Alaskan Dream Pop Trio Termination Dust Reveal “It’s Not A Place, It’s A Feeling”

Airy vocals, honest lyrics, and vulnerable reflections are the three pillars of Anchorage, Alaska indie threesome Termination Dust. Comprised of vocalists and guitarists Jaybird Parkhurst and Stefanie Vigoren, in addition to drummer Matt Harris, the group first formed as a duo and later added Harris to round off the band. If rose-tinted glasses are for some people, sparkle-tinted glasses are for Termination Dust.

With a bright and perfectly muddled sound, Termination Dust describes themselves as a crossroad between Built To Spill, The Courtneys, and Modern Baseball. With honest and contemplative lyrics, and dual vocalists whose voices carry a sprinkle of punk, the band crafts a signature dreamy, indie lo-fi sound.

Their newest single “It’s Not A Place, It’s A Feeling,” from their upcoming album Growing Down, features a hollow and warm sound, padded with polished, smooth vocals throughout. The lyrics ruminate on the loss of love, and in the accompanying music video, Parkhurst and Vigoren take turns burning photos in a backyard firepit. What could be taken as overly melodramatic comes across as casual¾ the two stand mostly still as they play and sing the song as if resigned to the heartbreak.

Currently a long-distance affair with Vigoren and Harris living in Minnesota and Parkhurst still residing in Alaska, the trio collaborate through Facebook group calls and emails during their writing process. For the new record, out on January 24th of next year, they traveled to Portland, Oregon to record at Ice Cream Studios. Growing Down will be Termination Dust’s third album.

Released in 2018 on their EP Never Too Late, “Christmas” matches their signature lo-fi shimmer. The track features echoing electric guitar that threads together melancholic lyrics, a tune full of bright sadness. It sounds as though it’s being played in the distance, slightly muffled at times as it casts the associations of the word ‘Christmas,’ but not in the direction of holiday cheer. The sadness and reflective nature of the lyrics, and sound, create a dreamlike image of nostalgia that often comes with the holiday season.

Similarly, “Clutter,” a 2017 single from Familiar Eyes, also creates a contemplative and dreamy sphere. The production is purposefully messy and cheekily reflects the song’s title. Vocals are slightly displaced against guitars with just the right amount of distortion. Termination Dust continually sharpens their crafty use of instrumentation to create layered perceptions of their lyrics across their entire discography.

Termination Dust’s upcoming album Growing Down will be released through Glacial Pace Recordings— the same label that Modest Mouse and Mattress call home. In fact, Termination Dust is currently on tour with Modest Mouse for the second time in two years, and they will continue to tour throughout 2020 after the December dates have wrapped up.

See below for the remaining tour dates and don’t forget to pick up the entirety of Growing Down on January 24th.

Tour Dates

Dec 10 – Well Fargo Center – Santa Rosa, CA

Dec 11 – Brooklyn Bowl – Las Vegas, NV

Dec 14 – Belly Up – Aspen, CO