HEART EYES
Just over a week ago I released my first EP 'HEART EYES' - It's a collection of 5 remastered tracks released between 2023 and 2024 and a new title track. I wanted to talk a little bit about what it means to me and my journey as an artist.
Making music is something I have had interest in for as long as I can remember but always put off because learning something new is scary. I was afraid of starting too late, which in it's own fucked up way meant I always put off understanding and making the think I am most passionate about. People like to talk about how easy it is these days but the initial hurdle is really nasty, especially if you want to produce in an underground genre. When you don't know the terminology it's hard to know what to search for or where to start. Technical manuals help you understand software but not the creative techniques you need to use it. YouTube videos are often short and shallow - they teach you techniques but not where it fits into the process as a whole. Without like, going to school for this stuff it's really hard to find what you need to learn. Essentially, my learning process was one of making mistakes, getting frustrated, and making more mistakes until it eventually clicks. There are still so many things I can't grasp but I think this EP marks the end of that initial struggle in my learning.
Other than 'Pink Lemonade', the EP is in release order (I think it just sounds nice as an opener :3). The actual remastering on these tracks is pretty minimal: just some quick mix tweaks, sidechaining and mastering. I think it shows a nice progression in my ability to create both technically and composition-wise. I want the final track to show where I am now.
Jungle is an interesting genre in that the techniques we use mirror basically what people have been doing since the 90s but translated to DAWs - yet through creative sampling and processing even the literal most sampled drum loop in history can sound fresh. I still love this genre and I'm not planning to stop producing in it and using what I have learned going forward, but I want to experement using these sounds in new ways. This means more learning, experementing and failing. Tt's not so scary this time though because I've been through it before and I was ok. Art is such a wonderful thing and as stupid as it sounds I think it was a piece of myself I was missing until last year. I feel so much more fulfilled these days <3
Thank you to anyone who has listened to my music and especially those who have given me feedback!! 😺