After a nine-year hiatus, the Dallas-based collective The Disappearing Act returns with their latest album, An Illusion. In this episode of Curious Goldfish, host Jason English sits down with lifelong friends Salim Nourallah and Bob Blumenfeld to discuss how a project that seemed "done" found a second life. Nourallah, a prolific North Texas staple known for his solo work and producing credits with the Old 97’s, joins Blumenfeld to explain the unique, long-distance chemistry that fueled their reunion.

The foundation of the band is a bond dating back to elementary school in El Paso. This history creates a "100 percent peaceful project" where ego is sidelined for art. Nourallah notes that while ambition often destroys bands, their only goal is "to make good music with each other and enjoy the joy of the time we have". Blumenfeld views the collaboration as a "refuge" from life’s turbulence, a sentiment that anchors the record’s cohesive feel.

The duo employs a "chopping up" method of songwriting that Nourallah calls unorthodox. Blumenfeld generates vast reservoirs of instrumental ideas—often using strange alternate tunings—which Nourallah then mines for vocal melodies and lyrics. This process allowed Nourallah to step into "character songs," such as the cynical "People in the Movies" or the Howard Hughes-inspired tracks, freeing him from the expectations of his solo identity.

While the band was surprised to surpass 100,000 Spotify streams, they remains grounded regarding the "devalued" state of the modern music industry. Nourallah expresses curiosity about where the industry is headed, lamenting the loss of "hand to hand combat" found in old-school touring. For The Disappearing Act, success isn't about the "bed of money" but the "conversation" between the artist and the listener.