Music, Style & Culture

Oh Minnows - For Shadows

Oh Minnows talks us through his latest release 'For Shadows', track by track.

Oh Minnows talks us through his latest release 'For Shadows', track by track.

Another Volunteer
This one is truly intercontinental. Recorded in Chicago and San Francisco. At some point outside the Chicago studio a man spoke to me about honeybees…
 
At the Rehearsal
Recorded in San Francisco. The air was full of the smell of sycamore trees. Was wondering about a guitar solo… At the end we put the whole mix threw a reverb and delay box.
 
If You Had
Riding my bike to and from the studio in Chicago, strange things along the way. Riding at 4AM or as the sun was coming up feels like magic happening. Maybe there's something from those rides here, and a concern about what we mean to each other.
 
A Performance
In North Carolina I was learning to surf. Maybe this had something to do with the vocal mix… Swimming in the ocean at night became part of our process then we would mix for a while.
 
Trade
This one required a few distortion pedals and a bit of compression… at times things were difficult to get into place, especially the cymbals and high hat, which were leaping forth in the mix.
 
You’ll Never Know Us
This one was recorded in a few very small wood panelled rooms but I liked trying to get a bigger sound in an intimate environment. Was liking the sound of small room drum sounds…
 
The Nightmare Floor
Recorded this in a big open wood panelled room in California. Would sometimes ride a bike over the golden gate bridge at night as fog billowed up from the bay, get some sleep then ride back and play the harmonium.
 
Some Reasons Why
This was recorded in a small room in Chicago. Outside the studio was vacant industrial landscape that suggested a once thriving industry. The buildings now have a lot of character as nature has worked on them over the years. Was nice to walk around that area then go back to the studio.
 
Everyday
We were just about finished mixing when decided to try and use an old plate reverb. My friend who was mixing figured out how to get these plates, that hadn’t been used in a while, going and we liked the effect.
 
By The Sea
Taking the ferry across the bay from San Francisco to the studio and back, being by the lake in Chicago and then living near the ocean in North Carolina maybe had something to do with it, or listening to 60’s area Marianne Faithfull.



Oh Minnows' new album 'For Shadows' is out now via Young And Lost Club.