My Satellite - Person

​My Satellite

Person
self-released; 2024

TOP ALBUM

By Matt Jensen
​

My Satellite have been quietly crafting intricate, heady soundscapes since 2009, evolving from Bryan Stage’s solo project into a fully realized psychedelic indie outfit. Based in Los Angeles, their debut album, Lift, arrived in 2014 as a polished introduction to their blend of ethereal textures and rock-solid rhythms. Over the years, they’ve meticulously shaped their sound, refining their vision in the studio rather than flooding the market with releases. Now, after an arduous eight-year creative process, they return with Person, an album that unfolds like a time-lapse of a relationship’s ebb and flow, mirroring the emotional weight of its subject matter in lush, kaleidoscopic detail.  

The band cites Stevie Wonder, Radiohead, and Tame Impala as guiding lights, and those influences pulse through Person like a lifeline—there’s an appreciation for deep, locked-in grooves, a fearlessness in maximalism, and an instinct for melody that balances complexity with accessibility.

The opener, "My Satellite," wastes no time getting into experimental territory and is a clear highlight, with upright bass and an arrangement that straddles the experimentalism of Kid A-era Radiohead and the icy elegance of Björk’s Homogenic. It twists and swells, its falsetto-laced vocals and deep low-end groove making for a captivating entry point. There’s an exploratory looseness here, yet every element feels deliberate, as if the band spent years refining each moment to maximize its impact.  

"Deep Into" shifts gears, leaning into an R&B-tinged aesthetic reminiscent of Local Natives, while "Denial" injects some Daft Punk-indebted synth-funk into the mix, a club-ready jam that pulses with sleek, late-night energy. Elsewhere, tracks like "You," "Sing Your Sorrows," and "Farewell to Fantasy" weave through shimmering psych-pop and expansive rock, never settling into one predictable lane.

The more time spent with the album, the clearer its affinity with Tame Impala becomes—there’s a bright, exuberance throughout, and a sense of constant reinvention. The production is immersive, layering ethereal pads and atmospheric flourishes over tight, intricate rhythms, making every listen feel like a deeper descent into the band’s sound.  

"Strange Business" stands out as an instant earworm, its hook carving deep into memory, buoyed by lyrics that capture an existential resignation: “We insinuate, fill the space. We complicate, but we can lie here and let all that melt away. We melt away.” There’s a weight to the words, but the music counterbalances it with a lightness that keeps the song from sinking into melancholy.

"Tangles & Virtues" dials things down to a Bon Iver-like hush, all warm pads and delicate atmosphere, while "See Me Off" and the closing track "Morning" provide a fitting, emotionally resonant conclusion.  

There’s an undeniable craft to Person—its intricate layering, its ebb and flow, its meticulous attention to texture and rhythm. My Satellite have taken their time, and it shows. This is an album that rewards close listening, revealing new textures and subtleties with every spin. Eight years is a long time to spend on a single record, but for an album this immersive, the patience has paid off.

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