Race the Tide is the latest project from multi-instrumentalist Jesse Macht. His debut, self-titled album is rooted in a timeless, evocative Americana sound, while also drawing on contemporary indie-pop and electronic influences. It was recorded between Lord Huron’s personal studio Whispering Pines and Highland Park’s Sound 69 Studio.

Race The Tide was conceived after Macht was confronted with an actual and metaphorical broken heart. On his 30th birthday, he was diagnosed with an SVT -- an extra electrical impulse in the heart that pushed his heart rate to over 260 BPM when performing -- and risked cardiac arrest. A few days later, he was forced to retire his band Burn Down the Mission after a nine year run, and a three year relationship with his girlfriend. After confronting his creative and physical mortality, he began unabashedly chasing down his life’s dreams. And so, the metaphor of racing the tide before it comes in was born.

Macht has since performed 100 unorthodox intimate home concerts around the world, enjoying the intimacy and true connection with audiences that doesn’t exist in classic venues. “Something clicked for me,” he explains. “I played a home concert, and I could see the eyes of the listeners, and watch them transform with me. I’ve been a different kind of performer ever since.”

Macht has created his own home concert symposiums/salons in the vein of Ted Talks, The Moth Story Slams, and Sofar Sounds called “Sunsets At.” His mission is to inspire people to share their work, research, hobbies, stories, and passions with audiences who truly want to listen and be transformed. This Spring, Race The Tide has partnered with Airstream Trailers’ “Endless Caravan” for a national tour of the series, as a follow up to their tour last October, which was an overwhelming success for the band, Airstream, and audience alike.

Macht was born and raised in Los Angeles. While his brother Gabriel Macht branched into acting (Suits), like his father, Stephen, before him, Jesse attended school at Washington University in St. Louis and chose to follow his passion of music. There he performed in a band that was eventually featured on The Next Great American Band and indie films and TV soundtracks like Keeping Up With The Kardashians. Since those humble beginnings, he has toured and co- written with many notable writers including Sean Douglas (Thomas Rhett, Jason Derulo, Demi Lovato), RoboPop (Maroon 5), Tyler Lyle (The Midnight) and many more.

Under his own name, Macht has released two singer/songwriter efforts: The Acts of Providence (produced by Aaron Tap, guitarist for Matt Nathanson) and Suitcase Heart, the latter of which garnered him recognition as AXS’ Top 3 Los Angeles Breakout Artist of 2014. His music has been featured on LA Ink, The Voice, and several Viacom shows.

Race The Tide is an album that’s rooted in the idea of collaboration. While Macht wrote, played guitar, and keyboards on much of the record, as well as co-produced the effort with Justin Tocket (Anders Osborne, Pet Fangs), other players include Rob Humphreys and Gavin Salmon on drums, Tyler Carroll (Allen Stone) on bass, Ken Belcher on guitar, and Will Herrington (Lukas Graham), Mark McKee, and Ben Allemon (Ryan Adams, Grace Potter) on keys.  

“This record asks me to confront endings and new beginnings, the insecurity partnered with it, and knowing that all happen continuously and continue to cycle,” says Macht. “As the tide comes in, I know it’ll pull me back out… giving in and letting go to that process is the challenge I’m working through via these songs.”