Earl Hartley and Thrift Star is a studio side project of songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ariel Hartley of Pearl Earl. Hartley wanted to experiment in the studio with some older bedroom demos outside of her Pearl Earl universe and invited friends to contribute and breathe new life into them. Produced by longtime collaborator Alex Bhore (formerly of This Will Destroy You) at Elmwood Studios in Dallas, the results are Dream Crusher. The four song EP explores a dreamier side of Hartley’s endeavors with relaxed song structures and vulnerable lyricism, while maintaining her roots in lysergic familiarity.
