Camphor - Here Where the Light Falls (2020)

CAMPHOR is Max Avery Lichtenstein, working in frequent collaboration with producer D. James Goodwin.

Camphor's debut work Drawn to Dust was released in 2008. Max's playful video for the album's song "Castaway" premiered on the Pitchfork Forkcast, and was subsequently selected as a Vimeo Staff Pick. Both the album and video earned acclaim from many prominent music blogs and magazines.

In the glow of this warm reception, plans were made for more videos and a modest multinational tour. But just as things were ramping up, Max began to experience what would become a permanent loss of strength and sensation in his arms and legs. Within months of the album release, he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. The condition put an end to all promotional efforts, and Max stepped away from Camphor as he began to cope with his new reality.

A few dark years passed, but eventually things stabilized. As his emotional state improved, Max turned to songwriting and animation to interrogate the experience of loss, fear, love, depression, and recovery. He adopted new approaches to recording, visual production, and performance that would accommodate his physical disability. The result is Here Where the Light Falls, an album-length song cycle that combines the dramatic atmosphere of Camphor's previous efforts with a contemporary production style and a raw emotional core.