For me, “Over” is one of those songs and '“Under all the shame” is the revisit.

Over has very special memories because I remember the writing and, more importantly, I remember the atmosphere in which it was written. I’ve always believed that where you make music can become part of the music itself.

Sometimes a particular environment can create a feeling that you simply couldn’t manufacture in a studio.

A quiet room in the middle of chaos

“Over” was recorded at Christ Church Studios in Bristol. There were several smaller studios there as well as one large main studio that had previously been used by the BBC. Massive Attack and The Insects had permanent studios in the smaller rooms, and it was also where Mezzanine was created.

We were working in the large studio.

It was very well soundproofed, although there were a few windows looking down into a courtyard.

We started recording in the afternoon and continued through the night.

Outside, a huge student party was taking place.

So here we were, inside this almost completely isolated studio, writing a solemn, dark piece of music while a student party continued to unfold just below us and you couldn’t hear them.

That contrast between the stillness inside the studio and the chaos outside was extraordinary.

As the night went on, the party gradually changed. By morning there were only a few students left in the courtyard, with some of them having simply collapsed and fallen asleep where they stood.

That strange feeling of being completely disconnected from the outside world stayed with me.

And I think you can hear it in “Over”.

The studio becomes part of the song

There’s no doubt in my mind that recording in different environments can add something to a piece of music.

I've always enjoyed moving studios around—setting them up in houses, barns, yurts and bedrooms. Nearly every album I've recorded has been made in a different environment. Even Come From Heaven was written in an isolated house rather than a conventional studio. There is quite a story behind that one, but I'll save it for another post.

Of course, being comfortable in your writing and recording space is important, particularly now that so much electronic music is created entirely inside studios.

But I’m not sure that comfort is always the same thing as inspiration.

Sometimes it’s the unfamiliarity that makes you listen differently.

Sometimes it’s the room.

Sometimes it’s the view from the window.

Sometimes it’s simply knowing that you’re somewhere you don’t normally make music.

Under All the Shame

That’s partly where “Under All the Shame”, the second single from Dear Darkness, came from.

In my head, I was trying to retain that feeling from “Over”—the sense of being disconnected from the outside world while something is happening internally.

I had a brief opportunity to be completely on my own for a few days. We normally run a small hotel, so having the house to myself with no guests was a rare luxury.

I’m not a full-time producer.

Yet.

I moved my instruments into another room and disappeared into the music.

These days, having very little distraction is surprisingly difficult. That’s probably why I often write late at night. There’s something about that isolation that allows me to get deeper into a piece.

The vibraphone became one of the key instruments in “Under All the Shame”.

It has some slightly dodgy notes, broken rubbers causing unwanted vibrations and plenty of little creaks.

I love that.

Those imperfections give it character. No plugin could quite reproduce those particular imperfections because they belong to that instrument.

I’ve always found imperfection very attractive in music.

The brushes on the drums were another important element. I recorded them in our Villa accommodation, which has a high ceiling and a surprisingly good acoustic.

Most of the live drums on Dear Darkness were actually recorded in the Villa.

Again, the environment becomes part of the recording.

Then Hannah arrived

With most of the track complete, I travelled to Bristol to record Hannah Collins.

And once again, the change of environment brought something unexpected.

Hannah has a wonderful ability to respond instinctively to a piece of music. The words and melody developed with a spontaneity that I couldn’t have planned.

But there is one thing about the recording that I still can’t really explain.

The song was written as a kind of nod to “Over”.

I had that original atmosphere in my head throughout the writing.

And then Hannah came up with the words:

“Under All the Shame.”

She had no idea that this song was connected to “Over”.

I couldn’t have asked her to come up with a more appropriate title.

Sometimes things happen in music that you simply can’t engineer.

The song isn’t finished when you think it is

Even after the recording was complete, the song continued to change.

The arrangement you hear in the final mix isn’t the arrangement that was originally recorded.

I often find myself rearranging the song around the vocals, then rearranging the vocals around the song, going backwards and forwards until everything finds its place.

And then there is the vinyl.

A record has physical limitations. For Dear Darkness, the album has to fit comfortably within around 40 minutes, so sometimes songs have to be shortened again to make the final cut work.

That’s another part of making a record that people don’t always think about.

But that’s a story for another time.

“Under All the Shame” is released on 24 August, the second single from Dear Darkness.
You can hear both singles now on our website alphaheaven

I hope you enjoy it.

— Corin

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