Press release –
Large, the indie rock project of Canadian-born songwriter and guitarist Jamie Hilsden, will release its debut album, Marine Life on January 30, 2026. Today he’s sharing the final single from the album, the scorching instrumental, “Manta Ray.” The track arrives as a curveball: the only instrumental on an otherwise language-driven, songwriting-forward record.
Recorded live in the studio without a metronome, “Manta Ray” captures the band at their most immediate and unfiltered. Drawing equally from surf music’s forward momentum and Saharan psychedelia, the track bends time signatures and note choices just enough to feel cheekily off-kilter, without ever disrupting its sense of flow. What emerges is a slow-build release that feels both playful and emotionally charged — with a catharsis that recalls the emotional weight of artists like Jeremy Enigk or Billy Corgan, with a subtle punk edge beneath the surface.
Despite its lack of lyrics, “Manta Ray” functions as a key emotional pivot within Marine Life — a record largely defined by its attention to language, nuance, and narrative detail. Here, the absence of words becomes the point.
“We kept circling this piece of music for a long time,” says Hilsden. “Any time we tried adding words, it felt like we were making the song worse. We didn’t set out to write an instrumental, but we found ourselves with music that felt complete as-is, so we left it that way.”
As the final song released ahead of Marine Life, Manta Ray offers a glimpse of the album’s broader emotional range — expansive, unguarded, and willing to take risks — while underscoring the project’s commitment to feeling over formula.
Centered on language-driven songs that balance assured production with lyrical nuance, Large occupies a space between classic and contemporary indie, drawing comparisons to Wilco, Belle and Sebastian, and Andy Shauf. The project’s songs often move fluidly between sardonic observation and open-hearted sincerity, pairing carefully shaped sound with a quietly playful sensibility.
Ahead of the album’s release, Large has already shared four singles — “Standards and Practices,” “Circles,” “Falling in the Woods” and “Worth Repeating” — all of which have connected strongly with listeners on streaming platforms, earning steady growth, playlist support, and repeat engagement.
Marine Life uses recurring oceanic imagery as a loose framework for songs about connection, distance, and the subtle rhythms of daily life. The album was recorded largely live in the studio with a full band — often without the use of a click track — capturing a sense of natural movement and human imperfection. It was mastered by J.J. Golden (Neko Case, Devendra Banhart, Ty Segall, Osees).
Hilsden’s background includes years of touring and recording as the frontman of Man Alive (The Militia Group) and as a guitarist with Useless I.D. (Fat Wreck Chords). With Large, he brings that experience into a more reflective songwriting context, creating music that feels lived-in, patient, and quietly affecting.
Marine Life is an album built for repeated listening — understated, intentional, and deeply attentive to sound, language, and atmosphere.
Visit: https://largetheband.bandcamp.com.
Track List:
1) Standards & Practices
2) Circles
3) One Day Son
4) Falling In The Woods
5) Caterpillar
6) Manta Ray
7) Bumpy Ride
8) Back Of The Room
9) Worth Repeating
10) List For Life
11) Imsouane
Music by Jamie Hilsden (he/him)
Produced, Engineered & Mixed by Dan Zeitune (he/him)
Additional Engineering by Idan Katz (he/him)
Mastered by J.J. Golden (he/him)
Performers:
Jamie Hilsden (he/him) – Acoustic Guitar, Lead Guitar, Vocals
Dan Zeitune (he/him) – Bass, 12 String Electric Guitar, Background Vocals
Shahar Haziza (he/him) – Drums, Percussion
Ran Darom (he/him) – Electric Guitar
Shay Roth (he/him) – Keyboards
