Shaky and Chris Kyte
Shaky and Chris Kyte Shaky and Chris Kyte revisit their long-lost teenage recordings in “Next Bus to Wrightsville,” capturing raw creativity, ‘90s hip-hop influences, and a nostalgic DIY spirit finally brought back to life. 1. “Next Bus to Wrightsville” was originally recorded back in 2007—what was it like revisiting those sessions nearly two decades later, and what made now the right time to finally release it? I’m so proud of how it sounds considering we were teenagers when we made this using limited studio gear. It’s all self-produced and we recorded this in my Mom’s basement. Kyte’s bars still blow my mind – he would sit on the staircase and I’d loop the track and then he’d lay his part down in just a few takes. As for the timing, I was at a party a few months ago and someone kinda random came up to me and said they think about this EP a lot and wished we would put it out. 2. The EP blends alternative/indie rock with a ‘90s-inspired hip-hop flow—how did you approach merging those styles, and what influences shaped that sound? I was already making rock/garage music when I met Chris – he asked if I could make something a little more hip hop sounding and voila. At the time I was listening to a lot of 90s rap albums “Illmatic, 36 Chambers, Ready to Die” – I now realize those albums were made from crate digging samples, but in my mind (at the time) this was my version of that. There are no samples on this though, I played everything except for a few guitar solos which were played by our buddy Mikey. 3. Since this project was “lost” for years, were there any challenges in restoring or re-mastering the material while keeping its original spirit intact? Truthfully, I never found the original sessions – just the MP3s. So I broke a “rule” and just remastered the MP3s, haha. Who cares? The remaster I did was basically just a little nudge to get all the levels the same and add a little width – but the recordings are unchanged. What you hear is how it sounded 20 years ago – a couple of kids, a cheap Akai MPC, guitars, bass and Garageband. 4. The artwork features your high school in Wrightsville—how important was nostalgia and your shared history in shaping the tone and themes of this EP? That’s where it went down so we wanted to give EYHS a little nod. Chris lived right down the street from the high school so it was essentially in his backyard. It was fun at the time because you’d run into a car full of kids getting high at Taco Bell and somehow, they’d have a burnt CD copy of the EP and would be blasting it… or you’d go to a party and it would be playing on a boombox. It felt special at the time since we were the only kids making music like this. I know a lot of people thought it wasn’t really us so in track 4, Kyte raps our names so people believed us… 5. With “Kinda Wild II” charting on the NACC Top 200, do you feel this release represents a continuation of that momentum or a different creative direction? It embodies my long running DIY spirit, for sure. Even after all this time, and with the hip hop influences, I still think the production sounds very “Shaky” – for whatever that’s worth. I’ve been making music my whole life and have little regard to genres or whatever, I just like making stuff. 6. You’ve mentioned working on new material for later in 2026—can you give us a hint of how your sound or collaboration might evolve from “Next Bus to Wrightsville”? We got half a dozen tracks that we’ve been passing back and forth and hope to get together this summer to lay down Kyte’s parts. We haven’t worked together since this EP so it’s going to be a lot of fun bringing everything we’ve learned over the years together on something new. Thank you! Shaky Records
The Fods and Night Wolf
The Fods and Night Wolf In this interview, The Fods and Night Wolf discuss reimagining “Kickback,” blending genres, embracing a laid-back vibe, and how a chance meeting sparked a creative collaboration with future potential. 1. “Kickback” reimagines an original track—what inspired you both to rebuild it from the ground up rather than create a traditional remix?The Fods : (Rob) We gave Night Wolf free reign. We sent him stems and left him alone. There was no expectation on our part, and we loved what came out N.W: The Fods sent me a few different tracks they were interested in having a remix done after meeting on XRP Radio, as I was listening over the stems the vocal parts to Kickback instantly drew me in and I could hear the song building around them, after a quick rearrangement and processing on the vocals I then decided the mood that was building would call for a remake rather than remixing the original song stems and I believe the vibe now would of not allowed for certain elements to remain sadly. 2. This release brings a lighter, more laid-back vibe compared to previous work—how did you both shape this shift in tone and atmosphere?The Fods : (Rob) It’s certainly more laid back than most of our other work, but that’s what we signed up to do when entrusting this to Night Wolf. We will be back to full on guitars in no time at all! N.W: Yes, I am very happy with being able to just work on something a little more minimal and laid back from my other works as It is I guess a little rare to have more uplifting stuff come out of me, this was just the vibe from the vocal work, I do enjoy to make darker more storytelling music with a hip hop influence or trip hop and this song just works well as the lyrics are not all happy either, there is still a contrast and slight hints of sadness throughout the lyrics but the offset with lighter vibe is a nice contrast , I think! 3. The track blends trip hop, indie pop, and alt-pop influences. How did you collaborate to balance these styles into one cohesive sound?The Fods : (Rob) We let Night Wolf do whatever he wanted. The collaboration on our part was merely making the original tune. N.W: Yes this was not a case of back and forth between us for this track where some songs do work that way when working remotely with others, but this was very much left to me which direction I wanted to take it, I had first thought of making it a bit darker electronic but the cello just works so well with his voice in this song , it came together very easily and just was the vibe I felt as working on it, I never really set out or rarely set out with a style or genre in mind, it just ends up being what It becomes! His voice works extremely well I think on this kind of downtempo style. 4. With the original vocals remaining, how did that foundation influence your creative decisions when developing the new arrangement together? The Fods : (Rob) The original vocal is fabulous, so we understand why that formed the basis of the remix, but it really could have been any of the other parts. It was purely Night Wolf’s decision on what he wanted to use. N.W: The original vocal sections were certainly the foundation of this collaboration and end result is based and worked around the rearrangement of those vocals. I knew pretty quickly that I would most likely like to build up around them and not use the rest of the track from the original, I am sure to the disappointment of the musicians in the band :/ But I think they understand that using any of the other elements would have most likely not worked on this genre of remake. All the hard work and effort put into that original track for me to come along and throw it all away is somewhat wrong, but… I think they still like me! 5. “Kickback” has a cinematic, carefree feel. Did you both have sync opportunities like film, TV, or adverts in mind during its creation?The Fods : (Rob) Not at all, but if that were to happen, it would be very nice. N.W: I say I never purposely sit and try to make something that would do well in synch opportunities, but I guess I always do have this in the back of my mind when I am creating, as I know my works previously do fit well in these projects. However , before I had a publisher and placed 9 albums worth of my music with them for exactly this purpose, now I am the founder of EscaVolt Records and am pushing the music on this label to music libraries and synch agents/music supervisors for the same purposes, you can now even lease directly from me new works released via my website for specific uses, you can also contact me for a quote – www.nightwolfuk.com .I will be certainly pushing it for use in this area and urge anyone looking for bespoke or premade songs that I think have their own uniqueness in the sea of music , to contact me or browse my back catalog for something different. 6. After meeting through a radio station, how did your collaboration naturally evolve, and are there plans to continue working together in the future?The Fods : (Rob) We talk most days because of this track. We have a bond and we will always be supportive of each other. That will, in all likelihood lead to another collaboration, but we haven’t formally discussed anything or thought about which track it will be. Lets see but from my perspective, I would be disappointed not to do this again. N.W: I think they are fantastic people in
Joseph Turner & The Dudes of Hazard
Joseph Turner & The Dudes of Hazard Joseph Turner & The Dudes of Hazard dive into “Travelin’ Heart,” blending indie pop and Americana, sharing the creative journey, collaborations, and emotional landscapes that shaped this heartfelt, road-inspired release. 1. “Travelin’ Heart” blends indie pop with strong Americana roots—what drew you to explore this particular sound, and how did you balance modern production with such organic instrumentation? Yeah, the challenge was finding a balance where the organic instruments still felt front and center, while the production supported the emotion underneath. Sometimes that meant layering subtle textures behind acoustic instruments, other times it meant leaving things completely exposed and raw. I think “Travelin’ Heart” ended up somewhere between an open highway and a late-night headphone record, which is exactly where I hoped it would land. 2. You mentioned learning the mandolin specifically for this release—how did picking up a new instrument shape the songwriting and overall feel of the track? Yeah, learning the mandolin definitely shook things up hahah. When you pick up a completely new instrument, you suddenly stop falling back on your usual habits and tricks. Everything feels fresh again, even simple chords. The mandolin naturally pushed me into this more rhythmic, moving style of writing, which fit the whole traveling vibe perfectly. I already heard the sound in my head before I even owned one. The funny thing is, because I was still learning, I think I approached it more emotionally than technically. I wasn’t trying to be some professional mandolin player overnight. I was mostly just chasing a feeling and the sound in my head. 3. The song captures both physical travel and an emotional journey—was there a specific moment on your East Coast road trip that sparked the core idea for this dual theme? There were actually a couple moments during that trip where everything suddenly slowed down mentally. I remember one day somewhere around Mississippi, parked at a campsite after driving all day, guitar came out, jammin’, warm air, absolutely destroying the peace for nearby campers probably hahah. And in those moments you suddenly realize your brain becomes quieter too. Problems you carried around back home don’t disappear magically, but they somehow become less loud for a second. That’s when the idea clicked for me that the song wasn’t really just about physically moving from place to place. Sometimes traveling helps reorganize things inside your head a little bit too. You gain distance from stuff, and distance can give clarity. 4. The collaboration with The Dudes of Hazard and musicians like Keenan Schuck adds a rich, layered sound—how did these contributions influence the final arrangement and emotional depth of the song? Oh massively. I always love when songs become bigger than what originally started in your own little room. Everybody brought their own personality into it, which made the whole thing feel way more alive. And then Keenan’s pedal steel came in… man hahah. The second those recordings arrived it suddenly sounded like the landscapes I had in my head finally appeared inside the song itself. Pedal steel is just unfair sometimes; it just immediately adds emotion to everything. The Dudes of Hazard also brought this huge lift in the chorus and bridge. Even though parts were recorded in different places, it never felt disconnected somehow. It still sounded like a bunch of people sitting around the same emotional campfire, if that makes any sense hahah. 5. The recording process spanned multiple locations, from field recordings to home studio work and Nashville mastering—what challenges and creative advantages came with this “collaborative distance” approach? The biggest challenge was definitely keeping everything emotionally connected. When recordings come from different studios, homes, cities and time zones, you sometimes wonder if the song will still feel like one story in the end. But my mixing engineer, Yannick Bovens, put everything together beautifully. Weirdly enough, the distance almost became part of the identity of the track. The whole song is about movement and different places anyway, so the recording process kind of mirrored that naturally. Then having the mastering done in Nashville felt like the final stamp on the passport somehow. 6. Looking ahead, with “Travelin’Heart” marking a new artistic direction, how do you see this evolving into future releases or potential live performances? Yeah, Travelin’ Heart is one chapter in a book with different (personal) stories. I don’t really want to lock myself into a specific box sound-wise. For me it’s more about serving the song than forcing everything into one fixed style, you know? The one constant in all of it is the acoustic guitar. That’s kind of the backbone of everything I do right now. From there, I can strip things all the way down to just vocals and guitar, or build it up into a full band with pedal steel, percussion, strings: whatever the song needs. So live, it can really flex depending on the moment. Some shows could be super intimate and small, just me and a guitar, and other dudes could open up into this full band experience. I kind of like that freedom as well, the songs stay the same emotionally, but they can breathe differently depending on where and how they’re played. Home – Joseph Turner & The Dudes of Hazard
Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras Diving into Sandcastle, Mardi Gras craft a cinematic, emotionally charged world. In this interview, Fabrizio Fontanelli explores its themes of trauma, identity, and resilience. 1. “Lia’s Theme” is such a powerful and emotional introduction to Sandcastle. How did you approach translating Cecilia’s limbo between life and death into music and lyrics?Thank you! We chose “Lia’s Theme” as the first single from the album because we wanted to focus on this limbo.Cecilia’s call for justice sounds so powerful — she’s struggling for life while also addressing Sebastian, the narcissistic boy who shows her only his magnetic charm, hiding the darker side of himself. Liar. We wanted the term to feel completely unfiltered, and it’s a great chorus. 2. The Sandcastle project is described as a “Graphic Musical.” How did this storytelling format influence your songwriting and the way the album unfolds?Yes, the album comes with a graphic musical project. At first, there was this script, and when they asked us to create the soundtrack, we felt very excited. This story is a great vehicle for talking about these difficult times. As musicians and witnesses of our era, we can express ourselves through our instruments and our music. That’s why the storytelling has a huge impact on the record. It’s a concept album, and we chose eight key moments where we focused on themes such as bullying and narcissism. 3. The narrative behind the album is intense and cinematic, dealing with trauma, revenge, and identity. What drew you to this darker, more complex concept?When we were writing the album we were deeply immersed in the 1980s New Jersey alongside Cecilia and Nicholas and their struggling for a better life under the wings of their uncle Don Nate Caruso a ruthless Mob (Mafia) boss.But what excited us the most was to write about the dark side of Sebastian and his gang of narcissists — the “invisible man” we wrote about in “Don’t Touch the Sinner. They really drew us to create a very dark record in a way: heavy guitars, strings, and a strong sense of mystery. There are many layers of suggestion throughout. 4. Each band member brings a distinct musical element—from acoustic textures to piano-driven melodies and electric intensity. How did you collaborate to shape the sound of this album?We wrote the whole album as a band, all six of us. It was the first time we worked like this together.We carefully chose every single word and every single sound. We focused entirely on the feeling of the story, allowing it to be very loose, and even to explore new territories, both lyrically and musically 5. You’ve had a long journey since “Drops Made” in 2006, including touring Ireland and sharing stages with major artists. How has your sound evolved leading up to Sandcastle?Our third album is called “Playground,” and it sums up our musical journey, from being an acoustic duo playing around the country to becoming a six-piece band. The songs themselves led the way. They wanted to be “dressed,” so we kept adding colours, and little by little we got here, still playing with music. I guess that’s what makes us feel alive, even 20 years after “Drops Made.” Liina was an epiphany for us. She added a lot to our music and to the way we write and play. I remember vividly our very first meeting, when she sang a few tunes in our studio. It was simply amazing. Maybe we weren’t ready to leave our comfort zone, because her background is totally different from ours. But as I said before its a Playground, so let’s play hard! 6. Sandcastle explores both fragility and inner strength. What do you hope listeners take away from this story and its emotional depth?The bottom line is” If we were struck in our dearest affections, would we be able to react by finding within ourselves a strength we had never expressed before?”So we hope that listeners can find within themselves the strength to rise up and react. When the people you love are in danger, you can become someone you never imagined you could be.”Sandcastle” is a call to action. https://www.mardigrasmusic.it/
Sig And The Fire Pilots
Sig And The Fire Pilots Celebrating a century of style, Sig And The Fire Pilots channel timeless elegance into a punchy rock anthem, blending simplicity, energy, and instinct into “Little Black Dress.” 1. Your new single “Little Black Dress” celebrates 100 years since Coco Chanel introduced this iconic design in 1926—what drew you to translate such a fashion milestone into a high-energy rock track? Testosterone i suppose ,Lol, Simple -Elegant and Efficient, True to any design, in any field, if it’s simple its functional, and that is what makes it so much more easily accepted, The two came together with very little effort, Just felt like it was meant to be. 2. The song is described as a “three-minute rocker” that quickly explodes after a stripped-back guitar intro—how did you approach structuring the track to balance simplicity with impact? I suppose i come from the John Lennon school of songwriting (Don’t bore us get to the chorus) Again simple is efficient, I think in today’s world you don’t have time to beat about the bush, Ya gotta get straight in and hit them with an attention grab , Smash them in the face ,so to speak, musically that is … 3. There’s a strong sense of tightness and precision in the band’s performance, especially in the rhythm section—how do you achieve that locked-in chemistry between drums and bass? The Bassist and Drummer come from very different backgrounds but have both dedicated their lives to music and their instruments, they have both toured and played with bands all their adult lives, Lynch has said that he has been waiting for a Bass player like Deece all his life, they are a formidable pairing. Some engine room this band has got.. 4. Your Latin motto, “Habilitas Conatus Imperium” (Aptitude, Endeavour, Control), is a powerful statement—how does this philosophy shape your songwriting and overall sound? Passion – Focus-Dedication ,think all three of us Live and Breath it, so it actually is quite easy because we are all on the same page singing from the same Hymm sheet 5. The track’s guitar work and solo are highlighted as both passionate and controlled—what inspires your approach to guitar tone and phrasing on this release? I still believe that the only way to move air and get a great sound is through guitar amplification, I use a stereo set up, flat response amps and get my guitar tone via pedals, and try not to muddy the tone up with mids and bass frequencies. As for the phrasing, I don’t think about it , what you hear is what you get, Natural I think. 6. With “Little Black Dress” marking such a culturally significant centenary, do you see yourselves continuing to draw inspiration from historical or iconic themes in future releases? Couldn’t really answer that question, Songwriting for me always starts spontaneously, you get an idea and then expand on it, so yes, maybe i might utilize iconic or historic themes, but it all depends what i can snatch out of the air .. It’s not luck though, it is something tangible, but very hard to describe. https://www.instagram.com/sigandthefirepilots
Rosenthal
Rosenthal Born from personal loss, Rosenthal crafts Luna as an intimate, atmospheric debut—blending grief, vulnerability, and dreamy textures into a deeply human and emotionally resonant journey. 1. “Luna” feels like a deeply atmospheric and emotional journey. What was the initial spark that inspired you to create this debut album?The majority of the album was written in the wake of losing my father to cancer, and making these songs became very much my way of dealing with the grief my family and I were going through. So the initial spark to make this album came from a very personal place, which is probably why the songs feel like a deep and emotional journey. 2. Your sound blends indie pop with dreamy psychedelia, drawing comparisons to bands like New Order and The Cure. How do you balance honouring those influences while shaping your own identity?Overall, I don’t worry too much about whether the songs have a similar vibe to my musical influences. I generally just follow my gut instinct when making music and trust that people will like the songs, as long as I like them myself. If anything, I feel proud to be compared to those bands, because their music has meant so much to me. 3. Many of the tracks on Luna explore themes of vulnerability, fear, and transformation – especially songs like “Afraid of Stairs.” How personal are these narratives for you?They are very personal to me. I use music very much as a way of dealing with life’s ups and downs, and if my thoughts on everything from grief and fear to memory and resilience can resonate with others, that would definitely mean a lot to me. 4. The production on the album has a warm, lo-fi yet immersive quality. What was it like working with Magnus Vad, and how did they help bring your vision to life? Magnus is a brilliant sound engineer and very good at realizing whatever idea I have for a song or a sound. My overall vision was to make a record with a raw and organic vibe, and I think Magnus did an excellent job of achieving exactly that. 5. You’ve already built a strong live presence across cities like London and Copenhagen. How do you translate the intimate, dreamy sound of “Luna” into a live performance setting?The ‘concept’ for recording “Luna” was actually to capture how the songs had sounded when my friends and I had played them at shows in, for instance, London and Copenhagen. The majority of the songs were recorded live in the studio over a weekend, and I then spent a long time adding vocals, extra guitars, and synthesizers to the songs. But, overall, there is not much difference between the sound of the album and the songs being played in a live performance setting. https://www.instagram.com/rosenthalofficial/
Sophie Tex
Sophie Tex Emerging artist Sophie Tex opens up about “Broken Promises,” tracing its journey from childhood melody to emotional debut, blending vulnerability, growth, and dark pop atmospheres into a deeply personal story. 1. “Broken Promises” feels deeply emotional and cinematic—can you take us back to the moment the song first came to life and how it evolved over time?Sure, the song first came to be when I was about 11 or 12 just playing around on the piano and trying to put a melody to my thoughts. From there the song evolved to where it is today. 2. You mentioned writing the melody years ago when you were younger—how did revisiting that idea shape the final version of the track today?A lot of the melody and lyrics are the same, but revisiting it with a great team of co-writers helped elevate it to become the final version you hear now. 3. The song captures the feeling of growing apart in a relationship. What was the most important emotion or message you wanted listeners to connect with?For me this song draws on our strength as human beings to let go and grow from experiences. I wanted listeners to know that they’re not alone in whatever they’re going through. 4. Working with experienced artists like Ron Lopata and Tia Brazda on your debut single is a big step—what did you learn from that collaboration? It was an incredible opportunity and I learned so much about the steps it takes to bring a song to life, from lyric writing to production. 5. Your sound blends atmospheric dark pop with a sense of warmth and vulnerability. How would you describe your artistic identity at this early stage of your career?I would describe my music as dark pop since it often has an atmospheric, haunting vibe. But my writing also combines many other influences like dream pop and indie. 6. As this is your debut release, what does “Broken Promises” represent for you personally, and what can listeners expect next from Sophie Tex?It’s my debut and I’m so happy to have one of the first songs I’ve written, released! Broken Promises is vulnerable, yet mysterious and I’m very excited to reveal more about myself through upcoming future releases. So stay tuned and follow! Sophie Tex
Cries of Redemption
Cries of Redemption Cries of Redemption reflects on legacy, artistic evolution, and emotional depth in this candid interview, discussing the return of Billy “Sriracha” Babcock, the organic power of “Torn,” and future ambitions. 1. First of all, congratulations on being inducted into the TJPL News Class of 2026. What does this historic recognition mean to you personally and for Cries of Redemption as a project? It is an amazing moment in my musical journey and one can say it is never too late. By that, I mean COR is 19 years old, but my rock and roll roots go much farther back into the Atlanta, GA and Hilton Head, SC music scene.To be 100% honest, I am on a “legacy building” mission. I only took COR public to document and secure its posterity. The warm reception by critics and Indie Media was both surprising and humbling.Also, while receiving such an honor is an incredible milestone in COR’s history I acutely aware Georgia is a place packed with some of the most talented musicians in the country. The honor in any way makes me better or even puts me par with some of the acts that are busy touring and doing something I did and stopped long ago – chasing the dream one gig at a time.I started COR primarily (and pretty much exclusively) as a recording project for that reason. I did not want a band, I no longer wished to play live and I wanted to focus on the output being the very best I could do on my own or afford professionals to help me.So, the TJPL News induction into the class of 2026 is an honor but I stay grounded knowing I am only one artist that happens to live in a land of giants that are equally or far more deserving than I am. 2. “Torn” marks the return of Billy “Sriracha” Babcock. How did it feel to reunite, and what did he bring to the track that defines this new chapter for COR?Between 2014 and 2015, Babcock was fully invested in COR. We actually recorded an entire LP with quite a stellar line up. I continuously refer to them as the Kompoz’s “dream team”. Which one of those artists brought tremendous musicianship to the table.Unfortunately, the one time I had the best team on standby to help me with whatever vision I had, I feel I let the down. If you listen to the the 2015 self titled EP available on Bandcamp you can hear those were far from the best songs I’ve written. Everyone did their best but I feel I failed them and myself.Fast forward 11 years, having Billy back at a time when I have a clearer vision, and the tools to help me articulate it to him (since I am musically illiterate) was refreshing. Only a short 11 years ago, If I wanted something from Billy who is a highly trained professional. I mean, the guys has a BA and MA from Berklee and published a thesis on “The Physics of Sound”. This is who we are dealing with. This time, instead of humming, using MIDI or trying to articulate my vision, by using all the technology available, I was able to relay my ideas in the form of a complete sketch that only needed his mastery to bring it to reality.Also, I have the utmost respect for the guy. He is by far one of the most respected members of Kompoz and when you hear his playing or engineering skills, it becomes apparent why. So, having him back whether for a song, a season or lifetime is a joy. He is a busy guy with a busy life and he also has Icarus Machine on top of it all to worry about. But anytime he is available, he is welcome to jump in and I made sure that TJPL News inducted him as a member and not only a collaborator since he, myself and COR have a history going back 13 years. 3. The single is described as a fully “organic” rock statement. Why was it important for you to strip things back to pure guitar, bass, drums, and vocals at this stage?The very first EP and few COR songs were old school guitar, bass, drums and vocals. As time went on and the cost of session players became prohibitive, I branched into more highly produced and cinematic songs that were in my mind all along and I could do on my own and only rely on vocalists to help me bring my vision to reality.I don’t feel I have to prove anything to anyone. Anyone who knows me or takes the time to do some “meaningful” search (not Instagram or Tik Tok please) will quickly notice I have worked with some of the most respected underground musicians out there. From Carnegie Hall engineers to Juilliard, Berklee, Savannah Arts Academy (SAA), Savannah College of Arts and Design (SCAD) to Grammy winners, I’ve had the opportunity of working with this caliber of talents either in person or at Kompoz.But I’ve been around longer that some of the people writing the critics have been alive. So Torn was kind of a message and reminder that: “Hey! If push comes to shove and COR had to revert into a full blown gigging band stripped down to guitar, bass, drums and vocals, we’d only not shy away but we’d bring some big guns to party as evidenced by Billy Babcock’s (sriracha) performance.I have no intention of taking the project back in that direction but wanted to make a statement that I comfortably could if so chose. It is not my objective right now, though. 4. With multiple vocalists featured across your recent releases, how do you approach collaboration while maintaining a cohesive identity for Cries of Redemption? Ironically, I see the identity of Cries of Redemption being preserved by not relying on any one particular voice but a consistent emotion that may require
Paul Louis Villani
Paul Louis Villani In this candid interview, Paul Louis Villani reflects on identity, belonging, and quiet unrest, unpacking the emotions behind a deeply personal track shaped by change, uncertainty, and introspection. 1. Who Do You Belong to Now? (Great Southern Land) feels like one of your most introspective and confronting releases to date—what was the emotional starting point that pushed you to write this song? The emotional starting point was honestly a long term build up of confusion mixed with angst and the feeling of when is enough, enough?? I reached a point where I was looking around at the places I grew up in and thinking, “Why does this all feel so unfamiliar now?” Not unfamiliar geographically, but emotionally, culturally and in general, overall sensibilities. I’m not someone who sits around obsessing over politics all day, but I am someone who observes people, behaviour, lifestyle pressure, financial instability, diversity impacting equality, and the way everyday life around me is changing. The song came from that lingering feeling that something underneath the surface is shifting, and I couldn’t really ignore it anymore. For me, writing it wasn’t some grand statement, It’s definitely was more of an unload kinda like pressure leaving my being. 2. You’ve emphasized that this track isn’t about politics or telling people what to think, but rather about personal perception—how did you navigate expressing such sensitive themes without turning it into something overtly political?Because the moment you start telling people what they should think, most people stop listening anyway. I am 100% one of those people. As soon as I hear the words ”You know what you should do” it’s as is a metaphorical brick wall is inserted between me and that person and I cannot hear or see them any longer. I think modern discourse is already overloaded with people screaming absolutes at each other. I wanted this track to feel human instead of ideological. The song is about my observations, my reactions, my discomforts. Someone else might hear the song and completely disagree with me, and honestly that’s fine. The song isn’t asking for obedience. It’s asking people to be absorbed in the music and lyrics for a few minutes and decide what it means to them. 3. There’s a strong sense of disconnection and uncertainty running through the song. Did writing and recording it help you process those feelings, or did it raise even more questions for you? Ummmm maybe both! It definitely helped me process some things because songwriting has always been how I make some sense of the noise in my head. But at the same time, once you start really examining your feelings honestly, you usually uncover more questions than answers. That’s the crazy part of introspection. You can’t unsee things once you’ve acknowledged them. The song didn’t magically resolve anything for me. If anything, it reinforced how complicated identity, belonging and just being an Australian is right now. 4. The title itself poses a powerful and somewhat unsettling question. What does “belonging” mean to you today compared to how you understood it earlier in your life? When I (and I reckon for most humans) was younger, belonging felt almost automatic. You didn’t really question whether you belonged in your own country, community, workplace, or culture. A lot of it, for me, was just part of my existence. Now it feels way more fractured and conditional. People are sorting themselves into “tribes” constantly, politically, socially, ideologically, culturally, and if you don’t perfectly align with one of them, you can feel strangely isolated and very much singled out as an outcast (for me it’s being a certain age and race) even while surrounded by people. I’m almost at the stage where I’d rather not acknowledge all the bullshit some Australians have created in order to justify their own existence and beliefs, and sincerely hope that some others around me still recognise, apply, and truly understand real values, good and honest behaviour, and non-attention-seeking attitudes around them. 5. The lyric video is described as fragmented and chaotic, deliberately avoiding polish—how important was the visual aspect in reinforcing the emotional weight and message of the track?Massively important. I actually think the lyric video carries almost equal emotional weight to the music itself. I didn’t want polished cinematic beauty because the song isn’t emotionally polished. I wanted fragmentation, tension, visual overload, and moments that feel uncomfortable or unresolved. Modern life already feels like an endless stream of collapsing headlines, pressure, outrage, distractions, and noise. The visuals were designed to feel like psychological intrusion rather than entertainment. What people are watching is very much what I wake up to at 4am and begin rehashing moments of my previous days and life, especially my last 12 months of existence as a working Australian has been mentally challenging. If people feel slightly unsettled watching it, then it’s probably doing its job properly. 6. You mention that this song is more about asking difficult questions than providing answers—what kind of reactions or reflections do you hope listeners will take away after sitting with the song? Honestly, I hope people reflect more than react. We live in a time where everyone is trained to immediately pick a side, attack, defend, label, dismiss. We have morons protesting about things that they have no understanding of. Potentially corrupt governments governing our lifestyles in ways that we almost have no control of. People with zero intelligence spreading their selfish and pathetic agendas to the masses via social media. I’m more interested in whether the song quietly follows someone home afterwards. Maybe they sit there thinking, “You know what… I’ve felt some of that too.” Or maybe they completely reject it. Both are valid. I’m not trying to recruit anyone into a worldview. I’m just documenting a human response to the place where I was born as I currently experience it. If the song creates genuine thought instead of instant outrage or blind agreement, I’ll see that as a success. https://www.instagram.com/paul_louis_villani
Grey & Purple Songbook
Grey & Purple Songbook Grey & Purple Songbook delve into history, philosophy, and society with “Athens, Your Spirit Remains,” crafting a thoughtful musical tribute that bridges ancient ideas with modern challenges through evocative storytelling and sound. 1. “Athens, Your Spirit Remains” pays tribute to a city with immense historical weight—what initially inspired you to center a song around Athens and its legacy?There are two of us who make up the creative team in Grey & Purple Songbook, and both are engaged in social and political issues, and have an interest in historical and contemporary ideas and challenges. In a challenging time internationally, where we experience that thoughts and ideas that we have previously taken for granted in many ways are being strongly challenged and are partly on the decline, we wanted to use this song to focus on the long lines and the historical ideas for the societies we have today, including in Europe with popular rule, ideas about a constitutional state, and individual rights, as well as the idea of progress based on the accumulation of knowledge and science, ref. ancient ideas and philosophy, about the world of ideas (Plato), balanced lives (“the golden mean” Aristotle), medicine, etc. Through a creative process, it became clear to us that such a reminder would best be conveyed through a story about the city of Athens, where much had its starting point. 2. The track highlights themes like democracy and modern science—how did you approach translating such complex historical ideas into a lyrical and musical form?This process had to be done in several steps. It is one thing to write a prose text about what you believe is important and want to convey, but we recognize, and it is also our mission as a musikal project, that communicating messages and ideas is easiest when the message is presented in a form that many people can relate to. After the process of brainstorming and writing the text, the process begins with putting together a sound image and a song lyrics that are both easy to understand, appealing and fit with the sound image. Puns, catchy phrases and rhymes are often good tools here. 3. Your work is described as a fusion of meaningful lyrics and complementary composition—can you walk us through your creative process when balancing narrative and sound?As described in part in the previous question, the process of putting together the right sound image and lyrics into a meaningful text is both resource- and time-consuming. The process of putting together the song we want to release is something that can take time. Many drafts are rejected in the process before we arrive at a song/entirety that we think fits the message we want to convey. 4. The refrain “Athens, your spirit remains” feels particularly central—what does that line represent to you personally, and how did it evolve during the writing process? For us in the creative team of the project, the starting point and the message we wanted to convey in a troubled world was that the ancient ideas of democracy, the rule of law, philosophical thoughts about justice, medicine, etc. and the idea that knowledge and science still have a very important place in society. The idea of progress is important, and perhaps especially on the political and socio-economic level. The title and the expression “Athens, your spirit remains” then became a very natural catch-phrase. 5. Grey & Purple Songbook often explores culturally significant themes—what draws you to this storytelling approach, and how do you choose your subjects?The starting point for the music project Grey & Purple Songbook is to create thought-provoking lyrics with a sound image that supports the message in the lyrics. Lyrics and songs that appeal as much to the head as to the heart. With a starting point, the form of storytelling came naturally. In addition, both of us who make up the creative duo in the project grew up in environments where literature, books and storytelling have been central and important parts of our upbringing, this has probably also had a great influence on our choice of medium. As previously mentioned, the creative duo has a strong interest in everything related to society, philosophy, literature, storytelling and human nature. In addition, we love traveling, history, and new impressions. All of these are extensive parts of life, so there is plenty of material to draw from. 6. With this single marking another chapter in your journey, how do you see your sound and thematic direction evolving in future releases?For us, it will be enough to continue building a catalog of music and lyrics that address different themes and parts of society and human life. We eventually intend to release concept albums that address several lyrics with the same theme; e.g. professions, historical and cultural themes, commentaries on international politics and challenges, and facets of human nature. Musique | The Grey and Purple Songbook