Summer, Winter, Spring, Fall. When multi-instrumentalist and producer Greg Almeida first set out to create the world of Secret Gardens, he had much more than just post-rock, or any adjacent genre on his mind. A passion project born out of his stone-solid emotional interpretation of sound, the initial arc of Secret Gardens is to release a tetralogy of albums that sonically represent each season - & the interpretation of his experiences through them - by whatever means necessary. 2019 saw the summer installment Verão, his first release under the moniker - a release he worked on in secret during his tenure with regionally touring alternative rock band VISTA, therefore inspiring the name.
Tragic personal events and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic saw through to 2021's Tundra, a sonically noticeable shift in tone towards bone-chilling emotion and desolation, fulfilling the winter installment. A revitalization of life combined with the vibrance of the world slowly opening back up post-pandemic yielded to another sonic shift in 2022's springtime release, everbloom - which was held in high regard compared to Almeida's previous work. everbloom, unlike the previous two records, utilized much more collaboration, with a heavy hand in the rhythm section from drummer Joseph Arrington (Royal Coda, A Lot Like Birds, etc) and even the likes of vocalist Andrew Wells (Eidola/Dance Gavin Dance).
After everbloom's ripple effect, Secret Gardens had garnered a notable online presence through word of mouth and select live performances in various cities across the US and Canada - accompanied with a band of top notch musicians and a minimal-yet-effective light show. Two years passed, & in the midst of touring, Almeida & company went back into hiding to complete the ambitious conclusion to the tetralogy.
The autumn installment The Impermanent Amber, released October 2024, was Secret Gardens most determined and aggressive shift in sound to date - with the inclusion of vocals (from Almeida and collaborators) all throughout the record, a total evolution and expansion on the deep instrumental soundscapes that band's catalog so far had built. The Impermanent Amber saw an influx of new fans, due to in part from the heavy collaboration aspect (Transit, Cory Wells, etc), two Spotify editorial placements of new tracks (on their "Prog Rock" playlist) and even more buzz about the record spreading online, boasting over 20k monthly listeners after release.
Shortly before The Impermanent Amber came out, Almeida was tasked with other work, lending his guitar prowess to the newly reunited A Lot Like Birds (ex Equal Vision Records). His tenure with Birds continues today, simultaneously promoting Secret Gardens while completing multiple sold out festivals and tours playing for the group - due to the heavy collaboration of other A Lot Like Birds members on Secret Gardens material.
Secret Gardens has no intention of stopping or detracting from the original goal of creating an immersive and deeply personal sonic experience for the listener - even well after the tetralogy is completed. “Put on some headphones, go for a walk in your favorite place. The goal is to have you covered no matter what time of year or what you’re going through." says Almeida. "I feel so deeply connected to nature, and every aspect of life here on Earth. I want to make a body of work so intertwined with what it is to be human, to see the planet shift and change as our feelings do. At the end of the day, Secret Gardens' material is created to be so deeply ingrained in your most cherished emotions. And there's no territory I wouldn't cover if I knew it would make somebody feel profoundly.”
