Charity Empressa is essentially a solo project of Eric Campuzano (The Prayer Chain, Lassie Foundation, Stranger Kings, ex-Starflyer 59, Cush) with a revolving cast of support and collaborators. While the list of those giving input is lengthy, among them are Troy Daughtery (Hoi Polloi, Duraluxe), Wayne Everett (Prayer Chain, Lassie Foundation, ex-Starflyer 59, solo), Frank Lenz (Fold Zandura, solo, ex-Starflyer 59), Andrew Prickett (Prayer Chain, My Brother’s Mother), Herb Grimaud (the violet burning, Raspberry Jam, Stranger Kings), Josh Hagquist (ex-Dogwood, The Beautiful Mistake), and many others.
Like Campuzano’s other projects, there is an emphasis on atmosphere and texture. Unlike his other projects, there is less emphasis on song structure, recognizable melodies, and conventional songwriting techniques. Charity Empressa fits more into the drone side of ambient and/or post-rock, and we love them for it. The band has released three albums in total, the first for the defunct Absalom Recordings (a short-lived but impactful label out of Canada), and the latter two for Velvet Blue Music. “Crush of Mountains” comes from the eponymous debut release, released in 2001.
