Shrunken Elvis

Shrunken Elvis is a Nashville-based trio made up of Spencer Cullum, Sean Thompson, and Rich Ruth, known for their genre-defying and intuitive approach to music-making. Born from long drives across Europe and cold winter jam sessions, the group blends elements of ambient, kosmische, psychedelic, country, jazz, and folk into a unique, dreamlike sound. Their self-titled debut album, released in 2025 via Western Vinyl, captures the spontaneity and chemistry of three seasoned musicians coming together without specific goals—just a shared love for exploration and atmosphere.

The band’s music features atmospheric textures, psychedelic guitar riffs, and downtempo dance grooves, evoking sounds somewhere between dreamy kosmische and an ’80s cop show soundtrack. Spencer Cullum is an in-demand pedal steel player, Sean Thompson brings experience from Nashville’s DIY scene, and Rich Ruth adds ambient synth-infused layers drawn from his solo work on Third Man Records. Shrunken Elvis is all about creating immersive soundscapes that feel both nostalgic and fresh, marrying their individual talents into a captivating collective sound.

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