Two years following 2017’s Costero, Slow Meadow returns with its third full-length album Happy Occident, a collection of textured ambient melodies. Fueled by the anxiety derivative of modern life and the frenetic and often uncertain state of these ever-changing times, Happy Occident provides music for reflection. A soundtrack to life’s contemplative moments, and an experience akin to mindfulness meditation.
“The album is like a waking dream of ideas strung together in a nonlinear fashion,” says Matt Kidd. “I have been thinking more about what it means to be ‘Happy’ in the Occident. Happiness is often nothing more than a false promise used to sell something, even ideas. I dwell on the utter failure of that word, especially in comparison to something like the Greek word ‘eudaimonia.’”
To complement the sound of Happy Occident, Slow Meadow enlisted the talents of violinist Ellen Story, whose playing, Kidd says, dictated much of the direction on a couple of tracks.
“There are no mistakes, only happy accidents.” – Bob Ross

Slow Meadow started when Matt Kidd befriended Marc Byrd of Hammock. Matt went to Marc presenting his post-rock project, Aural Method, for creative advice, critique, and artistic support. The two spent many hours discussing music, art, religion, philosophy. Having similar backgrounds in a few of these subjects, they decided to informally sit and record for a couple of days to see what would come.