Tag: 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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Approaching Mt Lassen

The often snow covered vista of Lassen Peak graces our eastern horizon from Redding California. I can see the mountain from my bedroom window in north Redding. Here is a brief aerial view captured in the spring of 2025 approaching the park from the west.

Mt Lassen in spring 2025 with Manzanita Lake in the foreground.
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Morning mist in Redding CA

Sun seen through mist in Redding CA
Morning mist rising up from the pool signals the approaching Autumnal end of our swim season, which in turn sets my mind’s eye soaring up into the dreamy sky overhead and back. Music excerpt “Mystical Fantasies” by Craig Padilla.

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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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Chamise Peak Trail delivers a splendid perspective

A rare view that includes both Castle Crags on the left, and the 3 Shastas to the right.

A perspective gained from the top of the Chamise Peak Trail just north of Redding. The Chamise Peak Trail is considered “easy.” I guess that depends on your skills. It’s only about 2.6 miles one way, but it does rise about 600 ft. Most of the trail is wide and smooth, but towards the peak it gets more narrow and rocky. Click on images to enlarge.


 Still, the results are worth the effort. Follow Flanagan Road off Lake Boulevard west to the end, to the trailhead.

A pleasant hike rewards hikers with new perspectives. The Chamise Peak Trail.

It’s Really Redding.

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Castle Crags, late April 2023

About 25 minutes drive on Interstate 5 north of Redding, you come across a spectacular sight. Granite spires rising through the forest to the west. This is Castle Crags State Park. Pull off the highway for hiking, camping, or just plain gazing upon the beauty of it all.

Technically, these are granite pluons. Molten granite has formed beneath the surface in these shapes, cooling more slowly than the rock around them. The spires are what you can see uncovered as the surface eroded around them. Seeing that, and realizing the time scale involved in their formation, one is left to ponder the insignificance of a single human lifetime in the face of geologic time. Yeah, it’s brief.

Castle Crags CA Castle Crags CA

Music in the video is an Excerpt of “Eternal Path” by Craig Padilla and Skip Murphy (me) from the CD Phantasma on the Groove Unlimited label. Gobsmacking scenery courtesy of planet earth. It’s Really Redding.