Byland

On September 22, 2023, Byland will release “Monstera,” her first original release since 2020’s debut album, Gray, and kick off a tour in support of the single. The moniker of Seattle-based, Albuquerque-raised cinematic indie rock artist, Alie Renee Byland, Byland’s dynamic sound is often characterized by arrangements full of intriguing time signatures and unexpected chord changes, tethered by timeless lyrics and vocal vulnerability.

“Monstera” was written about the journey - both emotional and physical - between Albuquerque and Seattle. Dedicated to a close friend and former band-mate, the song, which Byland says was “brutal” to write, “isn’t quite a love letter, but it is not an apology.” Moving away from her childhood home meant leaving her long-time collaborator, after growing up thinking they’d always play music together. “I wasn’t just changing my address - I was breaking a promise,” Alie explains. I was the migratory bird that couldn’t stay. I was the Saturn that returned then went away.”

Kicking off on September 21st, the “Monstera” tour will follow that migratory route from Southwest to Northwest, a drive that Alie has done many times over the past decade. This time, she’ll have her band with her, as well as her songwriting partner and husband, Jake Byland.