Some bands mellow with age. Others sharpen. And then there are those rare groups like North of Tomorrow, who seem to stretch wider with every passing year—absorbing new colors, new voices, new corners of sound. Their latest album, Intangible Lines, is an impressive piece of work: twelve tracks that glide between styles with the grace of old friends who’ve seen it all and still want to find the edge of what music can do.
Born out of the desert heat of Phoenix, Arizona, North of Tomorrow is the work of three lifelong collaborators: Brian Mueller, Gary Adrian, and Stephen Rogers. They first played together decades ago in a band called Talus, roving across the western U.S. before parting ways. Years later, the trio regrouped—not for nostalgia, but to start something fresh. Drawing on a Steely Dan-like approach, they began crafting new songs with the help of an ever-changing lineup of musicians from across the world. It’s a method that has come to define their sound – intricate, layered, and global in its reach.
Intangible Lines, their fourth studio album on Melba Toast Records, clocks in at just under an hour, and it’s a seamless journey through a dozen distinct moods—each one rendered with clarity, warmth, and just the right touch of mystery. The record was mastered by Bob Katz of Digital Domain in Orlando, whose reputation as one of the world’s top mastering engineers ensures that every note, every breath, sits exactly where it should. The vinyl edition was cut by The Bakery in Los Angeles, a Grammy-winning studio known for its pristine analog craftsmanship.
The opening track, “Time Flies,” sets the tone – melodic and honest. Brian’s lead vocal floats over subtle guitars and a steady pulse from Italian drummer Maurizio Antonini, while Kareen Vargas’ harmony gives the chorus a soft ache of memory. “Hey Mona,” he sings, “you don’t use that name anymore.” Words that could only come from a writer who’s lived a few lives and remembers them all.
From there, the record bends genres effortlessly. “Maybe Yes” is playful and modern, built on a sly rhythm that recalls Talking Heads at their most romantic. “Big Wide World” is lush, bolstered by mellotron and harmony vocals that shimmer like late afternoon light. Then there’s “St. St.”, a song that could have come straight from the darker side of Peter Gabriel’s So sessions—taut and percussive.
Midway through, Intangible Lines blooms into its most unexpected moments. “When the Purple Flower Blooms” unfolds like a prayer, marrying folk textures with saxophone and mandolin, while “Wanted to Say Something” sways between vulnerability and groove. Every track feels distinct, yet part of a greater whole—each piece another movement in a long, careful composition. “The new album represents a good snapshot of the broad range of styles and genres that we move through,” Mueller explains. “It isn’t intentional—it’s just a reflection of the many great forms of music that inspire us, and our unwillingness or inability to pick just one.”
That refusal to be boxed in gives Intangible Lines its soul. The record moves from rock to jazz, from orchestral pop to alt-folk and back again, but it never feels scattered. Gary Adrian’s bass work anchors every shift, warm and articulate, while Stephen Rogers provides the quiet sonic insight that keeps the album cohesive. Their chemistry is palpable—seasoned, natural, and a little mischievous. You can tell these guys have been making music together for a lifetime, and still find joy in surprising each other.
Intangible Lines features guest musicians from Italy, Poland, England, Croatia, Spain, India, Australia, Argentina, Germany, Nashville, Boston, L.A., and Montreal—each one adding a thread to the tapestry. Whether it’s Enzo De Rosa’s elegant string arrangements, Damiano Della Torre’s evocative synths, or the haunting harmonies from singers Lindsay Vann and Luna Škopelja, the result is a global conversation rendered through melody and tone.
The production is crisp but human, modern yet warm—more Abbey Road than algorithm. You can hear it in “Taking on Water,” a slow-burn track that balances metaphor and motion, or in “Pretty Girl,” the closing piece whose keyboards and graceful harmonies bring the journey full circle.
Since its release, Intangible Lines has been gathering strong attention from across the indie and college radios, with chart debuts at WPRB in Princeton and WVIA in Pennsylvania, and spins at stations from Connecticut to Manitoba. Still holding the No. 3 spot on the weekly album chart in Pittston, Pennsylvania, the momentum continues to build. The album has also been spotlighted by outlets including Verna Magazine, Madison Graph, Musi Trendz, The Ark of Music, and more. Clearly, word is spreading about this Arizona trio’s artful approach to modern rock.
If you’re someone who still values the ritual of a needle on wax, do yourself a favor and pick up the vinyl edition—cut with the same care the band brings to every performance. These grooves are meant to be heard the old way – with attention, patience, and maybe a good drink in hand as the Arizona twilight fades outside.
Vinyl editions of Intangible Lines are available directly from the band — contact NorthofTomorrowMusic@gmail.com for details.
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