Harbor Rift

Harbor Rift is the ambient music project of Seattle based composer Kyle Preston. Inspired deeply by nature, Harbor Rift creates immersive soundscapes and musical stories that evoke the mystery and calm of the natural world. It is one of several projects Kyle works on and holds a special place in his heart because it is inspired by nature, and reflects his love for the beauty of the outdoors and hiking.

Kyle’s earliest memories of music come from his mother playing Brahms on the piano. At other times, he’d listen to his dad’s vinyl collection, gradually falling in love with music as a constant presence in his life. This rich musical environment planted the seeds for his own creative journey.

When Kyle first began writing music, ambient sounds immediately caught his attention. But for many years, he hesitated to fully embrace ambient music. It felt like a genre he wasn’t “allowed” to pursue, perhaps because it wasn’t widely listened to around him, or because he was still discovering his artistic identity. Looking back now, he sees that ambient textures were already woven into his earliest recordings, even if he didn’t realize it at the time. Today, ambient music is what he is most passionate about.

Kyle’s background in astronomy and astrophysics also inspires his creative approach. His curiosity of the universe with its vastness, complexity, and beauty adds a layer of wonder and depth to his sound. This scientific perspective shapes the spaciousness and reflective qualities of his music.

His inspiration comes from many different places. Books have become one of his biggest sources of inspiration recently, alongside everyday moments like a passing conversation, a sound he hears while hiking, or a quiet pause in nature. In the natural world, the ocean has always been his favorite element and his greatest inspiration. Its quiet pressure and mystery fascinate him and appear as a recurring theme throughout his work.

Outside of music, Kyle is passionate about tennis. He plays, watches, and analyzes the sport with the enthusiasm of a scientist. But at the core of it all, music remains his driving force. Through Harbor Rift, Kyle brings together everything he loves: nature, stillness & curiosity, transforming it all into sound that invites listeners to slow down and explore.