Electric Fetus

Patrick McDermott began his North Americans project with two albums: 2013�s�No_No, and 2015�s�Legends. Both records were dense affairs, with blocks of sound shifting and moving like melting glaciers to create a gorgeous, impenetrable, collection of digital drones. Though they sounded nothing like what would come a bit later, both records showcased McDermott�s understanding of mood and composition. On 2018�s�Going Steady, McDermott blended his love of American Primitive guitar playing with playful pieces that never overstayed their welcome. He also began collaborating with a wide range of artists: from�Julianna Barwick�to guitar prodigy�Hayden Pedigo, as well as�Cloud Nothings� Dylan Baldi, and more.

Now, two years later, McDermott is releasing�Roped In, a gorgeous, intimate, and often spare album that pulls back from the collaborative nature established on�Going Steady�for a collection of fragile drone pieces anchored by McDermott�s intricate but direct guitar playing and haunting pedal steel work from Portland, Oregon�s�Barry Walker.

Where�Going Steady�was brimming with ideas and micromovements,�Roped In�is relatively sparse, built on patience and the kind of once-in-a-lifetime collaborative energy between McDermott and Walker, and accented by occasional collaborations from harpist�Mary Lattimore�and guitarist�William Tyler.��I wanted to focus on the simplicity of the music,� McDermott says. �I didn�t want to be beholden to this massive goal of [making music] to see how progressive and experimental it could be. I was attempting to cherish the pureness of this type of music.�