OBSERVER is a heavy, ethereal doomgaze four-piece originating from Portland, Oregon. Formed by veterans of the Pacific Northwest underground scene—with roots in Young Elk, Museum of Light, and The Hague—the band’s music operates at the intersection of crushing weight, ambient space, and electronic influence.

Following a long hiatus from Young Elk, drummer/vocalist Ezekiel Rudick and guitarist Tony Reyes began writing together under the project name othermusic. When vocalist and synthesist Katie Skiff joined, the project rapidly shifted from gentle, synth-driven guitar rock into something far darker and more expansive. Originally operating as a three-piece relying on backing synth loops and fuzzed-out electronic bass, the band eventually recruited bassist Shawn Steven to bring a raw, dynamic live energy to their massive audio framework.

Influenced by the slow-burning minimalism of Low, the crushing shoegaze textures of Jesu and Hum, the stark weight of BIG|BRAVE and Young Widows, and the dark melodicism of Depeche Mode and The Cure, OBSERVER’s sound is defined by contrast. Reyes’s tidal wave of doomy fuzz guitars and Steven’s heavy bass work form a sonic bedrock for the dueling, reverb-drenched vocal harmonies of Skiff and Rudick.

Following the release of their self-produced debut single, “Pretty Please,” OBSERVER is currently in the studio completing their debut LP, slated for release in early 2027.