There is often an expectation that great work comes only from deep intention. That it is birthed from the mind of the artist, fully formed. Picture the romantic image of Mozart, writing out his scores with no eraser marks. I find this to be a harmful narrative, that can hinder creatives.
Just think of how many great improvisors that we can look to and see their clear musical genius. For example, just about every great jazz musician. The point that I am getting to, albeit in a round about way, is that it is ok not to know the end result when you start something creative. And it’s even better if you can start without expectation.
Of my own musical creations, my newest work, WITHIN [Coming Sept. 1, 2024], has become by far my favorite. And this is in part because of how it came into being. This release is nearly two years in the making and it is the result of layers of improvisation and experimentation.
Layer 1: improvised guitar loops. Layer upon layer of play, that evolved into musical artifacts that I liked too much to discard. These became building blocks for my creative palette. You can actually still find some of the original loops on my TikTok.
Layer 2: field recordings. Picked from years of recording random and interesting sounds in my daily life and in travels abroad. This collection actually goes back several years and is such a joy to play with.
Layer 3: instruments and additional samples. This is more traditional music production and includes some synth and acoustic instruments.
Layer 4: creative mixing and processing of all the elements until they merge into something unique and cohesive.
Painting the soundscape of WITHIN, utilizing all of these wonderful colors and allowing them to evolve and unfold was a remarkable creative experience. The art told me what it wanted to be.
Now maybe I’ve peeled back the curtain a little to far, stripping this work of any mystery or magic. But here is the thing, we all know that a portrait is just pigment and paste on a canvas, yet when we see these elements in concert they become more than the sum of their parts.
Aside from celebrating my newest release, I write this to explore the idea of letting the work be messy. Let it be uncertain. And when possible, I invite you to let the materials guide you. You may end up with something unexpected and truly wonderful.
Also, give WITHIN a listen and see what I mean. I think you’ll enjoy it.
Be well and see you on the next one!