Saapato

Saapato is the music project of upstate NY-based sound artist Brendan Principato. His work explores the intersection of ecology and music. His music is deeply informed by his residencies with organizations such as the Alaska State Park Service and the National Park Service, where he has documented the rhythms of migratory birds, salmon runs, and unique coastal ecosystems. These experiences along with an obsessive field recording practice sit at the core of Saapato’s music. He has released several albums including Somewhere Else (Aural Canyon) and On Fire Island (Sound as Language), which was named the #2 ambient record of 2024 by Pop Matters. His record Spring at Home (Aural Canyon) was named one of the best ambient records released in November of 2024 by Bandcamp. His newest album Decomposition: Fox on a Highway is a deeply conceptual project inspired by the five stages of decomposition. In researching decomposition, Principato learned about the intricate network of factors that drive it: animals, bacteria, fungi, temperature, moisture, and time. Recognizing the inherently interwoven nature of these forces, he chose to mirror this interplay in the music. What began as a series of “skeleton tracks” quickly evolved into a collective endeavor, with a wide array of guest musicians and sound artists contributing additional material. These collaborators act as symbolic “decomposers,” breaking down and reshaping the sonic landscape to create an altered final form.