Matthew Sage, known artistically as M. Sage, has consistently fostered a distinct and immersive musical landscape throughout his career. However, his upcoming album, “Tender / Wading,” set to be released on September 26, 2025, through RVNG Intl. (with Japanese import CDs available via Plancha), represents a significant evolution in his artistic journey. The lead single from the album, titled “Tender of Land,” is a notable departure from the synthetic textures that characterized his previous work, particularly the 2023 album Paradise Crick. Instead, it feels like a deep and resonant breath of fresh air drawn from the scenic Colorado foothills where Sage has returned to cultivate a more grounded and familial life.

Sage’s migration back to his roots after a decade residing in Chicago is palpable in every note of this new work. The polished, synthetic sounds of his last album have been replaced by a warm, organic soundscape that primarily features the soothing tones of piano and clarinet. These are artfully complemented by guitar, modular synthesizers, percussion, and ambient field recordings—the very essence of his new-old home. Described as “pastoral folk Kosmiche,” this music embodies an introspective style that Sage dubs “electro-acoustic barn jazz,” radiating a vital and radical softness.

The album’s closing track, “Tender of Land,”, serves as both a central piece and an introduction to Sage’s evolving philosophy. This composition unfolds patiently, akin to the deliberate and painstaking process of revitalizing neglected land, using sound as a means to inspire new growth and awareness.

Accompanying the single is a visually intriguing video, crafted by Sage himself from a collection of hundreds of vintage flea market slides showcasing Colorado's Front Range during the 1980s. These “operational images” have been processed through a rudimentary video system that Sage constructed, resulting in a strikingly “clumsy” yet endearing “poetics of failure.” He elaborates on how this machine struggles to interpret the images it processes, whimsically naming objects—transforming a hillside into a hare—creating a compelling metaphor that resonates deeply with the album's overarching themes of perception and the fluidity of identity, reminiscent of Wittgenstein’s rabbit-duck illusion.

Tender / Wading stands out as Sage’s most autobiographical endeavor to date, diving into the profound relationship between personal identity and the experience of domestic life and stewardship. This album prompts listeners to reflect on how our environments influence us and vice versa, wrapped in a serene and heartfelt exploration of what it means to come home.

The album will be available in multiple formats, including vinyl, Japanese import CD via Plancha, and digital editions, and fans can pre-order it through the following link:

Hans Schneider