Thorny — Immersive Ambient Music
Welcome to Witherwillow Sound, the web home of synthesist/bassist
J.D. Ryan (Thorny).
Latest news...
New performance video:
Interference
Manchester, NH
March 14, 2026
On March 16, 2026, I played a show in Manchester, NH called Interference. It was not my usual gig, as it is traditionally a noise/industrial/experimental show. Undaunted, I came up with a rather interesting dystopian set, one a bit different than my usual stuff, but I had a great time putting it together and playing it, and the audience was great, too.
Upcoming lecture at New England Synth Fest, May 2, Boston
I'm excited to let you know that I'll be giving a lecture on Saturday May 2 at 1:10 PM at the New England Synth Fest at Northeastern University in Boston. The talk is called Beyond the Drone: Practical Tools for Adding Movement to Longform Ambient. Using my 44-minute piece, A Long Dusk as a guide, we’ll look at how to keep long ambient tracks moving so they never feel stuck or repetitive. I’ll share the simple ‘hinge points’ and layering tricks I use to tell a story with sound, showing how you can guide a listener through a long musical journey using the gear you already have. To hear the piece, look for “Thorny: A Long Dusk” on your preferred music service.
The NESF is a great event... lots of wonderful performances, a synth room and a ton of other great stuff. Details all here:
New England Synth Fest.