Multi-instrumentalist are often a rare breed when it comes to musicians: they have such a diverse perception of what makes a song work due to their expertise on several instruments that it translates to a much more unique and, when it works, compelling experience for the listener.

Patrick J. Smith’s A Beacon School is such an example when a musician of this ilk decides to let loose his or her own creativity.

Patrick J. Smith is a musician based on New York City that has an abundance of experience under his belt, playing different instruments with multiple projects, such as Perfect Strangers, Fiasco or Bluffing, often having a supportive role within those groups. In this case, A Beacon School serves as a way for Patrick to do as he pleases, thus providing a very singular and experimental sound to us listeners–when it comes to new projects in modern music, this is a prime example that there are still great musicians coming out in the scene.

A Beacon School’s first album was released this year, named Cola–it is an experimental, original and fresh work that goes to show Patrick’s musical vision and, at the same time, his own perception of how music has to be performed.

“Everything I was making around this time [for A Beacon School] was written for a 4-piece band,” he said.

“I’d add all these layers and then end up stripping a bunch out so that we could do it live with only two guitarists. At the same time, I was scrapping entire songs if I thought they didn’t line up stylistically with what the band was ‘supposed to be’”.

This is a project made out of pure desire and it has slowly become Patrick’s main focus after a long-standing career of usually being second fiddle to other creative forces, thus leading to a new role and era of his own career.

“My approach to writing became to think less about how everything fit together,” he said. “And instead just indulge my musical impulses and hope it amounted to a cohesive record.”

Always striving to do more and to be more, Patrick J. Smith’s A Beacon School is a grand example of what happens when a musician with such a diverse outlook of musicianship goes on his own and creates his own project.

A Beacon School is a new band and one that is pushing envelope, even in 2018.

Check out some of our favourites from his album:

A Beacon School - It's Late 6:06 A Beacon School - Algernon 4:12

You can find his music here:

Bandcamp

Spotify