shemona On the Making Of “I Drink Underwater”
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind "I Drink Underwater" and the story it tells?
I drink underwater was an expansion of a daydream, a scene I was able to dream up so deeply and breathe life into because of the isolation and under stimulation of my environment during the pandemic quarantine. I was fixating on a liminal object at the time (a situationship) and all the hope it could have offered just as it slipped out of reach, and the threads I used to try to hold onto it became the visions I weaved this song with.
Can you talk about the recording and production process for "I Drink Underwater?"
The recording and production process happened in isolation, in my studio, with my Korg Minilogue and limited but developing logic x pro production abilities. My studio walls at the time were papered with my abstract watercolour paintings which were washy, ethereal and feminine. Upon reflection I think they may have influenced the sonic landscape of the song.
What do you like the best about this track?
I think my favourite thing about this track is the acoustics of it. Although they are all fabricated and digitized from reverbs, plugins and synthesizers, to me the wet smooth sound and lush synth textures describe a place-- a fantastical scene of colour and desire where the ground is covered in long grass and the walls are reflective and expansive.
How has studying at Bard College made an impact on your music career?
Studying at Bard has blown open my understanding of sound as a medium, deconstructing it to a molecular level. Having only just finished my first semester there, I feel as though what I have learned so far is just the tip of an incredibly rewarding iceberg. Some highlights of my first semester were having one on one meetings with international visiting faculty, learning to build machines and instruments of my own design, and connecting with my peers across mediums.
What has been one of the most significant moments of your musical journey so far?
One of the most significant moments of my musical journey was probably meeting Arthur, my manager, who was the first person to take me seriously as an artist and encourage me to take myself seriously as well. The rest of my growth and transformation as an artist from that point on seems to have happened quite gradually.