Funeral Lakes confront western myths on new EP Mountains Turned to Dust
Kingston-based indie rock project Funeral Lakes have released their latest EP Mountains Turned to Dust on September 19, 2025, offering a reflective and haunting exploration of North American history and folklore.
Produced by: Chris Hemer and Sam Mishos
Led by Chris Hemer and Sam Mishos, Funeral Lakes blend swirling guitar, synth, and dual lead vocals into a sound that is both energetic and contemplative. On Mountains Turned to Dust, the duo draw heavily from country and western influences to subvert the genre’s traditional narratives. Galloping drums and twangy guitars with dripping spring reverb accompany lyrics that unravel the myths of the cowboy, westward expansion, and the environmental and social legacies of greed and conquest. Across the five tracks, the band examines the ongoing consequences of historical destruction, showing that the past is never fully past and remains embedded in North American landscapes.
The title track, ‘Mountains Turned to Dust,’ stands out as one of Funeral Lakes’ most stripped-down offering to date, with a narrator positioned as both ancestor and descendant reflecting on inherited legacies. The EP’s cover art—a needle-and-thread intervention on an archival image of a faceless figure on horseback—further emphasizes the critique of glorified frontier myths. The EP was co-written by Hemer and Mishos and performed by a collaborative ensemble including Michael Broadhead, Arden Rogalsky, Dimitri Treheles, and Jonas Bonnetta, with mixing and engineering by Bonnetta and mastering by Heather Kirby.
Funeral Lakes’ latest effort underscores the power of music to confront historical narratives and the complexities of human and environmental interaction, demonstrating their continued growth as storytellers and sonic innovators.
Mountains Turned to Dust is out now.
Standout Songs: ‘Ride On,’ and ‘Mountains Turned to Dust.’
Release Date: September 19, 2025
6.2
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