Today, Gregory Uhlmann — who is known for his work with SML, Perfume Genius, Hand Habits, and many more, and was included last week in Paste Magazine’s ’75 Greatest Guitarists of the 21st Century’ feature — shares “Burnt Toast,” the second single from his forthcoming album Extra Stars (out March 6th via International Anthem). Uhlmann also shares a performance video of “Burnt Toast,” filmed by Mark Pallman at International Anthem Studios in Chicago.

Listen to “Burnt Toast” and preorder Extra Stars here.

“Burnt Toast” is an essential example of Uhlmann’s penchant for using the guitar to make non-guitar sounds, but through a distinct and instantly recognizable ability to play the instrument itself in a way that lends to drastic and realtime tonal transformation. It’s a quick and lively skip through a blend of complimentary and warring syncopations, topped with synthetic glissandos and stereo-image warbles placed just so.

Watch the live performance of “Burnt Toast” here.

Comprising fourteen miniature infinities of inventive guitar textures, bewitching harmonic depth, and metamorphic rhythmic flickers, Extra Stars is a vividly escapist, panoramic menagerie of sound — yet another distinctive entry from an artist who has quickly established himself as an essential presence in some of the most progressive instrumental recordings of our time.

Following a long run of supporting work with artists like Perfume Genius, Tasha, and Hand Habits, alongside an eponymous recorded output largely focused on his more singer-songwriter oriented music, Uhlmann has spent the better part of the last couple years trotting out album after album of groundbreaking instrumental modern music: the sparse melodies and hushed ambient soundscapes of Small Day; his much-lauded duo outing Doubles with Meg Duffy; his perhaps lesser-known but no-less-brilliant duo record Water Map with Dustin Wong; the lush chamber-jazz interplay of his trio recording with saxophonist Josh Johnson and bassist Sam Wilkes; and the two genre-breaking albums he released as a co-leader of synth-laced trance-jazz quintet SML (2024’s Small Medium Large and 2025’s How You Been).

Extra Stars encompasses all he’s learned through all the above. For a record that seldom incorporates percussion instruments, the music is distinctly rhythm-forward, while Uhlmann also leans heavily into swaths of pastoral beauty. Extra care was clearly poured into the kind of harmonic depth that’s often missing from vibe-only “ambient” music, making for a delightfully refreshing take on the electronic, processing-heavy quiet sound.

The compositions and production techniques here reflect Uhlmann’s musicality perfectly, surely the result of him being as much a seasoned practitioner as he is an avid listener. If there is a middle ground between Cluster & Eno, Terry Riley’s Shri Camel, and Yo La Tengo’s There’s a Riot Going On, it’s somewhere nearby. Lofty comparisons aside, Extra Stars seems to look beyond reference or imitation. Even the album’s title indicates as much — inspired by a trip to California’s Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, where the reality of the night sky’s starry expanse stretches beyond the boundaries of belief.

Uhlmann will be playing live performances in Brooklyn and Los Angeles this April, with a virtual Bandcamp listening party for the album to take place on March 6. On February 15th, Living Earth will host a stargazing and advance listening party for Extra Stars outdoors at Angel’s Point in Elysian Park, Los Angeles. Full info and links for all dates below.

LIVE DATES
2/15 – Angel’s Point in Elysian Park (listening event) – Los Angeles, CA – more info
3/6 – Bandcamp Listening Party – virtual – RSVP
4/16 – Zebulon (album release show) – Los Angeles, CA – tickets
4/22 – Public Records (album release show) – Brooklyn, NY – tickets
5/16 – Thing In The Spring – Keene, NH – more info