Rick Altieri – Austin Town Hall

Above Me Announce Soften the Blows

April 6, 2026 nathan.lankford Leave a comment

The work of Rick Altieri has been featured quite a bit on this site, whether in Blue Ocean or Aluminum, but today we focus on his newest project, Above Me. Just this past Friday he announced a debut LP for Dandy Boy Records. It’s playing in that territory that seems to have taken off quite a bit, using dominating beat work and screeching guitars to build these mesmerizing soundscapes. Altieri then drapes these lush vocal tones atop the mix, and you’ve got this blend of harsh industrialization with ethereal wonder. Definitely a sound that builds and builds, so be sure to keep your ears open for Soften the Blows, which arrives on May 1st.

<a href="https://dandyboyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/soften-the-blows">Soften The Blows by above me</a>

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Above Me Prep Debut EP

January 30, 2025 nathan.lankford Leave a comment

My first introduction to Rick Altieri was through his work as a member of Blue Ocean, but he’s now focused primarily on his work as Above Me. While there’s still some dabbling in the noise and explorative guitar sounds, this new single indicates a more electronic approach…whether that’s necessity or choice we may never know. Listening to the craft, there’s a lot of sonic similarities to last year’s Dummy LP, bridging the gap between the mechanical and melodic; I love the way this tune begins to open up with the vocals operating almost as an extra texture, then kind moving out into the ether. The 8 track debut EP will be out this Friday via Dandy Boy Records, but you can stream it early by clicking HERE.

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