about the record

What began as a simple piano and saxophone collaboration quickly and organically became something far more expansive. Alaskan Tapes on piano and Blu Miles on saxophone created half of their new project remotely, sharing stems back and forth across more than 4,000 kilometers, before Blu traveled from Portland, Oregon, to Alaskan Tapes’ home studio in Toronto, Canada. There, the two recorded three additional songs in person. Unless told otherwise, it’s nearly impossible to distinguish which tracks were made apart and which were created side by side. The connection is that seamless. That tender. That delicate.

The end result is Blank Slate, Open Space, a seven-song project that stands as a testament to what can emerge when the mind is unburdened and rules dissolve entirely. Deeply intimate and quietly beautiful, the album places the listener directly in the room, witnessing two artists making music in real time. Each track feels like a gentle postcard, a snapshot of an afternoon between friends. It's fleeting, honest, and unguarded.

While the rest of the album consists of original material, the second track is a cover of Luke Howard and Nadje Noordhuis’ 2015 composition “Oversky.” The original pairs piano with trumpet, while this interpretation maintains the same tenderness and restraint, replacing brass with woodwind to create an even softer intimacy. “Rosewood,” meanwhile, marks a shift in tone. Departing from the soothing minimalism of piano and saxophone alone, the track expands into something more cinematic, introducing percussion and a sense of scale. It feels bold, purposeful, and quietly determined, like someone holding you a little tighter because that’s exactly what you need in that moment.

One of the project’s most striking pieces arrives with “In-Cloud,” featuring multi-instrumentalist Ann Annie, a frequent collaborator of Blu, on guitar and clarinet. The added texture deepens the album’s emotional palette without disturbing its careful, seemingly fragile balance.

Across its twenty-minute runtime, Blank Slate, Open Space becomes a place entirely its own. As if you're the main character in an unreleased short film. Or a cloud drifting through the sky. A stress-free being, simply existing. As strong ambient music is often known to do, this project invites stillness. It helps one settle, helps one breathe. As keys and reed intertwine, the noise of the outside world hushes, allowing you to sit beside these artists for a little while and experience the quiet, gentle bliss they offer to those willing to listen.