NO FLUTIN' AROUND. Peter Phippen and Ivar Lunde recently released Earthly, a project seeing great international success. (Submitted photos)

After decades of success across a multitude of genres, one local musician’s sonic journey continues to turn heads.

Peter Phippen is a Chippewa Valley-based multi-instrumentalist known for engaging audiences throughout the world over the past few decades. His third full-length studio album with collaborator Ivar Lunde, Earthly, dropped in 2024 and has seen steady chart success ever since.

“If there is anything special about Earthly, it's just Ivar and I following our love of nature, improvisation, and natural music,” Phippen said. “As with all the recordings we have done together, I personally love keeping the sound honest as we blend antique and contemporary instruments into pure, natural, sound worlds. Ivar plays a big part in helping to achieve this.”

The hour-long six-track album is a meditation on soothing sounds with a wide variety of traditional flutes serving as the bed in which Phippen and Lunde layer their sound. The recordings also feature hand drums, bells, synthesizers and field recordings to help fill out the sonic space.

Since its release, Earthly has charted throughout the world. So far, it has reached No. 7 on the New Ages Notes Radio Chart; No. 21 on the UK-based One World Music Radio Chart; No. 5 on the NACC Chill Chart in the United States and Canada, and many more. While the album is definitely finding a fan base, Phippen isn’t much concerned whether the album sells well or not.

“Being successful has nothing to do with making music,” Phippen said. “I do however think about one of Lao Tzu's teachings if or when anything happens: Success is as dangerous as failure. Whether you go up or down, your position is shaky.”

Earthly by Peter Phippen and Ivar Lunde is available now on all major streaming services. Keep up with Phippen and Lunde online.