Incredible Yacht Control

The latest chapter in Incredible Yacht Control begins backstage at the Powerstation in Auckland. Bret Vogel—formerly of Crosstide, a fixture of the late 00s Portland indie scene—was catching up with an old friend, Erik Howk of 'Portugal of Man' who was on tour in New Zealand. When asked if he had music in the works, Vogel admitted he’d stopped releasing publicly since moving countries. He was still writing, but the thought of promoting himself felt exhausting. Erik's response was simple: “I don’t want to live in a universe that doesn’t have any new Bret Vogel songs.” Hyperbole, sure, but it was enough to bring him back.

Now living in a quiet beach town outside Auckland, Vogel is in a different phase of life—a husband, a father, a high school teacher. IYC has always been his way of finding freedom. It began with lo-fi jangle-pop basement sketches and cut-up lyrics. His new album, pastor al, is a bit different. Inspired by Nick Drake’s fingerpicking, Vogel crafted an album layered with glitchy atmospherics, electronics, and lush strings. Though relatively unknown in New Zealand, IYC has musical roots here. The Mint Chicks encouraged him to release his first demos and played in his live band, and he’s collaborated with a number of kiwi musicians over the years. He’s played a handful of Auckland venues, but with pastor al, he isn’t chasing a scene—just making music because it still matters to him, and to those who’ve always loved his voice.