Seán R. McLaughlin & The Wind-Up Crows On the Making Of “Hairband (feat. Ragini Shankar)”
Credit: G MacKenzie
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind "Hairband (feat. Ragini Shankar)" and the story it tells?
The song is about sleep. Or, more specifically, the time between falling asleep and waking up. The verses are about this space and the way our minds can tick at these points. There are very personal images and observations in here, but I think the experience is pretty universal.
Can you talk about any collaborations you had while making this single?
So the main collaboration, as indicated in the title, is the contribution of Ragini Shankar. Ragini is an incredible award-winning Indian violinist, so I feel so fortunate to have had her play on this record. Ragini follows the melodic ideas I created for most of the track but I absolutely love that she had space to improvise and cut loose a bit more towards the end of the song.
How did you work with the producer or engineers to bring your vision for "Hairband (feat. Ragini Shankar)" to life?
I recorded the vast majority of the track myself in my home studio - it’s mostly acoustic guitars, viola and electric guitar textures, but Ragini recorded her part in India and sent it back to me. The multi-tracks were then sent over to the US to be mixed by Jeremy Backofen in Hudson Valley, upstate NY. The mastering was Ed Woods in London, so the song has fairly travelled before release.
Can you share a bit about your musical background and the journey that led you to where you are today?
I’ve played in a lot of bands but this is the first, proper, solo project of sorts. I grew up on an Island in Shetland, and my mother was pretty heavily involved in the Shetland Folk Festival (she’s also a folk singer) so I think there’s a lot of rural Scottish identity in the music I make. I’ve played in a fair few indie rock bands and my partner is an incredible fiddle player - I think all this comes through when I make music.
Are there any upcoming projects or releases that you're particularly excited about?
I’m really excited about the new Kneecap record and there’s a Waxahatchee record incoming… I don’t know, so many brilliant artists look set to release new material.
Our debut EP is out now, as is the track “Hairband,” but stay tuned for our album. We’re looking at putting it out before the summer, so there’ll be quite a few releases in the next few months. Best way to keep track is to sign up to our mailing list, which can be found over on our link tree!
