Your new single “Música El Idioma Del Amor” blends Spanish guitar with progressive rock. What inspired this fusion?
I like to be different, and this has always been the goal for my own musical style. I also then like a lot of different styles of music, and have spent the time studying it to eventually be able to fuse it. Hopefully it comes across that way!
How did your years of studying diverse musical styles influence this track?
For this track it was a mixture of percussion guitar techniques, inspired from players like Jon Gomm, Mike Dawes etc. Though for this piece, it’s way simpler with a back beat kick drum pattern, with a fusion, ‘of that reggaeton style’d beat’. With the harmony being straight out of most Andalusian music. And with a little bit of microtonal singing, which that of a flamenco singer would do, but again very! Subtle here. Something I do more of in other songs, provoking more of an Indian vibe there.
What does the title “Music: The Language of Love” mean to you personally?
It has two meaning actually this song, so just in case my misses ever leaves me it can take on another meaning hahaha! So it’s mostly about her, but the whole title in English is, music is the language of love, the only truth I can believe. So with her in mind, it’s how music can convoy all humans emotions better than anything else, here the emotion of love of course. With the lyrics talking about real life events. It also expresses the love of a place, that place being the coast of beautiful Spain. The only truth I can believe, meaning music has always been my love, my passion and always will be.
This is your debut solo album—what made you decide that now was the right time to release it?
I finally… finally!! Feel content within myself as a musician. It took a long time, because every time I tired before this period I wasn’t a 100%. I also much rather quality over quantity too, which is hard in the modern world I know. Though to be content is to live a happier life, though there’s still so much I want to chase!
Can you describe the creative process behind recording much of the album in your home studio?
There was the songwriting aspect done mostly on guitar and the piano. Then it was arranging the songs with what was going to do what production wise. So one song might of been a pure straight band song, another pure acoustic, some with electronic elements, some with orchestral elements, or some with a mix, or some with all. I had decent amount of knowledge from going into studios and recording promotional work etc. But there was still a couple of years of my life that I needed to work on stuff like mixing, and all the things that come along with it, working with synthesisers, and etc. Basically a whole lot of stuff! It was all still a massive learning curve. See I’ve never been interested much in the tech side of things, even with the likes of guitar pedals say. I just want to be able to plug in and go. This is probably why I love orchestral music so much as it’s just natural. But you can be the greatest songwriter in the world. But if you can’t make it sound good, sonically, you’re not going to go very far. Popular music in the modern world is all about this. People say that popular music is really dumbed down nowadays, yeah maybe, mostly on the songwriting side anyways, but the level of skill is in the production now. This is where the complexity lays. And I want both pieces of this pies mmm. I played all parts apart from drums, to which I hired a good friend, a monster drummer by the name of Tim Dale. We recorded them in Motor Museum studios with Tony Draper at the helm. For choirs and orchestral instruments it was a mix of programmed, but also real players too. Obviously not me playing these instruments. To which I also tried to get friends in to help, but seemly being mostly a pain with people schedules. I then realised I could just hire people on the website Fiver, literally just send scores across and get the music back in just a few days. Not only this but most where international, meaning it was cheaper than expected, but the playing was at the highest level. It was a win win and I really recommended it to other people! Made good friends along the way too!
What was it like working with Tony Draper and Sean Magee on mixing and mastering?
Both really cool people! So like I’ve just mentioned I learnt to mix to a decent level, but I got too deep into it with time and energy and just needed it out my hands. And because I worked with Tony on the drums, and with his calm demeanour, and mostly his professional attitude throughout. It was a no brainer to work with him again! Wasn’t cheap mind haha, but this is what you get when you write 10 minute long songs! Haha. He mostly nailed it after a few revisions and got through it like a speed demon. Would do it all myself the next time, but he’s always just a call away. Sean Magee was my kind of guy, just chilled, loved music and was top dog at his craft. He also sounded like he takes no s**t which I also liked. “If someone came to me with a really bad mix i’d tell them, because you can’t polish a turd”. Haha. Though to my surprise he was full of compliments, mostly of Tony’s doing mind! I learnt a lot from both of these guys too. I do actually really enjoy the tech side of things now. I will watch endless youtube videos of people in their studios getting nerdy!
Your music balances complexity with accessibility—how do you approach achieving that balance?
It’s all about the melody. Give somebody a catchy melody and they’ll, for the most part, get it. Then weave all the other stuff around that. A good melody is simple, and a tip from a songwriting teacher is, if you can sing it it’s a good melody. My students, when they ever play a vocal melody on a guitar always say the same thing “it’s so simple”. But if a singer were to play like a guitar player it would sound stupid, think about it haha. Sometimes complex harmony can make this a little harder but there’s always a way around it, a trick to get you there. I would like to expand on this concept in future writings. I was also purposely trying to write like this to try and bring more people in, rather than push them away, at first anyways haha.
The album explores themes like love, family, and resilience. Which theme feels most personal to you?
Family, as being a parent is the most important thing that I, or any human, will do! Well I think anyways. Resilience too though as well. As life at times hasn’t been the easiest, but all I have is what I’ve made and I’m very proud of the fact, even with how humble it may be.
What do you hope listeners take away from Out Of The Fjords And Into New Found Lands?
Something new, but a homage to the old, a familiarity that can keep them engaged for years to come. Something all tastes may enjoy. And most importantly to the people that may connect with it. That they can find, like you have just said, resilience!
Who are your biggest inspirations, both musically and lyrically, on this project?
Where to start haha! It’s probably easier for me to name styles and genres with the odd name, as I’ve tried not to be inspired by the singular, but more the narrower. So rock music, jazz, classical, flamenco, percussion guitar, Indian music etc. I love Axl Rose singing wise which may be evident, jazz fusion guitar players which also may be evident, Guthire Govan, Marco Sfogli, flamenco players like Paco Pena, Indian artist like Raghu Dixit and so fourth. Lyrically things that are going to hit on all emotions, love, sadness, anger, sex, politics, etc. So I like artists that do the same and also love a song that builds! James Taylor, Jeff Buckley, Amy Lee, Eminem etc. Thanks so much having me on.
