Inspired and the Sleep Set to Release Debut Album [premiere]

The Snow Den – Inspired and the Sleep

When San Diego native Max Greenhalgh first posted tracks to his Soundcloud page a year ago, I highly doubt he expected the sort of response that awaited him. After getting picked up by a handful of great blogs, he began to put the finishing touches on what would become Teenager., his debut album as Inspired and the Sleep (@insprdandtheslp). The album, which comes out tomorrow, is in many ways a summary of his teenage years, a time often filled with opposites — love and hate, hope and doubt, joy and pain.

Greenhalgh, no stranger to conflicting thoughts and emotions, had been battling insomnia when he first decided to record the album. According to him, “[Inspired and the Sleep] represents a sort of polarity of mindsets of being completely inspired or mentally subdued. I found that sleeping seemed to nullify my stimulated creativity and in some way was the reason for my insomnia because in a weird way I subconsciously wanted to remain awake.” This struggle is evident in the music he created — beautifully constructed, erratic melodies that swing like a pendulum from one end to the other. In “The Snow Den”, featured above, he provides a perfect example, tackling the “good and evil of mankind” and all that lies between.

MTV Hive premiered my favorite song off the album, “Spar Helm”, last week, which you can stream below. Look out for Teenager on iTunes and Spotify tomorrow, and for now, enjoy the free download of “The Snow Den” above.