Devon Allman steps into cinematic, after-dark territory on nightvision, an insutrumental album that trades blues tradition for moody ’80s sci-fi atmospheres, immersive textures, and a beautiful slow-burn storytelling.
Devon Allman turns the lights down and lets atmosphere do the heavy lifting on nightvision, a new instrumental album built on ambient art-rock textures, cinematic pacing, and a deep affection for ’80s sci-fi moodiness. The record leans away from blues orthodoxy and toward something more immersive and inward-looking.
The project has been years in the making. Recorded at Allman’s home studio during the COVID shutdown, nightvision was shaped patiently, with space and restraint guiding the process. Mystic rhythms, fluid guitar lines, and titles that feel pulled from VHS-era science fiction form a loose narrative arc, one that moves less like a traditional rock album and more like a soundtrack unfolding in real time.
“Dead Sea Scrolls,” the album’s opening salvo, introduces us to what Allman has built. It’s spacious, hypnotic, and quietly intense, hinting at Middle Eastern imagery while nodding to the cinematic minimalism of vintage film scores. Elsewhere, tracks like “Arabia (Part I – The Approach)” and “Arabia (Part II – The Arrival)” lean into tension and release, while “Imzadi” and “Plans Within Plans” favor atmosphere over flash.
Allman is joined by familiar collaborators John Lum on drums and Justin Corgan on bass, both drawn from the Allman Betts Band and Devon Allman Project. One of the album’s most personal moments comes from the inclusion of Allman’s son, Orion, who makes his recording debut on synthesizer. His contributions add a modern, textural edge that deepens the album’s emotional pull.
Sonically, nightvision draws inspiration from the moody elegance of early ’80s touchstones like the Police and the Cure, with guitar tones shaped by vintage Roland Jazz Chorus amps and Electric Mistress pedals. Allman’s playing favors feel and color over fireworks, letting the songs breathe and unfold naturally.
Designed as a headphone record and best experienced after dark, nightvision plays like a meditation on sound, memory, and imagination. It’s a left turn for Allman, but one taken with confidence, curiosity, and a clear sense of purpose.