Bone Shack Open for Business

_{By Mike Romero}

Last week, Cat Leavy – one half of the darkwave/electronic duo New Shack – played to a sold out crowd at Velour Live Music Gallery. A gifted vocalist, Leavy’s delicate voice floats effortlessly over swirling synths, intricate beats, and effected pianos. Like a chameleon, her voice is able to blend in with the tracks she sings on, matching the instrumentation in both mood and intensity – whether that’s the haunting, robotic soullessness of “Disassembly” or the sweet, dreamlike innocence of “Airplane.”

Chris Bennion is just as talented. A Rooftop Concert Series alum, Bennion’s synth pop duo, Coral Bones, made a splash with their 2013 debut Youthemism. Their follow-up EP, Platonia, built upon Youthemism’s bouncy piano and synth arrangements and solidified their place in the Provo music scene as consistent, qualified musicians with an affinity for catchy hooks.

In addition to being talented composers and performers, both Bennion and Leavy are also gifted producers and sound engineers. After working closely with Eric Robertson of Pleasant Pictures (Robertson is the other half of New Shack), Bennion and Leavy have opened their own studio. Bone Shack – a clever portmanteau of Coral Bones and New Shack – specializes in indie, pop, and electronic music.

Since opening in early January, Bennion and Leavy have already worked with a number of Provo locals, including Batty Blue, Kindred Dead, Drew Danburry, Okkah, Claire Grayson, Woodland, The Solarists, Humphrey, and DateNight. “We’ve had an auspicious start,” says Bennion. “Cat is transitioning away from her day jobs to also do this full time and we plan on running everything 50/50 moving forward.”

Bone Shack is a cozy home studio with a punchy drum kit, loads of synthesizers and effects pedals, and one of the most comfortable sofas you’ll ever sit on. For a limited time only, Bone Shack is offering a promotional deal. Artists can choose between recording a full track for $100 (including mixing and mastering), or recording an entire EP at Bone Shack with one track from the EP recorded entirely free of charge.

Notable studios in the Provo/Orem area include June Audio, Noisebox Studios, Audio West, and Studio Studio Dada. We’re confident that in the future, Bone Shack will join that list and become a studio that Provo artists frequent.

For news, updates, and more information, check Bone Shack out on Facebook. For booking inquiries, send an email to boneshackstudio@gmail.com. You can also check out some of their work below. Coral Bones is produced and recorded almost exclusively at Bone Shack.