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After exploring the vast sanctuary of an empty church in 2022’s Masses, Armbruster inhabits a new setting with polar opposite qualities for his sophomore release with Dear Life Records, Can I Sit Here. The music, colored by distortion and cutting rawness befitting its subject matter, was created and recorded live in mono in the small back room of an apartment. Acoustic violin takes a backseat to Armbruster’s heavily distorted electric violin on this record as he improvises over textures simultaneously warm and dissonant. It is a reflection on loss and the feelings that follow a death, the delicate balance between despair, celebration, nostalgia, isolation, and kinship.

Armbruster is based in Troy, NY and is behind a multi-faceted body of work exploring performance art, electric violin, Irish fiddle, traditional music, field recording, dance, and theatre. In addition to his solo projects, he plays electric violin and guitar for Blue Ranger, is a member of Hold On Honeys, and performs and records with numerous other artists in the capital region. He was musical director and lead composer for Troy Foundry Theatre’s original musical, City of Myth: Illium Sings. Outside of performance, Armbruster is a cartoonist and music educator, and proud parent of a 4-year-old.

Can I Sit Here is dedicated to Andrew Napierski, who would’ve wanted something funny to be written here.

hi i'm connor armbruster, the composer // electric violinist // fiddle player behind the name armbruster.

my main project involves composing and performing violin music (see Masses, Can I Sit Here, etc). my newest work is a piece for three violins called triplum.

I also like to explore traditional music (Half My House, Bednight Snack), and electronica (w/ World Power Band).

dear life records

1. armbrustersounds.com