San Francisco Bay Area composer, producer, and musician Dren McDonald released Vox Pterous via Appearing Records this summer. The album takes the instrumental architecture of his acclaimed 2023 rec…

Bay Area composer Dren McDonald's latest project, Vox Pterous, came out at the end of July. The project has a deep backstory: back in 2023, he built Pterous — a collection of instrumental pieces as a ...

My husband, son, and I have been locked up for months—despite being permanent residents with no criminal record. It is an unendurable, unending nightmare.

“Sometimes the only way to survive a loss is to create something,” Dren McDonald once admitted while working on his previous instrumental album, “Pterous.” At the time, that…

Things, for the most part, happen in the same way each day. Occasionally, we’re convinced that we can make sense of them. Sometimes, we even feel like we can hold dreams in the palm of...

San Francisco-based composer Dren McDonald‘s album Vox Pterous is a deeply emotive exploration of grief, memory, and transformation, inviting a remarkable ensemble of singers into richly layered sonic...

In 1979, my father Roy Ayers went on an extraordinary three-week tour with the Afrobeat pioneer amid extreme violence in Nigeria. Three band members recount the unforgettable trip

YouTube video by Dren McDonald

YouTube video by DrenMcDonaldVEVO

Album · 2026 · 6 Songs

Revered composer Dren McDonald returns with Vox Pterous, a new new take on his expert 2023 album Pterous.

6 track album

California-based musician Dren McDonald will return this week with his new album, Vox Pterous, which will be released via Appearing Records.  One of the stunning singles from the album is “Fading”, a ...

Derrière la beauté suspendue de « Resting of Light », il y a un nom qu’on n’attendait pas forcément : Hardy Fox. Le compositeur californien Dren McDonald l’a confié lui-même, la chanson lui est direct...

Dren McDonald’s new single, Resting of Light, has a sonic similarity to Steve Reich, Kronos Quartet, and Björk. Its arrangement sounds amazing, highlighting multi-layered playing that’s constantly…

A cozy pet sim where you raise Ember, your magical fox-like companion. Bring her home, care for her, and venture into the Otherlands together -- deepening your bond one adventure at a time.

Resting Of Light is the result of a fresh collaboration between Dren McDonald x Carla Kihlstedt x Amelie Anna - full Rock review inside.

Discover premium single-origin coffee, signature blends, and brewing gear at Common Room Roasters. Shop online or visit us in Long Beach for specialty coffee experiences.

"Resting of Light" is a seven-minute eulogy that approaches an absolute absence of emotion before drawing back toward literal grief. The composition stands as

On ‘Resting of Light’, the second single from Dren McDonald’s forthcoming album 'Vox Pterous', the Bay Area composer creates a piece that exists somewhere between contemporary classical composition, e...

YouTube video by DrenMcDonaldVEVO

I’m no gamer. And game soundtracks rarely work without visuals. But Dren McDonald manages the rare feat of overcoming that with the rather beautiful A Floating Portal In My Room from the Stay: Fore…

Dren McDonald and Sophia James craft something quietly spellbinding on Fading, a cinematic blend of ambient folk, chamber pop, and experimental songwriting. Sophia James’ haunting ...

Dren McDonald · Upcoming album · Releases on Jul 31, 2026 · 6 songs

Bay Area composer Dren McDonald immerses with the stunning single “Fading.” Representing the first single and chronological finale from the upcoming album Vox Pterous, the release features viral vocal...

San Francisco Bay Area composer Dren McDonald announces Vox Pterous on Appearing Records, a vocal reimagining of Pterous, arriving July 31, 2026.

Dren McDonald and Sophia James build a hypnotic piece where acoustic guitar, synth textures, and a stunning vocal performance create something difficult to define.

YouTube video by DrenMcDonaldVEVO

track by dren mcdonald

Ember is a virtual pet who feels alive - and living on your desktop. Play with her, feed her - make her feel loved. She’ll be curious and attentive, mischievous when you need a distraction, quiet when...