Ascendant Stranger

People are pleasantly surprised to learn that Ascendant Stranger is a solo project -- even though the music relays a full-band sound. Each track is self-produced by Justin Hicks, a wizard of sorts, who tediously lays down every square inch of each track -- including every instrument, writing the lyrics, designing the cover art, web design, and even programming the website. "All in a days work," laughs Hicks, who spends most of his nights producing tracks after coming home from his day-time web programming job.

"All in a days work," laughs Hicks, who spends most of his nights producing tracks after coming home from his day-time web programming job.

"I feel like musicians have gotten 'soft,'" he continues. "I'm constantly looking for a way to keep a listener's interest, and studying what it really means to have a good 'hook' and grab attention. I grew up listening to all types of music and was able to identify quickly what justified a solid sound. I hope that people hear that through my work."