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Shiprock by Sam Miller and Matt Badger

  • Writer: Arashk Azizi
    Arashk Azizi
  • 3 days ago
  • 2 min read

Shiprock is a collection of nine instrumental pieces composed and performed by Sam Miller and Matt Badger—two seasoned multi-instrumentalists whose collaboration speaks volumes without uttering a single word. Spanning a range of styles and emotions, the album unfolds like a cinematic narrative, inviting the listener on an intimate and expressive journey. Each track feels like a chapter in a story told through melody, rhythm, and texture—an emotional arc crafted with nuance, honesty, and deep musical intuition.
Shiprock by Sam Miller and Matt Badger

Shiprock is a collection of nine instrumental pieces composed and performed by Sam Miller and Matt Badger—two seasoned multi-instrumentalists whose collaboration speaks volumes without uttering a single word. Spanning a range of styles and emotions, the album unfolds like a cinematic narrative, inviting the listener on an intimate and expressive journey. Each track feels like a chapter in a story told through melody, rhythm, and texture—an emotional arc crafted with nuance, honesty, and deep musical intuition.


The opener, “Voyage”, feels like a soft rock ballad framed in jazz harmony. It hovers around the piano, gentle yet persistent, setting the tone for an introspective voyage. There’s a subtle energy here—it doesn’t scream for attention, but it moves with purpose.


Then everything shifts with “Horizon Bound” (featuring Lori Goldston), which begins like a piano sonata. It instantly reminded me of Beethoven’s Appassionata, Sonata No. 23—not because of shared melodic or rhythmic material, but something deeper. To be honest I can’t put my finger on it, but there's a shared emotional language between them, an unspoken intensity. One is a 23-minute solo work; the other, a brief two-and-a-half-minute piece for piano, cello, and percussion —yet both seem to come from the same world, speaking the same truth in different dialects. Without a doubt, this is my favorite piece on the album.

Shiprock is a collection of nine instrumental pieces composed and performed by Sam Miller and Matt Badger—two seasoned multi-instrumentalists whose collaboration speaks volumes without uttering a single word. Spanning a range of styles and emotions, the album unfolds like a cinematic narrative, inviting the listener on an intimate and expressive journey. Each track feels like a chapter in a story told through melody, rhythm, and texture—an emotional arc crafted with nuance, honesty, and deep musical intuition.
Sam Miller

“Sunglint” follows—a shimmering blend of jazz and minimalism. It’s built around a gentle, catchy melody, full of flowing arpeggios that carry the listener like ocean waves. There’s something effortless and bright about it, yet emotionally grounded. No wonder it has already reached over a million views paired with its stunning music video.



“Blue Hour” offers a short, gloomy reflection—an intermission of sorts, a space to breathe and absorb. Then comes “Hypnagogia”, a dreamy, mysterious piece. It feels less like a composition and more like an emotional statement, abstract yet vivid, like drifting through a half-remembered dream.


“Current” brings the energy back up—fluid and rhythmic, it channels movement, tension, and resolution all at once. “Wavering Reflection” dives once more into emotional depths. The melody dances between the piano chords and the bassline, gradually building in tempo while remaining true to its melodic heart, finally tapering off into a quiet, soulful piano outro.



Then comes “Foghorn”—a hauntingly beautiful collaboration with Eric Padget on flugelhorn and Lori Goldston on cello. The opening flugelhorn solo is melancholic and rich, while the closing piano section brings the album toward serenity.


Finally, “Ease” closes the album like a farewell letter—soft, sentimental, and simple. A solo piano piece that leaves you with a gentle ache, like the last scene in a film you know will stay with you long after the credits roll.

Shiprock is a collection of nine instrumental pieces composed and performed by Sam Miller and Matt Badger—two seasoned multi-instrumentalists whose collaboration speaks volumes without uttering a single word. Spanning a range of styles and emotions, the album unfolds like a cinematic narrative, inviting the listener on an intimate and expressive journey. Each track feels like a chapter in a story told through melody, rhythm, and texture—an emotional arc crafted with nuance, honesty, and deep musical intuition.
Matt Badger

Musically, Shiprock stretches across different styles, yet remains unified in tone and spirit. The album unfolds like a storyline—an emotional journey told without words, where every note and texture carries meaning. It is a dialogue between two songwriters who don’t need words to be heard. It’s a meditation, a landscape, a journey—and an invitation to feel deeply.




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