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The New Honey Shade – Geosyncline

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Subsurface listening. Sonic stratigraphy. A geology of tone.

On Geosyncline, Tulsa-based experimental ambient artist The New Honey Shade (aka Mark Kuykendall) delves deep into the earth both literally and sonically. Using a Geofon microphone by LOM, Kuykendall captured subsonic vibrations from bridges, overpasses, soil, water pipes, and electrical boxes. These ultra-sensitive contact mics—designed to detect seismic activity were paired with minimal processing and a restrained touch, allowing the natural textures of the captured environments to speak for themselves.

The result is a work grounded in field recording and sound design, rooted in deep bass and rich with tactile resonance. The only post-production flourish comes from the use of reverb, adding space without obscuring the raw, physical quality of the source recordings.

This album is not just an exploration of the planet’s hidden rhythms it is also a deeply personal excavation. As Kuykendall reflects:

“I grew up with frequent ear infections. Moments of pain and isolation where all I could hear were the deepest internal rumbles and distant, muffled echoes. Geosyncline is an homage to those formative sonic memories, recreated through vibration and tone rather than melody.”

With Geosyncline, The New Honey Shade invites the listener underground into a meditative, immersive space where hums, drones, and mechanical whispers create a geology of sound. It is ambient music for deep listening headphones on, volume up, feet on the ground.

For fans of geophonic sound design, lowercase music, and process-based audio art. 

credits

released July 19, 2025

All Sounds + Production by Mark Kuykendall
Mastering by Mark Kuykendall at Wild Mountain Studios 2025