Californian psych units TEN EAST and SOFTSUN team up for split LP release on Ripple Music this spring; first track with Isaiah Mitchell of Earthless streaming!

Drawing from the deep well of the California desert, psychedelic rock units SoftSun and Ten East (featuring Isaiah Mitchell of Earthless) conjure a mesmerizing sonic mirage on their upcoming split LP “Turned To Stone Chapter 10”, to be issued on April 4th through Ripple Music.

🌘 Stream new Ten East single “First Light” here 🌘

Shortly after forming in late 2023, SoftSun — the project formed by guitarist Gary Arce of Yawning Man, bassist and vocalist Pia Isaksen and drummer Dan Joeright — had a highly productive time recording in both 2024 and 2025. After finishing their debut album Daylight in the Dark, the band had more material they wanted to record and finished three more songs for Ripple Music. Gary Arce then came up with the idea of releasing the songs as part of a split album with his other project Ten East, which had been quiet for some years. Inspired to write new Ten East songs, he put together a recording session with Yawning Man drummer Bill Stinson and Pia Isaksen on bass, and later had Isaiah Mitchell of Earthless record some additional guitar.

“We are really excited to release this split album with these songs that we have been sitting on for quite some time. They are definitely part of our first album era and they mean a lot to us. It is also really cool to do this with Ten East, and to be part of Ripple Music´s split series.” — Gary Arce & Pia Isaksen

Stellar players, mesmeric sound and the soul of the Californian desert: SoftSun and Ten East deliver a rad split album that locks you into a hypnotic groove and refuses to let go. Turned To Stone Chapter 10 will be released as part of Ripple Music’s fan-revered Turned To Stone split series on April 4th on limited LP and digital.

TEN EAST & SOFTSUN “Turned To Stone Chapter 10”
Out April 4th on Ripple Music (LP/digital)

TRACKLIST:
1. SoftSun – Nowhere Else
2. SoftSun – Open Shelter
3. SoftSun – Emotional Overdrive
4. Ten East – First Light
5. Ten East – Slow Motion War II

About Ten East

Ten East is an experimental project formed by Gary Arce, Mario Lalli, Bill Stinson and Brant Bjork. The project´s first release Extraterrestrial Highway came out on Cobraside in 2005. The project is named after Interstate 10, a major transcontinental highway stretching from Santa Monica, California, to Jacksonville, Florida, known for its diverse landscapes. Always collaborating with different musicians, depending on availability and which musician friends were around, the project has been like a revolving door of contributors.

The music is based on loose structures, as improvisation and an experimental attitude have always been at the heart of the music. Letting the tape roll and seeing what happens has always been their main method. This split will be Ten East’s first release since 2016’s Skyline Pressure, featuring Gary Arce (guitar), Bill Stinson (drums), Pia Isaksen (bass) and Isaiah Mitchell (additional guitar).

Gary Arce – Guitars
Isaiah Mitchell – Additional guitars
Bass – Pia Isaksen
Bill Stinson – Drums

About SoftSun

SoftSun is the result of a divine collaboration between visionary musicians from opposite sides of the world: Yawning Man guitarist Gary Arce from the Californian Mojave Desert and vocalist and bassist Pia Isaksen from the cold and ever-inspiring grounds of Norway. Their environments are nearly palpable in their beautifully heavy, mellow and ethereal sound, with Arce’s trademark cinematic guitar soundscapes providing a stark contrast to Isaksen’s heavy bass and haunting vocals combined with Dan Joeright’s perfectly patient drumming.

Released in the fall of 2024 via Ripple Music, their debut album Daylight in the Dark was hailed as “a truly majestic work of art” by UK website Outlaws of the Sun and “something that will haunt you long after you step away from these tracks,” as stated by Joshua Tree Voice. Their 2025 sophomore album Eternal Sunrise (Heavy Psych Sounds) dives deeper into their dusk-to-dawn reveries, resulting in a masterful and moody exploration pushed by the gentle percussions of drummer Robert Garson.

Gary Arce – Guitars
Pia Isaksen – Bass and vocals
Dan Joeright – Drums

Ten East links
Facebook⎪Bandcamp⎪Instagram

SoftSun links
Facebook⎪Bandcamp⎪Instagram

Ripple Music links
Website⎪Facebook⎪Bandcamp⎪Instagram