Perfect World, the debut album by Perfect World.
Out August 12, 2025
Single "Cruel" out July 27.
Note: Tracks 5, 6, & 8 are unmastered.
Album Cover Art
Artist Bio
Perfect World is the music project of LA-based musician and filmmaker Nathan Castiel. Though grounded in confessional indie rock, his music often bouncing between genres and sonic palettes. His songs are heartfelt, darkly funny and introspective with a pop sensibility and shapeshifting nature. Some of his influences include Arthur Russell, Built to Spill, Sparklehorse, Prefab Sprout and Yellow Magic Orchestra as well as contemporary artists like Alex G, Jockstrap, and Black Midi. A multi-disciplinary artist with a DIY spirit, he writes, performs and produces his own music as well as creative directs the project and makes all cover art and visuals. 
As a filmmaker, he has directed music videos for artists like Model/Actriz, Surf Curse, Remi Wolf, Wild Nothing and Hatchie. He's also in pre-production on his first feature film, hence the lack of live shows. But they'll come next year :)
About the Album
On his debut album, Nathan casts a wide stylistic net - bridging fuzzed-out guitarmonies with retro drum machines and breakbeats; shimmering acoustic guitars with synths that would feel at home on a SNES cartridge. Not to mention the baroque strings. Lyrically, he explores themes of self-worth, social anxiety,  getting older, living in our dystopian digital age and the fear of an uncertain future - all with a wry surrealist sense of humor. There's also a jittery love song in there (Trembling) that was recently featured on Spotify's Fresh Finds playlist.
The record is set to release on August 12th, with the debut single "Cruel" releasing two weeks prior, on July 27th as the album announcement. Below is the "Cruel" single cover art.
"Cruel" Single Art
Press Photos
Track Listing / Credits
01. Villain Arc
02. Wrong
03. Pillar of Salt
04. Prepper Who Was Right
05. Like A Plague / Past Life
06. The Comedy
07. Trembling
08. Real
09. Cruel
10. Age of...
All songs written, produced, arranged and performed by Nathan Castiel, 
except track 4 co-produced by Jeremy McLennan.

Nathan Castiel • vocals, guitars, bass, synths, samples, programming
Griffin Kisner • drums (tracks 1, 2, 6, 9)
Laena Myers-Ionita • violin, viola (tracks 1, 5, 8)
Emily Elkin • cello (tracks 1, 8)
Jeremy McLennan • synths, fx (track 4)
Marcus Hogsta • bass (track 4)
Brijean Murphy • percussion (track 10)

Mixed by Jeremy McLennan
Mastered by Greg Obis (tracks 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
Mastered by Mark Chalecki (tracks 1, 2, 10)
Cover Art by Nathan Castiel & Justin McWilliams
Press Photos 1-3 by Justin McWilliams
Press Photos 4 by Allison DeMoss
Spotify
Apple Music
YouTube
Bandcamp
Soundcloud
Thank you so much for taking the time to listen and read. It truly means the world.
- Nathan