Photo Credit: Rose Egle

As the bassist for voguish local eclecto-pop outfit Reptar, Ryan Engelberger specialized in bubbly rhythms and spirited melodies. With Semicircle, he helped craft thoughtful arrangements that were delivered in hushed tones.

Now, as Curt Castle, he has found a satisfying middle ground, mining pathos from pop on his debut, If I'm Here at All, which is out today on True-Blue Records. To coincide with the release, we're pleased to provide a stream of the new LP in its entirety. 

Engelberger says If I'm Here at All sprang from a series of impactful life changes:

I wrote these songs over a period of a couple years where a lot of the cornerstones of my life were either dissolving or completely changing into something else. There are songs about relationships falling apart, about trying to navigate grief, about being swept up in new feelings for someone, and about how hard it can be sometimes to get out of your own head. I started off making this record by driving across the country to meet up with some musician friends in Olympia, WA, and then brought everything we worked on there to Chase Park Transduction, where Drew Vandenberg helped me really craft it into a cohesive album. So many creative friends stopped by the recording sessions to add their little bit of magic to the songs, and I'm really excited to share that magic with the world now!

Bright and purposeful, If I'm Here at All nods boldly to clear-eyed adult contempo but features enough left-field flourishes to keep the oddballs intrigued.

Check it out via the streaming link below:

Order the album on vinyl here. Digital is available on Bandcamp.