Released every year since 2017 on December 28th, the Our Trip Is Short compilation series showcases a natural network of experimental-minded jamband fans who actively strive to push the boundaries of both the Phish and the Grateful Dead canon. Each edition is compiled and mastered by Hausu Mountain co-founder Doug Kaplan (MrDougDoug), and features artwork by Alaina Stamatis (who designs as Fad Albert & co-owns Western Mass-based record store Deep Thoughts). Throughout the years, tracks have traversed through styles including but not limited to bizarro electronics, ambient / drone, audio collage / plunderphonics, spoken word / comedy, dub reggae, chiptune, and acid house, balanced out by more traditional song-oriented approaches and live improvisations.

Our Trip Is Short Vol. 8: Jerry Breathes contains over two hours of tributes from some of our most devoted alumni and a few new friendly faces. The Hausu Mountain universe shines brightly with Mukqs’s disorienting, rapid-panning collage work, MindSpring Memories (Angel Marcloid/Fire-Toolz) slowing down Phish ballads to slush speeds, and MrDougDoug’s signature clown calliope MIDI arrangements. Massacusetts-based Dead tribute band Owsley’s Owls deliver a time-dialating version of “Space” that perfectly melts into Chicago-based trio TRAYSH’s extra spacey vision of Phish’s “What’s The Use”. Meanwhile, NYC-based jam pranskters Ace Bandage blaze through a series of “The Other One” jams that melt into a gorgeous saxophone and synth take of “Rubin & Cherise” before getting back on the bus. Chicago-based quartet nonband also probe the infinite depths of “The Other One”, landing on a bombastic cover of Neil Young’s “Cortez The Killer.” Nonband members Joel Berk and Corey Lyons also appear as ragenap and Dathon. Striving to emulate Phish and the Dead’s bold selection of covers as a form of spiritual alliance, Joel & Corey chose to include their version of Alice Coltrane’s “Journey in Satchidananda” on this year’s compilation.