Bite The Boxer On the Making Of “We Can't Just Fly”
What was the creative process like for this particular "We Can't Just Fly?"
This is one of those magical songs that came together really quickly, I wanted to build on the dark post-rock sound that I had in my previous single 'Rituals'. I have been a guitarist in various bands since I was a teenager, so it has been a goal of mine to bring more guitars into my sound and see how they work alongside dark synths and crashing drums.
Could you discuss the themes or messages conveyed in "We Can't Just Fly?"
There is definitely a cinematic theme going through most of my songs, but I am also inspired by early horror games console games like Silent Hill, Resident Evil and Quake. Those games had such intensity and suspense, which was helped by their amazing soundtracks. I like to create a tone of darkness and melancholy but also have a glimmer of hope in there as well, which is why there is often a nice sounding guitar or vocal amongst all the distorted synths and drums.
Can you talk about the recording and production process for "We Can't Just Fly?"
It's all done in my home studio (in Dorset, UK). I'm very fortunate to be in such a beautiful rural area. It also gets really foggy and dark this time of year, which helps inspire my sound as well. The only thing I didn't do on this song is the mastering, which was done by Andy Baldwin at Metropolis Studios in London. Andy has done the mastering for all sorts of people like Interpol, Black Foxxes, The Who and Blur!
Can you introduce yourself and share a bit about your journey into music production? How did you become a producer?
I started teaching myself music production in the early stages of lockdown. My first album was very synthwave based. It was a short stay in that genre before I started venturing into the realms of ambient, trip hop, and post rock. I really admire guys like Trent Reznor and David Bowie who constantly evolve through their careers and carry a little bit over to the next phase each time they move on.
Are there any unconventional techniques you've experimented with that led to interesting results?
I love playing with vocal samples. I think that it's important to have a touch of vocals on a song because it brings in that human element that we, as listeners, are drawn to and helps us engage with a track. I love seeing how much I can manipulate vocals whilst still keeping a small bit of "human" in there. I also like to blend genres, for example, I have previously used techno drum samples but really slowed them down to create something dark and distorted.