B-Side Guys

First frames matter. Robert Ascroft, transitioning from Hollywood photographer to musical auteur, understands this principle across mediums. On “Dorian Gray” (released February 13th), his collaboration with ethereal vocalist Ora Cogan, Ascroft applies his visual director’s eye to sonic composition, creating a portrait more revealing than its literary namesake.

The track emerges as a standout from Ascroft’s debut album Echo Still Remains, arriving February 14th via Hand Drawn Dracula. Following his Christopher Owens collaboration “Should’ve Stayed In Bed,” this second single further establishes Ascroft’s talent for musical curation. His photographer’s instinct for capturing precisely the right subject in the perfect light translates seamlessly to selecting ideal vocal collaborators.

Cogan’s contributions provide essential counterpoint to the instrumentation, her voice floating above the carefully engineered soundscape like spectral narration. While no lyrics were provided for analysis, her delivery suggests the same haunted beauty as Wilde’s infamous character—preserved on the surface while concealing deeper corruption.

The production, engineered by Ted Young (Rolling Stones, Sonic Youth) and mixed by Larry Crane (Elliott Smith), creates the precise atmospheric tension that Ascroft’s cinematic aspirations demand. Elements of dream pop blur into indie rock foundations, creating aural chiaroscuro that evokes both Wim Wenders’ expansive landscapes and Lynch’s intimate distortions.

What distinguishes “Dorian Gray” is how Ascroft approaches collaboration not as featured cameos but as essential dialogue. The track represents genuine artistic conversation between established talents rather than mere name-dropping. This approach reflects Ascroft’s background—photographers understand that their art emerges from relationship with subjects, not simply capturing them.

As part of an album featuring Christopher Owens, Kid Congo Powers, Britta Phillips, and Ruth Radelet, “Dorian Gray” suggests Ascroft has created something rarer than a debut album. He’s cultivated a creative community spanning visual and musical arts while maintaining cohesive artistic vision—proving that sometimes the most compelling portraits are those captured in sound.