The Double Headed Seagulls is the brainchild of Dave Wirth, an award-winning film composer and music producer based in Austin, United States. Known for his cinematic vision and meticulous ear for texture, Wirth has long built his career by weaving sound into storytelling, creating works that balance emotional depth with experimental ambition. While his achievements in film scoring have earned him recognition for their ability to capture mood and nuance, The Double Headed Seagulls project allows Wirth to step outside narrative confines and embrace boundless sonic exploration. His approach blends the atmospheric qualities of post-rock, the intimate imperfection of lo-fi electronica, the rhythmic unpredictability of IDM, and the expressive phrasing of jazz guitar, layered into dreamy ambient soundscapes.
The project is rooted in curiosity, reinvention, and the art of transformation. Where other artists may leave archival recordings forgotten, Wirth finds new meaning in fragments, cassette tape experiments and sonic sketches that once served as background material become the foundation for fresh, imaginative worlds. In this way, The Double Headed Seagulls is not just a musical identity but an evolving experiment: a way of reshaping memory, texture, and emotion into something alive and playful. Officially released on August 28th, 2025, The Double Headed Seagulls’ latest EP, “Play Artful”, is a luminous fusion of lo-fi electronica, dreamy synthwave, IDM textures, jazz guitar modulations, and ambient experimentation. The record takes its inspiration from forgotten cassette recordings made during the years-long production of the 2011 album Slimline, reworked and reshaped into something entirely new.
“Play Artful” emerges as its vibrant counterpart, propulsive, melodic, and bursting with imagination. The EP captures a spirit of curiosity, described through the playful metaphor of “kids with crayons drawing on the walls while their parents roll their eyes but love every second of it.” Drawing on influences as varied as Pat Metheny’s early records (Pat Metheny, Watercolors), Brian Eno’s Ambient 4: On Land and Music for Films, Four Tet’s Everything Ecstatic, and Radiohead’s In Rainbows, the EP embodies both sophistication and spontaneity. It is music designed to surprise and delight, to reimagine what sound can mean when treated as both art and play. With its release, “Play Artful” stands as a statement of reinvention, a sonic reminder that even fragments of the past can become the foundation for vibrant new creativity.
Full Oxford
“Full Oxford” by The Double Headed Seagulls immediately establishes itself as a masterclass in sonic storytelling, opening with a serene soundscape that feels both expansive and intimate. From the very first notes, listeners are drawn into a meditative environment, where gentle ambient textures and subtle modulations create a sense of spatial depth. The track’s introduction is deceptively calm, a delicate layering of sound that slowly reveals itself as more intricate than it first appears. As the low-end frequencies begin to emerge, they do so not as intrusive elements, but as grounding forces that anchor the ambient layers, providing a rhythmic subtlety that pushes the track forward. This careful interplay between light, airy synth textures and grounded bass lines gives “Full Oxford” a sense of motion, almost as if the listener is being guided through an evolving soundscape, where every tone and frequency contributes to a larger, cohesive emotional arc.
The composition of “Full Oxford” showcases The Double Headed Seagulls’ remarkable ability to balance experimentation with accessibility. Throughout the track, there is a constant push and pull between contrasting textures: soft, ethereal pads float above nuanced rhythmic pulses, while fleeting melodic motifs weave in and out of the mix, never overwhelming the listener but providing enough intrigue to maintain focus. These elements are carefully orchestrated, allowing the track to evolve organically without resorting to abrupt changes. The transitions feel natural, almost like breathing, with new sonic layers emerging at just the right moments to sustain interest. What stands out most is the band’s precision in sculpting space and atmosphere, each sound occupies its own dimension, leaving room for reflection and emotional resonance. It’s this meticulous attention to sonic detail that transforms “Full Oxford” from a simple ambient piece into an immersive journey that resonates on both intellectual and emotional levels.
Emotionally, “Full Oxford” succeeds in conveying a narrative without words, a hallmark of The Double Headed Seagulls’ artistry. The track evokes nostalgia and introspection simultaneously, creating a complex emotional landscape that listeners can inhabit in multiple ways. Its meditative beginning evolves into a more layered midsection, where harmonics and subtle dissonances introduce tension and release, mirroring the ebb and flow of human thought and feeling. By the time the track reaches its denouement, there is a sense of fulfillment and quiet reflection, as if the listener has traversed a personal journey alongside the music. The careful modulation of dynamics, the interweaving of textural complexity, and the intuitive pacing all contribute to an experience that is both cerebral and deeply affecting. “Full Oxford” is not just a track to be heard, it is a track to be experienced, inviting repeated listening to uncover the layers of ingenuity embedded within its rich, contemplative structure.
Doss Money
“Doss Money” by The Double Headed Seagulls emerges as a contemplative and haunting finale to “Play Artful”, offering a marked departure from the EP’s earlier exuberance and playful textures. The track opens with a dramatic synth pad that immediately sets a moody, introspective tone, subtly enveloping the listener in a reflective sonic environment. Gradually, a lone guitar melody enters, delicate yet deliberate, creating a contrast between the electronic foundation and organic instrumentation. This juxtaposition crafts an atmosphere of solitude and introspection, as if the listener is walking through a vast, echoing space filled with both tension and serenity. As the piece unfolds, layers of soft, resonant organ tones and understated percussive textures are woven into the soundscape, adding depth and nuance. The sparse arrangement allows every note and tonal shift to breathe, emphasizing the emotional weight of each musical element. Toward the track’s closing moments, subtle buzzing textures interact with the guitar’s delicate phrasing, introducing gentle tension and release, which heightens the sense of narrative closure without ever feeling forced.
The composition of “Doss Money” distinguishes itself through its organic evolution and profound emotional resonance, demonstrating The Double Headed Seagulls’ mastery of pacing and texture. Unlike conventionally structured tracks, this piece develops gradually, almost imperceptibly at first, allowing listeners to become fully immersed in its meditative flow. The interplay between the guitar and synth elements feels like an intimate conversation, one that ebbs and flows with emotional subtlety, shifting seamlessly between moments of clarity and reflective ambiguity. The track’s measured pacing creates a space where the listener can engage deeply with the unfolding soundscape, noticing subtle modulations, delicate harmonics, and microtextural details that reward repeated listening. These elements work together to evoke complex feelings, from quiet melancholy to gentle reassurance, mirroring the unpredictability and richness of human thought and emotion. The lack of a rigid structure invites individual interpretation, enabling each listener to experience the track uniquely, uncovering fresh layers with each encounter.
“Doss Money” serves as a poignant and fitting conclusion to “Play Artful”, encapsulating the EP’s overarching exploration of sound, texture, and emotion in a way that lingers long after the music stops. Its introspective and measured nature provides a striking counterpoint to the more upbeat and playful tracks that precede it, offering a reflective space where listeners can digest the EP’s journey. The track’s evolving textures, harmonics, and nuanced layering showcase The Double Headed Seagulls’ ability to craft music that resonates on both an intellectual and deeply emotional level. By choosing to close the EP with this piece, the band not only underscores the thematic arc of exploration, creativity, and emotional introspection but also leaves a lasting impression of sophistication and depth. “Doss Money” invites repeated listening, as each play reveals subtle sonic choices and emotional cues, making it a memorable and essential component of “Play Artful”.
Play Artful transforms forgotten fragments into vibrant soundscapes, playful, nostalgic, and deeply immersive, blending experimentation with emotional resonance.
“Play Artful” is a reinvention of sound and memory, a work that transforms forgotten cassette fragments into a vibrant sonic canvas where experimentation meets playfulness. By blending lo-fi electronica, dreamy synth textures, IDM-inspired rhythms, and expressive jazz guitar, The Double Headed Seagulls craft a listening experience that feels at once nostalgic and refreshingly new. It is an EP that invites reflection but also delights in spontaneity, striking a rare balance between sophistication and childlike wonder, where every note feels both intentional and effortlessly free. With its imaginative soundscapes and emotional depth, “Play Artful” resonates as a reminder of the beauty found in reinvention and the joy of rediscovery. For listeners seeking music that rewards both deep attention and casual immersion, this record is a must-hear, best experienced in quiet, unhurried moments with headphones, where its layers can unfold like a story that reveals something new with every listen.