Album Playback: HUG (Gyan Riley, Devendra Banhart & Noah Georgeson)

“I don’t even like these people. I didn’t choose them; I love them. They’re my brothers, my family. It’s irrevocable.” – Devendra Banhart

Frogs, condensed milk, the patter of rain. This is the new collaborative project from Gyan Riley, Devendra Banhart, and Noah Georgeson. Three eternal friends becoming children.

Join us for an album playback ahead of the release of the self-titled first album by HUG, the new collaborative project from Gyan Riley, Devendra Banhart & Noah Georgeson. We will be playing the album in its entirety in our galleries and outdoor courtyard. All are invited to bring a lawn chair, blanket, and snacks to be among the first to hear the album.

Set to be released on David Byrne’s label Luaka Bop on September 11, HUG’s new album is intimate, contemplative, and full of childlike wonder. These longtime friends and admirers of each other’s work created a sonic landscape that is sometimes ambient, sometimes enigmatic, with each song flowing into the next, moving across and beyond genre. They incorporate sounds of nature — from frog calls to river sounds captured in Venezuela — along with their incredible musicianship to create something quite magnificent.

This album is 99% instrumental. It is a meditative, experimental, and ambitious statement from these three.

Starting in September 2026, the band will play a series of very specially curated shows in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, including back-to-back performances in An Evening with HUG at ArtYard on Saturday, Oct. 10 at 5 and 8 PM.