TORN

My dreams were torn a couple of weeks ago when I took a fall while out skiing with some friends in Winter Park. I knew something was wrong with my leg right when it happened, but I wouldn’t find out that I tore my MCL in my left knee until I got my MRI results back 9 days later. Over the past 6-months, I have been putting a ton of effort into training for the Pike’s Peak Ultramarathon in July. I was (am currently?!?) in the best shape of my life and was starting to feel confident that I was going to be able to finish my first 50-Mile race. So it was upsetting to say the least when I found out that my injury was going to keep me off my feet for at least 8-weeks.

I think that if this had happened to me maybe just a year or two ago, I would’ve been completely devastated and probably would have fallen back into another stage of depression. After being down for maybe just a day or two, I decided to flip this situation into a positive, as I realized that I will now have more time than ever to lock in on my music. I quickly got the idea to challenge myself into creating an entire project in just one day!

That is where my new project, TORN was first idealized. I hit the studio that morning and started creating some sounds in my favorite synth Massive. I quickly produced 4-songs that I was happy with, however I didn’t quite feel that the tracks flowed together in a coherent fashion. I debated whether or not to drop this project in its raw form, however I wasn’t satisfied and didn’t want to force out some half-ass project. I decided to take another day to lock in the vibe of the project to fit exactly what I had envisioned. The result was an introspective, relaxing, and nostalgic vibe that is portrayed through lo-fi beats with abstract synth sounds and chord progressions.

As for the artwork for this project, I had an idea to incorporate images of both the accident and my leg in the days after when I was dealing with large amounts of pain and swelling in my limb. Once I got my MRI & X-Ray images back, I was able to come up with a sick collage type artwork combining a picture of me skiing with the images of my damaged knee. I think that this artwork helps to set the melancholy mood for the first couple tracks of the project.

I can’t wait for everyone to hear this project as it turned out to be exactly what I was going for. I am proud of myself for being able to create almost exactly the sounds that I envision in my mind. I think I am coming into my own as a music producer and am starting to hit another level that I didn’t quite know was possible. If I keep pushing and working hard, I know that I can make an impact with my music and help inspire others through my melodies. Thanks for taking the time to read this reflection of my thoughts for how this project came to life, and I really hope that you enjoy my project TORN, OUT NOW EVERYWHERE!