A Comprehensive Guide to the Music of Future of Forestry

Introduction

No band that I’ve ever listened to could replace how extensively and diversely Future of Forestry’s has resonated in my head. No matter the season of life I’m in or what it is I’m doing, Future of Forestry has some sort of music that works as a soundtrack to my world. Eric Owyoung (the genius behind Future of Forestry) throughout his career has applied his classical training and production expertise to a wide range of musical styles, all of which are marvelous in their own ways. Twilight is my all-time favorite ambient rock album, Pages is a beautiful stripped down acoustic piece, Union is a cinematic orchestral instrumental project, and the list goes on.

There were several reasons we wanted to approach an article in this style.

• Future of Forestry is one of this site’s favorite bands, and we would love to do everything we can for more people to discover their great music.
• Future of Forestry’s catalog is so musically and stylistically diverse, it deserves an article in this form. In the past, Rambling Ever On has ranked a variety of different bands’ albums and songs, but we found that to be an impossible task with Future of Forestry’s music. We have included our contributor’s personal favorite songs at the end.
• Our hope is that this guide is able to become a helpful resource in navigating their discography.

In this guide to their music, we will walk through every Future of Forestry album and EP, discussing them as a whole as well as listing the essential tracks. We have also made a playlist with these essential tracks for your enjoyment. We invite you to interact in the comments. Let us know your favorite Future of Forestry songs.  

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Twilight

Year: 2007

Their first official full-length album, Twilight is the perfect blend between electric guitar inspired alternative rock and Future of Forestry’s ambient orchestral genius. From the exhilarating opening track “Open Wide” to the atmospheric hidden track at the end, Twilight is a work of epic scope and vision.

This record shows no signs of being a debut. Owyoung bursts into the Christian indie music scene decisively, with a confidence and quality very few debut albums achieve. Twilight not only brings a stunning level of boldness in its power, but it also has the maturity to breathe when needed, as seen in tracks like “Twilight,” “Speak to Me Gently,” and “Sacred Place.” This album’s overall breadth is expansive. Parts of this album aim for the stars while others have the quiet assurance in their gentleness and peace.

Twilight is a rock album, but Owyoung’s musical vision compels it to be more. Every song is produced with a depth other rock albums dream of achieving. The inventive orchestral ambiance and stunning background vocals work together to form the perfect melodic rock album and one of the strongest debut albums in Christian music history.

Essential Tracks: Open Wide, Twilight, Sanctitatis, Gazing

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The Complete Travel Series

Year: 2011

The Travel Series is three EP’s, each sharing some similarities while also flexing their own creative muscles. The band’s biggest hit, “Slow Your Breath Down” is found on the second of these EP’s. It’s a song that is so good that in a perfect world it would have made Future of Forestry a household name.

The Travel Series is indie rock, with orchestral splashes, acoustic flourishes, and an unwavering dedication to push genre boundaries and limitations. It’s an expansive and daring collection of songs, which admittedly, limit the band’s ability to reach to a wider audience. But as it will become increasingly clearer as we move through their discography: If you connect with Future of Forestry, you will be hard pressed anything better or more rewarding.

Essential Tracks: Slow Your Breath Down, Close Your Eyes, Set Your Sails, Your Day’s Not Over

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Young Man Follow

Year: 2012

My expectations were through the roof for Young Man Follow. After Twilight, the Travel Series, and two of the Advent Christmas releases, I had become a massive Future of Forestry fan. I pre-ordered the album and not so patiently awaited my CD to arrive. The first half of the album absolutely blew me away and exceeded all of my ski-high expectations.

The second half, while not disappointing, tempered my reaction. Looking back, with more than ten years of living with it, I am dumfounded by my response to the back half of the record. No, the second half is not as strong as the first, but how could it be? With songs like the title track, “Would You Come Home”, and the absolutely captivating “Someone”, the first half is perfection. In fact, I would argue that “Someone” is one of the best songs of that decade from any artist. Regardless how great the first half is, the second half has grown on me substantially over the years and I now love it almost as much as the rest of the album.

Young Man Follow lives in the same sonic space as the Travel Series and Twilight, with plenty of little divergences to establish its own identity. It’s less rock and roll than previous efforts, with the distortion-drenched guitars dialed back a good bit. The production is unsurprisingly expansive, blending layers upon layers of instrumentation and sound. And lyrically, it might be the best work of Eric’s career, with grand statements like “Young Man Follow”, sensitive mid-tempo rockers like “Someone”, and gentle, heart wide open ballads like “Things That We Should Say”.

Essential Tracks: Someone, Would You Come Home, You, Things That We Should Say

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Advent Christmas

Year: 2013

I’ve made no secret that Future of Forestry’s Advent/Christmas music is my favorite Christmas music ever. If you’ve read my “Seven Favorite Versions” series, you will note that Future of Forestry appears in every single entry. That is intentional, as their Christmas music excels at retaining the traditional elements of each song, while also imbuing them with new emotion and energy. There are three Advent Christmas Ep’s. Take some time to work through them. If you enjoy epic arrangements, intricate compositions, and emotionally stirring rock-infused renditions of long-celebrated Christmas songs, you will enjoy these albums.

Essential Tracks: Joy to the World, Carol of the Bells, O Come O Come Emmanuel, Little Drummer Boy

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Pages

Year: 2015

I am a huge fan of confessional, acoustic, singer-songwriter type music. I know that is a mouthful and Chat GPT would probably give me a better way of saying it, but we are on a deadline, so we are leaving it in the article! Future of Forestry is decidedly NOT that type of music, but their 2015 album Pages is the closest they ever get to that style and is probably my favorite of their records. The songs are stripped down compared the usual Future of Forestry fare. They are simple and straightforward, but they still pack a big emotional punch.

The harmony and sometimes lead vocals provided by Alina Kamilchu are a great compliment to Eric’s always great vocals. And their cover of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” is a thing of beauty. 

Essential Tracks: Fireflies, Time After Time, Hold My Hand, You’re Mine

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The Piano and Strings Sessions

Year: 2016

The Piano and Strings Sessions provide Future of Forestry fans with melodic arrangements of a handful of the band’s older songs from their Travel Series, Twilight, and Young Man Follow. In a lot of them the tempo is changed; they become slower, more peaceful versions of the songs we already know and love. Owyoung masterfully blends piano and stringed instruments in order to provide a different interpretation of songs that heavily feature guitars and drums. Split into two parts, (the original and the instrumental version) this album demonstrates Owyoung’s constant fluidity as an artist. He is someone who is continually reimagining his work from new perspectives.

Essential Tracks: Traveler’s Song, Horizon Rainfall, You

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Awakened to the Sound

Year: 2016

When Future of Forestry released this album in 2016, I was already a big fan of their music. Even so, I was not prepared for how hard Awakened to the Sound hit me. From their inception, Future of Forestry has never been content to stay confined in one genre or soundscape. From day one, their music has been ever evolving and curious, and Awakened to the Sound took that curiosity to a level I did not know was possible.

Eric Owyoung has always included symphonic components to the music of Future of Forestry yet Awakened to the Sound took what had been one element among many and made it the primary language of the album. Sweeping string arrangements, orchestral percussion, and a sonic scope that very few albums have ever been able to capture make this an album worth listening to. And amidst all of that grandeur, the songs retain Future of Forestry’s signature authenticity and emotional transparency.

Essential Tracks: On Giants Shoulders, Covers You, Homeward, Horses

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Union

Year: 2018

Union is Future of Forestry’s first feature length instrumental album, and it is nothing short of breathtaking. With Union, Eric Owyoung finally has the chance to fully showcase his talent in composing cinematic quality instrumental pieces. Primarily a blend of piano and strings, this album’s magnitude is nothing short of colossal. It paints a stunning picture. Union is expansive, emotional, and awe-inspiring.  It takes its listeners on a journey across a multitude of landscapes that inspire creativity and reflection. It is able to both appropriately engulf you in its epic scope as well as plant you in its sense of peace.

The title track flawlessly sets the tone for what the entire album will entail. Tracks such as “Has No Beginning” and “North Side” are distinctly cinematic, while the closer “Eclipse” blank. Union is an album that further showcases Future of Forestry’s musical diversity, yet never loses the fundamental core of what makes this band work. It proves their capability for achieving the grand and the tranquil.

Essential Tracks: Union, Has No Beginning, Light from Night, Eclipse

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Light Has Come: Christmas

Year: 2019

More Christmas goodness from Future of Forestry! Before anyone corrects me, I am fully aware there are many people who see a vast distinction between Christmas and Advent. I respect that position, but I don’t really feel the need to differentiate between the two when it comes to music. So, Future of Forestry’s Advent and Christmas music gets grouped together in my mind. Sorry not sorry.

The Light Has Come: Christmas is a 7 track EP blending original and well-known Christmas songs, all delivered in a way that only Future of Forestry could. Richly complex production, emotionally resonant sensibility, and unmatched creativity define the sound of these songs. Eric Owyoung treats each song with the reverence and respect they each deserve. Instead of forcing a particular sound or style on them, he finds the perfect musical interpretation to best convey their message.

At some point, Future of Forestry is going to run out of Christmas/Advent songs to reimagine. I hope that day is decades down the road.

Essential Tracks: Come Thou Long Expected Jesus, Light Has Come, I Wonder as I Wander

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Remember

Year: 2021

Remember holds a unique space in Future of Forestry’s catalogue. The album isn’t as rock heavy as Twilight, and it’s not as ambitious as Awakened to the Sound, yet it still does something impressive. In its form, Remember tells one story. This album, more than any of their other albums, is meant to be listened from start to end. Thematically, it wrestles with questions of identity. The opening track “Turn Your Heart” is an invitation, while the closing track “Carry” is a reflection.

The albums best song, “Tears,” is the perfect illustration of what the entire album strives to be. “Tears” begins solemnly with the voice of God calling to His children. He is reminding them that “all the while my love you were a child of Mine.” What follows is our response to that truth. From about the halfway point to the end of the song, “Tears” builds and builds, and is nothing short of celebratory magic. The rest album ends as both a call to action and a profound encouragement.

Essential Tracks: Turn Your Heart, Tears, Remember, Carry

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Stay Right Here

Year: 2022

Stay Right Here, a 4 track EP released in 2022, is another addition to Future of Forestry’s incredible instrumental catalogue. Where albums like Union aim for a broad scope and The Piano and Strings Sessions take the quieter contemplative approach, “Stay Right Here” is incredibly high energy from start to end. It is overwhelmingly cinematic in the best of ways. The title track perfectly sets the tone for what the EP will entail, and tracks like “Juniper” are wondrously triumphant. Stay Right Here marks the beginning of Owyoung’s recent shift into instrumental work, further showcasing his talent and making me wish more and more he will have the opportunity to score a massive high budget film.

Essential Tracks: Morning Gold, Juniper

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Symphonic Christmas (Live)

Year: 2024

A few years ago, Eric Owyoung put on a Christmas concert at Liberty University. He was joined on stage by a full choir and orchestra of Liberty students. I remember seeing the YouTube videos pop up while I was visiting my in-laws in Missouri that Christmas. I had to politely excuse myself for a few minutes while I found a quiet space to watch and listen to each song. It’s a genuinely worshipful and artistically excellent production. I might have cried a few times watching those videos while I hung out in my in-laws’ laundry room.

Last year, the concert was released as an official EP so of course I streamed it a thousand times. My favorite Christmas song ever is on this album. I love everything about this performance. It retains the essence of Future of Forestry while blending it with a live orchestral performance. Make sure listening to this album or watching the videos of the performance become part of your Christmas tradition. You won’t regret it.

My dream is that one day I am able to see Eric Owyoung/Future of Forestry perform a Christmas concert with a full orchestra in my area. I’m sure there are a number of local universities and colleges that could accommodate. I would be willing to spend a lot of my money to attend, and I guarantee that I would absolutely lose my mind.

Essential Tracks: Come Thou Long Expected Jesus, The Earth Stood Still, Joy to the World

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Final Thoughts

We hope this overview will give you a glimpse as to why we love Future of Forestry so much. There are few artists who have pushed the boundaries of creativity and inspiration quite like them. Each album finds them searching for new ways to explore the musical landscape, new ideas to develop and bring to life.

And anchoring it all is a profound love of our Creator and a burning desire to live out the divine mandate to bring honor and glory to our Lord in everything we do. As Francis Schaeffer put it, in Art and the Bible, “The Christian is the one whose imagination should fly beyond the stars.” Future of Forestry’s music flies beyond the stars. May it spur us to do the same.

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Our Contributor’s Top 10 Songs:

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As promised, here is a Spotify Playlist that includes the Essential Tracks for each album. The playlist has been specifically curated to guide you through their music, but feel free to shuffle it if that is how you operate. We won’t judge you too harshly.