Forgives You Everything |\\ 004

01/01/2026: Session 06 “Our Magma”

It’s the first of the year! A few things are coming into focus. I’ve been listening to podcast interviews with mastering engineer Heba Kadry and the tone of the conversations gets me quite optimistic about music. Not really music as _____ (insert whathaveyou; protest, statement, communication tool, community builder), but just music. Also, in trying to make this record something that I haven’t done before, I feel like I’m aiming for something that could be a Liturgy, Björk, Kali Malone smoothie, all folks Kadry has worked with.

Anyway.

I retitled “Forgives You Everything” (the song with the arpeggiated guitar) to be on the tracks called, “Myself.” And I think it could be a great second track.

Then I started playing around for ideas for what could be a lead off track - “Forgives You Everything” - but the ideas that came sounded great for “Our Magma.” I’ve been circling around multiple progressions that are very simple. An A with a minor third, F#4, G4, and Em. So, recorded two guitars—playing the Gretsch Anniversary II—both clean for a bit and then both through the Chungus. One of them bassier and the other brighter.

I befriended a trumpet player a little while ago and and thought cascading trumpet lines could be good. So, I mocked them up using The University of Iowa Musical Instrument Samples (MIS) (created by Lawrence Fritts, Director of the Electronic Music Studios and Professor of Composition at the University of Iowa). Ended up with parts for trumpet, trombone, tuba, and French horn. But since these are recordings of real instruments, they sound pretty much like how I’d want to record them. Might blend them with some live saxophone or trumpet later on.

Thought of a double drum part that will either be pure chaos OR soooo coooool. TBD.

01/20/2026: Session 07

Every few days, I’ve tinkered with the material that has been recorded. Added a few synth lines tonight. Tightened some things up. Kind of waiting for the next wave of ideas. Double drum session booked for April.