Category: Redding

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Redding artists Craig Padilla and Marvin Allen release new music!

Redding-based Musicians Craig Padilla & Marvin Allen Intensify Their Electronic Post-Rock Journey on ‘UNFOLDING SKIES’

Album cover art for Weathering the Storm
Unfolding Skies is a continuation of the themes developed in our first three albums and another chapter in the many strange environments encountered by the Umbrella People on their journey.” — Marvin Allen
REDDING, CA, UNITED STATES, February 20, 2026 — Spotted Peccary Music artists Craig Padilla and Marvin Allen reunite for their fourth release Unfolding Skies, bending the ambience and turning up the intensity of their three previous collaborations into an electronic post-rock sound that pulses and shimmers like the stellar nightscapes that inspired it. The album releases worldwide today and is available on the streaming platform of your choice at https://orcd.co/unfolding-skies.
On this project, Padilla and Allen meticulously crafted Unfolding Skies into an amalgamation of sound expressiveness. This live approach brings Allen’s guitar work centerstage through Padilla’s electronic landscapes, blending familiar tones of classic rock, ambient and prog into something new.
“Unfolding Skies has a more straight-forward approach with Marvin’s guitar work, meaning that it’s more of his actual performance without the use of additional overdubs,” Padilla thoughtfully states, noting that in the past they used a technique of composing material through live studio improvisation, extracting vibrant elements, defining structure and perfecting the musical conversation. The difference is palpable.
Focus tracks for the album include “Jammin’ with Buddha,” “Undercurrents of Change” and the epic “Architects of Time,” in which Allen’s fiery guitar blazes a trail through film score panorama and space rock pyrotechnics. Padilla’s swirls of synth and guitar complement one another throughout the album, evoking listener references to Alan Parsons, Vangelis, Tangerine Dream and Robin Trower, who is one of Allen’s inspirations.

All of Padilla and Allen’s collaborations have featured the “Umbrella People” in the album artwork as a representation of everyone trying to find their way of existence in the chaos of the world. Unfolding Skies is the next step in that journey, but even bolder and brighter than before.

Starting in 2019 with Toward The Horizon, followed in 2021 by Strange Gravity, then Weathering The Storm in 2023 and now Unfolding Skies, which is available as a CD and in digital formats for streaming and downloading, including high resolution studio master formats. Listeners may select the format of their choice at https://spottedpeccary.com/shop/unfolding-skies/


New CD available now on Spotted Peccary Music, perfect for fans & playlists of Prog / Classic EM / Berlin-School / Atmospheric / Post-Rock music.

The album was mastered by Howard Givens at Spotted Peccary Studios, NW, Portland, OR; creative direction by Daniel Pipitone at Spotted Peccary Studios, NE, Ligonier, PA. Spotted Peccary owns a vast catalog of over 200 albums for easy licensing to TV, Film and commercials.
Catch the curated relaxing ambient electronic 24/7 LIVE STREAM – SPMLive: 24/7 Ambient Electronic – https://linktr.ee/ambientelectronic.tv
For artist interviews, reviews, or promotional requests, please contact Beth Ann Hilton via beth@spottedpeccary.com.
Tracklist:
1 Framework 12:03
2 Undercurrents of Change 05:28
3 Sun Portal 05:58
4 Jammin’ with Buddha 05:14
5 Cosmic Blueprint 08:38
6 Architects of Time 05:37
7 Unfolding Skies 13:20
Links:
Smartlink: https://orcd.co/unfolding-skies
Spotted Peccary Album Page: https://spottedpeccary.com/shop/unfolding-skies/
Bandcamp: https://padilla-allen.bandcamp.com/album/unfolding-skies
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spottedpeccary/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spottedpeccary
About Craig Padilla and Marvin Allen:
Craig Padilla and Marvin Allen are an international award-winning electronic ambient-rock duo from Northern California whose music combines expressive musicianship with deep atmospheric sound design. Padilla, a veteran of the electronic music scene with over 40 releases, is known for crafting immersive soundscapes using analog and digital synthesizers. Allen, a seasoned multi-instrumentalist, performer, and music educator, brings decades of experience in recording, film scoring, and mentoring young musicians. In addition to being released on the world-renowned Hemi-Sync label (through Spotted Peccary Music), their collaborative works have charted at NUMBER 1 for numerous weeks on the NACC Charts, have been commissioned by Star’s End Radio, and have also been featured on Sirius XM, nationally syndicated programs Echoes and Music from the Hearts of Space, as well as many other radio programs and podcasts. https://spottedpeccary.com/artists/craig-padilla-and-marvin-allen/
About Spotted Peccary Music:
Portland-based Spotted Peccary Music is North America’s finest independent record label with a focus on deep, vast and introspective soundscapes. For over four decades, the artists of Spotted Peccary have been on a mission to develop, produce, publish and release ultra-high-quality, deep-listening experiences that engage the listener and exceed expectations. Every release is carefully prepared in a variety of high-quality formats from MP3 to high-res studio masters. In 2023, they were named Best Independent Record Label by the HIMAwards. Explore more than 200 titles and 50 artists released over 40 years of excellence. Explore perks of the 40th Retrospective celebration at https://spottedpeccary.com/spm40/ and shop for a collectible music $20 Discovery Pack while supplies last at www.AmbientElectronic.com
Beth Hilton
Spotted Peccary Music
+1 310-560-8390
email us here
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Late summer sunset, where the river runs through Redding

Here’s a soothing flight overlooking the Sacramento River as it passes through Redding California on its way to the sea. The devastating Park Fire rages into the fragile and crucial Mill Creek drainage of the norther Sierra. One of the few remaining un-dammed Salmon runs for protected spring run fish. Truly awful events taking place to the east provide a a golden and smoky light to Redding. Pretty, but deadly.

Video capture and editing by Skip Murphy. Soundtrack by me and Craig Padilla.

Sunset view 8-7-2024 of the Sacramento River as it flows through Redding CA
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Timelapse sunrise over Redding CA 4/12/2024 – 5 seconds long.

sunrise 4-12-2024

Did this TL yesterday. Turned out nice.

sunrise 4-12-2024Skip Murphy

While 5 seconds may be my attention span lately, bear in mind that this took a lot longer to shoot and edit. I shot a frame every 10 seconds and you see it here at 24 frames per second. So, roughly 128 shots taken over 20 minutes or so. Took about an hour to edit it to what you see here. Makes you appreciate those really long timelapses you see some artists do.

 

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New Courthouse in Redding is about to open

I see the new courthouse in Redding  is finally set to open. I captured this aerial footage of it under construction in the fall of 2022. The scene starts across the street at the old courthouse, dressed in beautiful fall colors, and then (takes too long) to circle the new structure. Worth a view, if you haven’t seen it elsewhere on social media.

River looking east in the fall

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Redding projected as #1 for real estate appreciation by Core Logic

Rare (read: Never) is it that I re-post anything here from our local paper, which is often very negative about my favorite city. If it bleeds, it leads. But this article really caught my attention. People are starting to notice that Redding is actually a pretty nice place to live:

https://www.redding.com/story/money/business/2024/01/20/the-buzz-redding-downtown-public-market-on-track-summer-opening-craft-cocktail-bar/72288376007/

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Redding’s Garden of Lights 2023

A quick aerial overview of Redding’s Garden of Lights from 2023. Music excerpt “Live illusions” by Craig Padilla and Skip Murphy from the CD “Analog Destination,” recorded in Redding California in 2008, courtesy of of Groove Unlimited NL. Thank you again this year, Redding! #thisisredding, #gardenoflights, #craigpadilla

 

Garden of Lights at night video by Skip Murphy
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Where can you see the real night sky near Redding?

Light pollution. That sounds ugly, but that’s what it is. For many places on the modern earth, the night sky is not filled with stars. Fortunately, nearby to Redding you can see the Milky Way and other wonders of celestial majesty with the clarity more familiar to our immediate ancestors. 


light

This segment of map comes from here: Light Pollution Map

Local dark sky enthusiasts head west to the Whiskeytown Visitor Center parking lot for quick access. But it looks like a camping trip to Old Station in the east might be best. Just a bit further. I’ve seen several fantastic Milky Way shots with Mt Lassen in the image, so evidently that’s a good choice as well. Check out the amazing work of local photographer Cory Poole for a 2024 Calendar of jaw dropping images like this:

Milky Way and Lassen by Cory Pool

Makes great Christmas gifts!!! 

It’s Really Redding.