The project takes its name from Sowden House, the Mayan Revival landmark in Los Angeles designed by Lloyd Wright and long associated with the mythology surrounding George Hodel and the Black Dahlia murder. That sense of unease and intrigue runs throughout the album, which unfolds as a series of atmospheric scenes shaped by memory, shadow, and suggestion.

Across the album’s lush soundscape, Garbett blurs the boundaries between jazz, orchestral composition, psychedelic funk, and cinematic ambience. Drawing inspiration from the psychological thrillers of the 1970s and the house’s ominous grandeur, she crafts both noir mystery and spectral beauty. Sowden House features two distinct ensembles: the groove-driven Sydney funk collective Mister Ott, and a large hybrid ensemble of some of Australia’s most accomplished jazz, classical, and contemporary musicians. The sessions, recorded at Golden Retriever Studios and Rancom St Studios in Sydney, were engineered and mixed by Richard Belkner and Simon Berkelman, and mastered by Lachlan Carrick. The result is a record that feels expansive and cinematic, yet deeply personal – a sound world of layered harmonies, rhythmic experimentation, and hypnotic orchestrations.

“The music has found its own life beyond the game,” says Garbett. “I was invited by Brendan to compose and record for a video game titled Sowden House. Thanks to his generosity, I was able to write for two very different groups – an incredible funk band and a large ensemble of remarkable musicians I brought together for the project. I will always be proud of this body of work. Best enjoyed with attentive ears, through quality speakers, and with a glass of red in hand.”

A composer, keyboardist, and producer, Freyja Garbett has emerged as one of Australia’s most distinctive voices, combining improvisation, electronic production, and contemporary composition. With Sowden House, she delivers her most ambitious work to date: a carefully constructed sonic environment that invites listeners into a world where jazz, film, and storytelling intersect.