Mars First is Geoff Graham's first release on Ehse records and his first work created strictly as a solo artist. The album was given intentional creative limitations, and was conceived, written and recorded in a period of 6 weeks. As a result, scrutiny and ambition give way to truth-via-spontaneity and receptiveness. Inspired by Frank Herbert’s Dune, the album is an ambient meditation on life and non-life in the desert. Pulsing synthesizers, swaying polyrhythms and weeping bass lines invite the listener to leave behind a world of words to enter a less busy one. The non-human sphere and civilization vie for attention, all culminating in the final track Raven, in which Graham asserts himself as a singer. Mars First functions as both a complete musical gesture and as a premonition for the more pop-inspired album Survivors, out on Ehse Records in early 2020.