Saltbreaker is the wordless music project by Detroit based producer John Hanson.
His latest album “Canopy Static” is a lofi-ambient album imagined from the perspective of plants.
Drawing on the idea that electricity, memory, and unseen rivers of thought move through air, soil, and stems, the album offers a quiet meditation on floral consciousness. Minimalist and immersive, it features guitar, synth, vibraphone, and Fender Rhodes recorded between March and July 2025. Designed for relaxation, yoga, meditation, and creative practice.
John shares some of his favorite songs in this weeks edition of “Five For Friday” but first be sure to check out the new album below.
Chihei Hateyakama – Voices
This was the first ambient track I discovered on my own. I was in my mid twenties…. It came out on the album Ghostly Garden in 2010 and I had never heard anything like it… so simple, but had so much depth and texture. Truly my main influence in the ambient genre. This record gave me permission to make simple wordless music and opened up a whole world of possibilities for me. I’ve since been able to work with Chihei on mastering some of my own music. He’s a legend.
Radiohead – Everything in its Right Place
So recognizable, those first few notes just take me to another world. This track is so powerful and simple. A great example of drone and melody at play with each other in indie music. I think as a younger impressionable artist, this track was a sort of holy grail of emotional depth through texture, chord progression, drone and composition. Amazing production as with all of Radiohead and a very creative approach, different from everything else.
Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru “Mothers Love”
So beautiful and simple, this track is a nostalgic and optimistic one. I’m a sucker for history and a good story and the story of Emahoy and Ethiopian music is fascinating. This album has been a deep favorite of my wife and I and we actually had the first dance at our wedding to this song. Gentle, loving, heartfelt and mesmerizing.
Misha Panfilov – Together
Instant classic. I heard this track playing at a record store in Detroit and had to ask at the front what was playing. He described this record as an ethiopian jazz influenced northern european thing… They happened to be playing it there because it was released on this small Detroit based boutique record label called Funk Knight…. But damn… I bought the record that day and never looked back. Misha Panfilov became my number one listened to artist for like the last 2 years! I throw this record on at parties, dinners, drives… truly one of my favorites. Best vibes.
Bobby Hutcherson – Montara
One of my first jazz albums that I fell in love with. I actually first heard this track from the remixed version on Madlib’s Shades of Blue record… but the original is so good. It is an amazing work of mallet percussion, but also the chillest vibe, another record which is great for parties and setting a relaxed tone. Sophisticated, memorable hook and masterful performance.
