After he co-founded the alternative folk act Peeesseye in 2002, he started playing with Phantom Limb & Bison and contributing to the work of experimental artists, often doing improvisational cameos in and around Brooklyn. The long list of artists he has collaborated with includes guitarist Tetuzi Akiyama, vocalist Meg Baird, and trumpeter Nate Wooley, among others. After releasing a decade's worth of music on Creative Sources, Utech, Archive, Unframed, Pax Recordings, and his own Evolving Ear, 2011's Paranoid Cat was released on Family Vineyard. The guitarist followed it in 2012 with a duet collaboration with sound artist and composer (and half of Mountains) Koen Holtkamp entitled Early Astral for Blackest Rainbow.

In 2013, he released two albums. The first was Kenzo Deluxe for Northern Spy, where, with minimal overdubs, he created a jam band record minus the band -- it was performed completely solo. Solar Motel followed in October on Paradise of Bachelors. Here the guitarist traced the instrument's development from Jerry Garcia to Tom Verlaine and back again. This time he collaborated with a full band featuring drummer Mike Pride, keyboardist Shawn Edward Hansen, and electric bassist Peter Kerin.

The group situation opened more possibilities for him. Now billed as Chris Forsyth & the Solar Motel Band, they released Solar Live 11.15.13 on Electric Ragtime in April of 2014. The guitarist also cut a limited-edition duet offering with trumpeter Wooley entitled Third. Pride left Solar Motel, and Forsyth, Hansen, and Kerin were joined by new drummer Steven Urgo and second guitarist Paul Sukeena for the studio album Intensity Ghost, which was issued on No Quarter in October. A year later Island was released. The album, another duet offering between the guitarist and Holtkamp, was issued by Trouble in Mind. A new lineup of the Solar Motel Band, featuring drummer Ray Kubian and guitarist Nick Millevoi, recorded the double-album The Rarity of Experience, which was issued by No Quarter in March of 2016. ~ Jason Lymangrover & Thom Jurek