SUR was born from the brain of Northern California-bred musician/producer Zack Arnett who built a makeshift studio in the back of an RV, set out on a journey and began creating a sound both gritty and melodic, nuanced and volatile, reflective and deeply life-affirming. Returning to L.A., Arnett continued shaping the songs he’d started during his travels, recording at home and out in Joshua Tree. Self-producing the Savage Beast EP and handling all the instrumentation, the lifelong musician carved out a hypnotically textured sound that fully embodies the forces at the heart of SUR: love, violence, and nature. SUR builds a powerful dynamic by fusing inventive electronic elements and visceral rhythms rooted in native drum patterns heard on lead single “Lean Back”. Arnett, a visual artist, poet, self-described American medicinal farmer, former graffiti artist and prolific painter created SUR’s nature-themed artwork. When it came time to name the project, he decided to pay tribute to the place he’s long considered a spiritual and creative haven. “Big Sur is my compass, it’s what compelled me to be a creator in the first place.”

[Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.]