Free Cell begins in isolation, with Lina Tullgren’s delicate guitar melody emerging from silence. Sweeping strings and brass echo toward a distant horizon. On the title track of Tullgren’s second album, they sound like the only person left in the universe. Named after a solitaire game, Tullgren (who uses gender-neutral pronouns) played it compulsively on tour for their first album, 2017’s Won: “Unlike normal solitaire, Free Cell can always be won. It’s all about organization.” The album stems from a quest for order, sorting through emotions. Tullgren’s poetry reflects on memories with cool cynicism, humor, and deep feeling, writing anthems for the alienated. Free Cell invites reflection, though not easily.
On Hindsight, Nick Zanca’s debut as a singer-songwriter, he leads a diverse group of New York musicians. After nearly a decade making electronic music as Mister Lies, Zanca shifted to producing and collaborating with artists like Wendy Eisenberg and Lucy Liyou. Hindsight transcends his early synthetic textures, blending AOR, jazz fusion, electroacoustic improv, and musical theater. Zanca explores themes like industry dehumanization, a childhood diagnosis, and romantic challenges with honesty and relatability, presenting a world that resonates with us all.
Lina Tullgren, Nick Zanca, and Pauline Lay perform at Healing Force of the Universe in Pasadena on August 3.