Technically speaking, this is the second solo LP for vocalist & multi-instrumentalist MACIE STEWART, who along with her work in HOMME/OHMME/FINOM has been a frequent collaborator on many recent Int'l Anthem releases. "When the Distance is Blue" eschews the pop songwriting framework of her prior solo affair, casting STEWART as more of a bandleader guiding the listener through an eight-part song cycle that hits on third stream improvisation, ambient drone and electro-acoustic experimentation. The result is both fantastically adventurous and spiritually enriching, so of course this comes HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.