Karmic Neighborhood Releases Preview Soundtrack Album for Upcoming Feature Film, "Equinox the Musical"

Royal Oaks, CA (September 22, 2023) - Armand Ruby and Julian Colbeck of musical group Karmic Neighborhood are officially releasing the preview soundtrack album for their upcoming feature film, Equinox the Musical on the fall equinox: Friday, September 22nd. The 14-track album complements the feature film in conveying the story of two homeless young lovers who discover that forgiveness, gratitude and love can be the keys to navigating life’s most challenging circumstances. Some cosmic themes featured within the album include perseverance, forgiveness, gratitude, love, selflessness, and every emotion in between.

Twice a year, on the spring and fall equinox, there is equal time split between day and night. This worldwide equilibrium of darkness and light paints a picture of balance. Equinox the Musical Preview Soundtrack asks listeners defining questions like: “How do we cope with the stressors that threaten to push us off our stride?” or, “How does someone in less fortunate circumstances maintain any sense of balance in the daily struggle just to survive?” Karmic Neighborhood seeks to emphasize that everyone has a story, no matter how apparent it may be on the surface. Equinox the Musical reveals the stories of four homeless individuals - two young lovers with troubled pasts, an elderly wise woman who has lost everything except her dignity, and an attorney recovering from the depths of addiction - and the people who support them on their way. The public face of homelessness is too often someone suffering from serious mental health issues or addiction, but many others endure the indignities of a life gone awry with a quiet dignity. At a time of great social upheaval, the world needs to see and hear this tale of compassion and perseverance in the face of conflict.

The 14 songs on the Equinox Preview Soundtrack album are sung by a diverse set of characters in a variety of settings, with a wide range of musical styles, all helping to tell the film’s story. The record begins with the exuberant, electrified dance tune, “It's a New Day”, introducing listeners to the musical film's cast of characters. The groovy, Latin-inspired song “How Do I Start Over?” is sung by two middle-aged social service professionals who harbor a secret attraction. The rest of the preview soundtrack traverses a wide range of genres and is concluded with the closing ensemble number, “Equinox.” The frenetic Surf-rock tune “Living Loving” acts a coda and will play during the film's credits.

Armand Ruby and Julian Colbeck, the core duo behind Karmic Neighborhood, have taken very different paths to the present moment. The West Coast-based team are two lifelong musicians who met by chance when they moved to the same neighborhood on the central California coast. Julian began his career as a London-based keyboardist and is an accomplished, lifelong music industry veteran, while Armand worked professionally as an environmental scientist in the U.S. and stayed involved in music as a part-time musician and songwriter. Armand and Julian formed a strong bond through their shared passion for music and their painful yet hopeful life experiences of surviving cancer. The two rhythmic alt-pop collaborators found inspiration within the harmony of their own respective life journeys and a mutual interest in musical innovation. 

Like many creatives, Armand was a sensitive child. Growing up, this was of course a blessing and a curse, in the face of both the world’s beauty and its harshness. Throughout his childhood in the northeastern United States, Armand was aware that maintaining this sensitivity might be a challenge. So keeping this cherished inner life alive became a lifelong ambition – and it found expression through music and songwriting. Armand wrote his first little tune at the age of 11, and as a teenager began composing songs, something he’s continued to do throughout life. But his musical talent was matched by a proclivity for science, and a scholarship to an Ivy League university led to a career as an Environmental Scientist.

Still, Armand continued to be active musically: songwriting, recording demos, performing in rock bands no one’s ever heard of, leading small choral groups, and for several years even singing in a professional opera chorus. A breakthrough came in 2010-2011 with the writing of the book and songs for a musical stage play, “Equinox.” Directing the play in its brief but sold-out run in Santa Cruz California was, according to Armand, “both the most difficult and most rewarding experience of my life.” With Equinox, Armand finds himself working at the creative intersection of art and social activism – shining a new light on the often out-of-sight homeless population and the many ways people can become homeless, through story and music. Moving in 2019 to the rural Monterey Bay area community of Royal Oaks, Armand found that one of his neighbors, Julian Colbeck, was an experienced music arranger, producer and keyboardist. From that auspicious meeting arose the musical partnership known as Karmic Neighborhood.

Julian Colbeck grew up in the south of England, where he learned how to play the piano and ultimately pursued his dreams of being in a London-based rock ‘n’ roll band in his late teens. Julian’s music career took off with the band Charlie, with whom he scored several US Top 40 singles including “Watching TV” and “LA Dreamer.” Over the span of a 40-year career, Julian worked and toured as a keyboard player/producer with YES alumni group Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett, Charlie, John Miles, and more. In 2008 Julian began work with his long-time friend, Alan Parsons, on the award-winning instructional video series: Alan Parsons’ The Art & Science Of Sound Recording. Julian also has written for many esteemed music industry publications and has authored many music and music technology books. Beginning in late 2019, and interrupted by intensive treatment for stage 4 cancer, Julian saw something of value in his neighbor Armand Ruby’s songwriting and his Equinox film project and worked as an arranger, co-producer, and keyboardist on the Equinox preview soundtrack recordings.