape that is both nostalgic and forward-thinking.

'The Wave Files' is out now and available across digital platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp, where the full album can also be ordered on CD.

CREDITS
Written, performed and produced by Scott Helland
All instrumentation by Scott Helland
Engineered by Jason Sarubbi Split Rock Studio, New Paltz, NY
Mastered by Jason Sarubbi
Cover Art by Nukui Bogard
Layout and Single Design Samantha Stephenson
Artist photos by Samantha Stephenson

LIVE SHOWS
JAN 19-21 Atlanta, GA - Inuhele Tiki Surf Weekend
FEB 16-18 Gettysburg, PA - Mythicon
MAR 2 New York, NY - Unsteady Freddie’s Surf Rock Shindig at Otto’s Shrunken Head
MAY 5 New York, NY - Twangstock

Spy-surf sound adventurer GUITARMY OF ONE presents 'Kolchak Meets The Sea Mobster' + video from 'The Wave Files' album

September 27, 2023

“An accomplished ex-punk who has made the striking transition to atmospheric soundtracks” ~ Big Takeover Magazine

"Helland has tapped something interesting and, dare we say, magical... Soundtracks for the movie in our minds" ~ PopMatters

"A clever and flexible visionary musically... A fascinating listen through and through, each song is engaging with anticipation towards the end of each ending in delight at the start of the next" ~ The Spill Magazine

"Fom hardcore punk to thrash metal, to folk-punk cabaret, to working with J. Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.), and more; Helland never fails to surprise with his continuous evolution as an artist" ~ Ghost Cult Magazine

"Outlandish, playful, mysterious... plays out like the soundtrack to an old detective television show" ~ Alt77

Riding high on his latest spy-surf themed album ‘The Wave Files’, NYC-based artist Guitarmy of One is back with a new video for 'Kolchak Meets The Sea Mobster', which was inspired by the 70s thriller detective show 'Kolchak the Night Stalker'.

With its heavy dark surf rock vibe and spy noir riffing, this song conjures espionage on the open sea and the mystique of detectives on the case. This is the latest offering from this adventurous 10-track album, crowdfunded earlier this year via Kickstarter - a driving fun mix of dark ominous guitar riffs, surf guitar swells and foreboding reverb drenched melodies.

Guitarmy of One is the solo project of guitarist Scott Helland, an ex-hardcore punk bass player turned instrumental songwriter, whose first band (Deep Wound) was formed with alt-rock trailblazers J Mascis and Lou Barlow (Dinosaur Jr). He later joined hardcore/ crossover thrash stalwarts Outpatients, School of Violence and Darkside NYC before ultimately forming post-punk duo Frenchy and the Punk in 2005.

Helland explains, "The video for this song takes my spy guy character on an excursion to meet the Sea Mobster for an exchange of information with the aid of Agent Camille. When writing 'The Wave Files' album, I had certain characters from classic detective/spy/thriller shows in mind. The music for this song was specifically inspired by Kolchak, the main character in the 70s thriller detective show 'Kolchak the Night Stalker'. Although the video doesn’t necessarily mirror the type of scenes from the show, it does follow a mini story of intrigue."

Following 'The Spy Detective Collective’ album, ‘Top Secret Agent Man on a Wire Tapped Phone at Sea’ was the first taste of 'The Wave Files' LP. The album involves coded intrigue, each song blatantly and not so blatantly containing the word ‘sea’ in the lyrics. This record's concept is rooted in spy and detective shows from the 60s, 70s and 80s - like the sonic equivalent of those shows, riding the waves of intrigue and espionage.

For instance 'Hawaii 5-0' inspired the song 'Jack Lord of the Sea', the tv show 'The Saint' inspired 'Seance for the Saint', and the sci-fi thriller 'Soylent Green' gave birth to 'Soylent Seafoam Green'. Even real life mobsters like Legs Diamond played a role in writing the song 'Sea Legs Diamond'.

Combining the thrilling sounds of spy-themed instrumental surf guitar music with punk vitality, Guitarmy of One creates a sonic adventure to the realms of intrigue, danger and surf-soaked excitement with Helland channeling that raw and unconventional spirit into a quirky fusion of genres.

"I wanted this album to be music you want to travel with - in your mind or physically. It’s action music, and I think it should ignite your imagination and take you on a journey. Wordless music relies on the visuals it creates so if it can take you on a sonic adventure across continents, or at least counties, my work is done," says Scott Helland.

Influenced by Spanish guitar, punk and metal, Guitarmy of One conjures up images of secret agents, high-speed chases, and hidden agendas through his intricate layered compositions. His mix of surf guitar techniques (i.e. reverb-drenched chords, lightning-fast tremolo picking, and tremolo bar vibrato albeit with a Bigsby bridge pedal) creates a sonic landscape that is both nostalgic and forward-thinking.

'The Wave Files' is out now and available across digital platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp, where the full album can also be ordered on CD.

CREDITS
Written, performed and produced by Scott Helland
All instrumentation by Scott Helland
Engineered by Jason Sarubbi Split Rock Studio, New Paltz, NY
Mastered by Jason Sarubbi
Cover Art by Nukui Bogard
Layout and Single Design Samantha Stephenson
Artist photos by Samantha Stephenson

NYC artist GUITARMY OF ONE releases 'The Wave Files' album, spy-themed surf guitar music with punk vitality

August 18, 2023

“An accomplished ex-punk who has made the striking transition to atmospheric soundtracks” ~ Big Takeover Magazine

"Helland has tapped something interesting and, dare we say, magical... Soundtracks for the movie in our minds" ~ PopMatters

"A clever and flexible visionary musically... A fascinating listen through and through, each song is engaging with anticipation towards the end of each ending in delight at the start of the next" ~ The Spill Magazine

"Fom hardcore punk to thrash metal, to folk-punk cabaret, to working with J. Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.), and more; Helland never fails to surprise with his continuous evolution as an artist" ~ Ghost Cult Magazine

"Outlandish, playful, mysterious... plays out like the soundtrack to an old detective television show" ~ Alt77

NYC-based artist Guitarmy of One has released his adventurous crowdfunded album ‘The Wave Files’, mixing dark ominous guitar riffing with surf guitar swells and foreboding reverb drenched melodies.

This is surf rock with a gothic edge from guitarist Scott Helland, an ex-hardcore punk bass player turned instrumental songwriter, whose first band (Deep Wound) was formed with alt-rock trailblazers J Mascis and Lou Barlow (Dinosaur Jr). He would later join hardcore/ crossover thrash stalwarts Outpatients, School of Violence and Darkside NYC before ultimately forming post-punk duo Frenchy and the Punk in 2005.

This solo project combines the thrilling sounds of spy-themed instrumental surf guitar music with punk vitality. Taking listeners on a sonic adventure to the realms of intrigue, danger and surf-soaked excitement, Helland channels that raw and unconventional spirit into a quirky fusion of genres.

Guitarmy of One recently released 'Soylent Seafoam Green', inspired by the 1970s cult sci-fi movie 'Soylent Green', having earlier released 'Kolchak meets the Sea Mobster', with a Spanish guitar-influenced twist and lead track ‘Top Secret Agent Man on a Wire Tapped Phone at Sea’, along with its fun spytastic video.

This record picks up where his latest album 'The Spy Detective Collective’ left off. Helland explains, "I wanted this album to be music you want to travel with - in your mind or physically. It’s action music, and I think it should ignite your imagination and take you on a journey. Wordless music relies on the visuals it creates so if it can take you on a sonic adventure across continents, or at least counties, my work is done. The idea for this album is rooted in spy and detective shows from the 60s, 70s and 80s. I want the music to be a sonic equivalent of those shows and movies where you’re riding the waves of intrigue and espionage so the music has to match that sense of urgency and excitement."

As a full-fledged espionage-inspired surf rock act, Guitarmy of One takes us on a thrilling musical journey, blending the realms of instrumental guitar, surf music and the mystique of spy themes within the one person band format. Helland weaves his mysterious and generous acoustic-electric melodies over propulsive spy riffs and electro beats, layering and building patiently toward engrossing payoffs.

Influenced by Spanish guitar, punk and metal, Guitarmy of One conjures up images of secret agents, high-speed chases, and hidden agendas through his intricate layered compositions. His mix of surf guitar techniques (i.e. reverb-drenched chords, lightning-fast tremolo picking, and tremolo bar vibrato albeit with a Bigsby bridge pedal) creates a sonic landscape that is both nostalgic and forward-thinking.

As of August 18, 'The Wave Files' is available across digital platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp, where the full album can also be ordered on CD.

CREDITS
Written, performed and produced by Scott Helland
All instrumentation by Scott Helland
Engineered by Jason Sarubbi Split Rock Studio, New Paltz, NY
Mastered by Jason Sarubbi
Cover Art by Nukui Bogard
Layout and Single Design Samantha Stephenson
'Top Secret' video filmed and fdited by Guitarmy of One
Artist photos by Samantha Stephenson

NYC artist GUITARMY OF ONE presents retro sci-fi inspired 'Soylent Seafoam Green' ahead of 'The Wave Files' LP

July 26, 2023

“An accomplished ex-punk who has made the striking transition to atmospheric soundtracks” ~ Big Takeover Magazine

"Helland has tapped something interesting and, dare we say, magical... Soundtracks for the movie in our minds" ~ PopMatters

"Fom hardcore punk to thrash metal, to folk-punk cabaret, to working with J. Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.), and more; Helland never fails to surprise with his continuous evolution as an artist" ~ Ghost Cult Magazine

"Outlandish, playful, mysterious... plays out like the soundtrack to an old detective television show" ~ Alt77

Guitarmy of One presents his latest adventurous offering 'Soylent Seafoam Green', the third single from his forthcoming crowdfunded album ‘The Wave Files’. With the title and mood inspired by the 1970s cult sci-fi movie 'Soylent Green', this song mixes dark ominous guitar riffing with surf guitar swells and foreboding reverb drenched melodies.

This is surf rock with a gothic edge from guitarist Scott Helland, an ex-hardcore punk bass player turned instrumental songwriter, whose first band (Deep Wound) was formed with alt-rock trailblazers J Mascis and Lou Barlow (Dinosaur Jr). He would later join hardcore/ crossover thrash stalwarts Outpatients, School of Violence and Darkside NYC before ultimately forming post-punk duo Frenchy and the Punk in 2005.

This solo project combines the thrilling sounds of spy-themed instrumental surf guitar music with punk vitality. Taking listeners on a sonic adventure to the realms of intrigue, danger and surf-soaked excitement, Helland channels that raw and unconventional spirit into a quirky fusion of genres.

"'Soylent Seafoam Green' is in keeping with my blend of the spy and surf sound and is quite dark for a surf song. However, it fits the theme of the 1973 dystopian thriller film 'Soylent Green' of which the song's title is based, but don't worry, listening to the song repeatedly won't lead to cannibalism!" says Scott Helland.

Earlier, Guitarmy of One released 'Kolchak meets the Sea Mobster', with a Spanish guitar-influenced twist and lead track ‘Top Secret Agent Man on a Wire Tapped Phone at Sea’, along with a fun spytastic video.

This record picks up where his latest album 'The Spy Detective Collective’ left off. Helland explains, "I wanted this album to be music you want to travel with - in your mind or physically. It’s action music, and I think it should ignite your imagination and take you on a journey. Wordless music relies on the visuals it creates so if it can take you on a sonic adventure across continents, or at least counties, my work is done. The idea for this album is rooted in spy and detective shows from the 60s, 70s and 80s. I want the music to be a sonic equivalent of those shows and movies where you’re riding the waves of intrigue and espionage so the music has to match that sense of urgency and excitement."

As a full-fledged espionage-inspired surf rock act, Guitarmy of One takes us on a thrilling musical journey, blending the realms of instrumental guitar, surf music and the mystique of spy themes within the one person band format. Helland weaves his mysterious and generous acoustic-electric melodies over propulsive spy riffs and electro beats, layering and building patiently toward engrossing payoffs.

Influenced by Spanish guitar, punk and metal, Guitarmy of One conjures up images of secret agents, high-speed chases, and hidden agendas through his intricate layered compositions. His mix of surf guitar techniques (i.e. reverb-drenched chords, lightning-fast tremolo picking, and tremolo bar vibrato albeit with a Bigsby bridge pedal) creates a sonic landscape that is both nostalgic and forward-thinking.

As of July 26, 'Soylent Seafoam Green' is available across digital platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp, where the full album can already be ordered. On August 18, 'The Wave Files' album will be released on CD, as well as digitally.

CREDITS
Written, performed and produced by Scott Helland
All instrumentation by Scott Helland
Engineered by Jason Sarubbi Split Rock Studio, New Paltz, NY
Mastered by Jason Sarubbi
Cover Art by Nukui Bogard
Layout and Single Design Samantha Stephenson
'Top Secret' video filmed and fdited by Guitarmy of One
Artist photos by Samantha Stephenson

Spy-themed surf rock from GUITARMY OF ONE. New single ‘Top Secret Agent Man on a Wire Tapped Phone at Sea’ is out now

July 4, 2023

“An accomplished ex-punk who has made the striking transition to atmospheric soundtracks” ~ Big Takeover Magazine

"Helland has tapped something interesting and, dare we say, magical... Soundtracks for the movie in our minds" ~ PopMatters

"Fom hardcore punk to thrash metal, to folk-punk cabaret, to working with J. Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.), and more; Helland never fails to surprise with his continuous evolution as an artist" ~ Ghost Cult Magazine

"Outlandish, playful, mysterious... plays out like the soundtrack to an old detective television show" ~ Alt77

NYC-based surf rock artist Guitarmy of One presents the single ‘Top Secret Agent Man on a Wire Tapped Phone at Sea’, the first taste of his forthcoming album ‘The Wave Files’. Crowdfunded via Kickstarter, this record picks up where ‘The Spy Detective Collective’ LP left off.

Guitarmy of One is the solo project of guitarist Scott Helland, who combines the thrilling sounds of spy-themed instrumental surf guitar music with punk vitality. Taking listeners on a sonic adventure to the realms of intrigue, danger and surf-soaked excitement, Helland channels that raw and unconventional spirit into a quirky fusion of genres.

Helland got his start playing bass guitar in the 80s-90s hardcore punk scene, first with Deep Wound, which he formed with J Mascis and Lou Barlow (of Dinosaur Jr.) and later with East Coast hardcore and crossover thrash stalwarts Outpatients, School of Violence and Darkside NYC. Going solo in the mid-90s, he released numerous eclectic instrumental albums before forming post-punk dark pop cabaret duo Frenchy and the Punk in 2005 with French singer Samantha Stephenson.

"I wanted this album to be music you want to travel with - in your mind or physically. It’s action music, and I think it should ignite your imagination and take you on a journey. Wordless music relies on the visuals it creates so if it can take you on a sonic adventure across continents, or at least counties, my work is done," says Scott Helland.

"The idea for this album is rooted in spy and detective shows from the 60s, 70s and 80s. I want the music to be a sonic equivalent of those shows and movies where you’re riding the waves of intrigue and espionage so the music has to match that sense of urgency and excitement."

Influenced by Spanish guitar, punk and metal, Guitarmy of One conjures up images of secret agents, high-speed chases, and hidden agendas through his intricate layered compositions. His mix of surf guitar techniques (i.e. reverb-drenched chords, lightning-fast tremolo picking, and tremolo bar vibrato albeit with a Bigsby bridge pedal) creates a sonic landscape that is both nostalgic and forward-thinking.

As a full-fledged espionage-inspired surf rock act, Guitarmy of One takes us on a thrilling musical journey, blending the realms of instrumental guitar, surf music and the mystique of spy themes within the one person band format. Helland weaves his mysterious and generous acoustic-electric melodies over propulsive spy riffs and electro beats, layering and building patiently toward engrossing payoffs.

Scott Helland explains, "Top Secret Agent Man on a Wire Tapped Phone at Sea’ is inspired by the 1966 song by Johnny Rivers ’Secret Agent Man’. It starts with a reverb soaked low guitar octave and then goes into the main driving bass line and drum beat and the reverbed guitars blast in after that. It was one of the last songs I wrote for the album so naturally I thought it should be the first single as it has this fresh upbeat vibe. I think for the first single it captures the excitement of The Waves Files theme."

Guitarmy of One’s live performances are a spectacle as the stage becomes a laboratory of sound, as layers of guitar riffs, bass lines, and percussion intertwine and overlap, creating a lush and dynamic musical tapestry. Armed with a guitar, loop pedals, drum pads and an array of effects pedals, Helland creates a symphony of sound right before your eyes.

As of June 23, "Top Secret Agent Man on a Wire Tapped Phone at Sea’ will be available across digital platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp, where the full album can already be pre-ordered. On August 18, 'The Wave Files' album will be released on CD, as well as digitally.

CREDITS
Written, performed and produced by Scott Helland
All instrumentation by Scott Helland
Engineered by Jason Sarubbi Split Rock Studio, New Paltz, NY
Mastered by Jason Sarubbi
Cover Art by Nukui Bogard
Layout and Single Design Samantha Stephenson
Video Filmed and Edited by Guitarmy of One
Artist photos by Samantha Stephenson