Ryan Ayers may be new to CandyRat Records, but he is no stranger to the world of fingerstyle guitar. Lanterns, his newest endeavor, includes several pieces from his previous albums (such as the minimalism inspired “Folds,” the sweet “After After,” and the lyrical “Island Moonshine”); reworked, re-recorded, and newly mastered here with a clean, rich sound.

Four brand-new tracks bring energy and innovation to Lanterns. The album’s eponymous track is an showstopping epic combining fingerstyle grooves alongside classical techniques and it’s complemented by the thoughtful and lush “Overview Effect.” The alternating bass toe-tapper, “Two Hounds and a Clown” and Ayers’ first slide guitar piece, the sweeping, cinematic “Kiriata,” round out Lanterns’ new offerings.

Lanterns was mixed and recorded at SkyMuse Studios in Stanwood, Washington. The studio, located on 22 wooded acres, was designed and built by film and television composer Ron Jones, to be a musical sanctuary for artists. The unique setting created the perfect backdrop for Ayers’ latest, most intimate work.