Feature: Down In Motion Decodes “Into The River”
What was the creative process like for this particular "Into The River?"
The process for writing and then recording/producing the track was that Tom had a skeleton idea of it on his recording software which we all had a listen to and then individually put our own spins on. Andy re-wrote the guitars in his style as did Jaz with the bass. The synth was an afterthought - we originally were meant to have two guitars, but decided adding synth instead added more sonic flavour and texture to the overall mix. Similarly to synth replacing lead guitar, we decided that letting Andy do the backing vocal parts including the choir backing in the chorus, and pseudo-lead parts in the middle 8 and outro would have a similarly desired effect, giving it more depth. The track was entirely self-recorded and produced by our bass player, Jaz, with each member recording their parts at his home studio. All artwork was home-done as well. we felt having overall control of everything allowed us to best represent what we felt our music should be.
Were there any memorable or standout moments during the recording sessions for this "Into The River?"
Stand-out moments for the recording process of the track include the revelation that adding a different instrument (synth as opposed to guitar) completely changed the vibe of the song. It originally sounded a lot like Jimmy Eats World meets Fightstar with the dual guitars, but once we changed it for the synth it took on a personality all of its own - as opposed to sounding like a bit of a clone of something else. Also, the idea of having the two different voices singing on it gave it a lot more depth and more of its own personality.
What are you most proud about "Into The River?"
We feel proud mostly of the fact that we managed to come together on a whim (none of this was by design) and come up with some ideas that somehow became a named project that we're going to push forward with for the foreseeable future. We also feel it represents us as musicians, the kind of music we listen to, and also the local scene of where we live.
What role do you feel emotions play in your music, and how do you channel them into your performances?
In terms of emotional channeling, we feel the music (and this song in particular) is a good conduit for what the lyrics are about. The vibe of the song is somewhat lamenting but also optimistic. The lyrics are about the prospect of entering into a relationship (the hypothetical river) with someone, but you are also aware that this comes with its own risks and perils. Although it is easy to turn away in the interest of self-preservation, often it is more advantageous to roll the dice and see where the current takes you. For better or for worse - there is no personal growth and development with risk, hazards and hurt along the way. We feel this is something every human being can relate to.
What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced as a band, and how did you overcome them?
The biggest challenges we have faced as a band generally are that this is a project starting from square one. In this day and age of hyper-competitiveness and social media, it is often very hard to get noticed or even acknowledged. Despite this, we have managed to accrue 4.5k plays on Spotify, 201 monthly listeners, and all within the first 11 days of it going live.