Get To Know Me

Lyrics are often something I focus on only after multiple listens. I am drawn first to the overall "feel" of a track, the emotions it evokes and the memories it sifts through, as if meticulously hunting for a specific record in an old vinyl collection.

Sampha, however, is an artist whose lyrics captured my attention much faster than usual. I attribute this to the dichotomy within his arrangements. His production is often chaotic, driven by restless pianos, synths, and fast drum grooves layered with phasers, synth FX, and experimental uses of delay and chorus. 

Yet, throughout this chaos, his vocals remain smooth and "buttery." This clash creates a unique effect: while the production can feel almost anxiety-inducing, his voice welcomes you in. He creates a comfortable home for the listener’s ear, offering a sense of familiarity, much like the comfort of returning to a childhood home for the first time after being away. That balance of intriguing delivery and grounding presence is a constant inspiration for my own work in the studio.

As an audio engineer born and raised in Minnesota, it would be impossible to list my top inspirations without including Prince. Growing up, his music was a constant presence in my home, but it was the raw emotion he poured into every performance that truly drew me in.

Prince was a multi-instrumentalist who lived and breathed music, famously becoming the first artist to simultaneously hold the number-one film, album, and single in 1984. During my time at Berklee College of Music, I had the privilege of learning from one of his longtime engineers, Susan Rogers. Her stories about his process, creating more in a single week than most bands do in a year, left a lasting impression on me.

Prince often played every instrument on a track with high proficiency, working at an incredibly fast pace to capture inspiration while it was fresh. This level of dedication has deeply shaped my own work ethic. I strive to bring that same speed, versatility, and emotional focus to every session I engineer.

Slow Pulp has quickly become one of my favorite bands, largely because their music captures the same spirit I felt when I first started recording with friends back in 2015, that sense of pure experimentation and joy in the process.

Sonically, Slow Pulp is a masterclass in the use of tube distortion and tape saturation. While saturation is applied to almost every layer of their sound, the mix remains incredibly clean and defined. To have that much grit on nearly every audio track while ensuring the elements still complement one another is a true testament to the band's arrangement, as well as the skill of the mixing and mastering engineers.

Their ability to carve out such a distinct, recognizable sonic identity is exactly what I strive to achieve with every artist I work with in the studio.

In my opinion, "What’s Going On" by Marvin Gaye is the quintessential Motown song. It has that iconic Hitsville U.S.A. sound sprinkled across the recording, featuring some of the most beautiful reverb chambers I’ve ever heard.

The track immediately locks into a groove with a smooth saxophone line and driving drums. James Jamerson’s bass lines are tireless, constantly moving and evolving, yet never once feeling out of place. The band plays as a perfect ensemble, creating a rich canvas for Gaye to paint on with his vocals. The lush string arrangements take the listener on a journey as Gaye explores the social issues of the time. Protest songs are a staple throughout music history and “What’s Going On” remains one of the greatest ever recorded, a perfect marriage of technical brilliance and social importance.

When I think of songs that truly breathe, songs that push, pull, rise, and fall, I immediately gravitate toward “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over” by Jeff Buckley. Every element of this recording converges to create an incredible sense of longing.

Buckley’s vocals are drenched in raw emotion, sounding like a haunting cry for a lost connection as he looks back with the clarity of hindsight. Spanning nearly seven minutes, the track is a masterclass in dynamic arrangement. He takes the listener on a sonic journey, oscillating between intimate, delicate verses and explosive choruses that grow in intensity each time they return.

The build-up is incredible; each chorus seems to top the one before it as the desperation in the performance grows louder and more urgent. The stretch from the 4:03 mark until the very end never fails to give me goosebumps. It’s a perfect example of how to use energy and space to keep a listener hooked for the entire duration of a song.

Who doesn’t love a good power ballad? “Purple Rain” is one of those songs that truly made me fall in love with music. I’ll never forget watching Prince’s 2007 Super Bowl halftime show; as the rain began to fall, he closed the set with this masterpiece. Watching a fellow Minnesotan command the world stage like that was a defining moment that left me completely awestruck.

From an engineering and performance standpoint, Prince’s vocals are incredible. He utilizes grit and distortion to convey the despair of the lyrics, yet his delivery remains masterfully controlled, never veering into harshness. This vocal intensity, paired with the ever-evolving instrumentation, creates a beautiful, soaring journey.

The song culminates in a legendary guitar solo that remains captivating throughout its entire minute-and-a-half runtime. Prince then expertly transitions into an iconic finale, with his soaring vocal melody locked in a mesmerizing call-and-response with the band. Just when you think the energy has peaked, the song offers one last "fake out," giving way to a lush, gorgeous string arrangement that gently guides the listener to the finish line. “Purple Rain” is a masterclass in composition and will forever remain one of my all-time favorite songs.