Blue Irises In Hologram (LP)

Blue Irises in Hologram is a new album by Kirikiriroa, Aotearoa-based folk artist Brandon De La Cruz. The album is comprised of eight songs born of a wide range of inspirational nexuses including a 10-day silent Vipassana retreat, an afternoon in Simryn Gill's immersive recreative art installation, Maria's Garden, and Mississippi John Hurt's recordings for the Library of Congress.

The focus track, 'Every Little Boy in Auckland' began as an homage to Chet Baker's early vocal album and was recorded at the artist's shared studio at Never Project Space in Hamilton, New Zealand from May-September 2022. This track features Jim Fulton (Sylvia's Toaster) playing singing saw and upright bass, Brooke Singer (French for Rabbits) and Rachel Hope Peary (Big Sigh) singing background vocals, and the artist's brother Neil De La Cruz whistling.

Blue Irises in Hologram is De La Cruz's sixth album and his first to feature a cast of artists from Aotearoa. Recorded in two distinct chunks of time, the first sessions took place at the artist's shared studio at Never Project Space in Kirikiriroa from May-September 2022 while the second round took place from May-June 2024 in a borrowed home overlooking the Waikato River.

Blue Irises in Hologram follows the release of De La Cruz's last record, Two Kilos of Blue (2023), as well as noteworthy performances at Camp A Low Hum, Auckland Art Gallery Toi O Tāmaki and Futuna Chapel in Wellington.

The album was mixed by De Stevens and Brandon De La Cruz and mastered in Portland, Oregon by Timothy Stollenwerk.