Jon Thurlow

We agreed to get the idea off the ground initially by NOT collaborating. Instead of ‘jamming’ ideas and sparking off each other which we’d done in the past, Jojo created a melody and wrote lyrics and then passed a home recording to me to create and add music or sounds to accompany it.

What struck me when I received the recording is how much feeling the melody captured by not being sung to a strict tempo. The strength of the emotion meant that decisions about accompaniment became easier and this less formalised approach meant that I stopped thinking about the idea as a ‘song’ and added keyboard notes, played as a continuous ‘drone’ to support the melody.

Once we agreed on our approach the collaboration moved swiftly from exchanges of ideas to recording and mixing. Jojo suggested adding  birdsong which I think adds texture. The xylophone was included in the spirit of ‘anti-tempo’.

We had to overcome doubts about whether the process was too DIY but I don’t think it matters - For me, the process was all about capturing the essence of the lament.  

Jojo Taylor

https://jojotaylorart.wordpress.com

https://vimeo.com/user49281517

https://soundcloud.com/user-999931973/death-mountain/recommended

In the past when Jon and I have collaborated we have spontaneously and simultaneously jammed a new idea, and then worked on developing the idea alone before regrouping, Jon on guitar and me on vocals.

This time Jon suggested we start the collaboration with me choosing a theme and writing lyrics and a melody. I then passed it back for Jon to add sound. I chose to write about loss and ideas for lyrics came at random times.  For instance, I found myself waking up at 4 a.m. to write down two lines that were in my head: ‘Alive and housed inside skin, like a bird that cannot sing’, which I could develop further.

We thought the melody sounded better with no strict tempo so we decided not to set the metronome as it made the lament too rigid and it lost its feeling. Without formal time constraints, the musicality in Jon’s sounds keep with the natural ebb and flow of the piece.

I wanted to give the sense that the lament is being sung outdoors in nature, and after experimenting with sounds we agreed to use birdsong as it gave a more expansive feel to the piece.

During the process we wanted to avoid stifling the ideas with too much structure. We wanted to capture the raw guts of it, so we actively worked to retain the the essence and feeling of the song, rather than create a more polished piece of work.

I find it fascinating how work comes together…would this piece have ever been written in this way or at all if Sabrina had not asked us if we wanted to contribute to her project and Jon and I had not worked together previously. 

Death Mountain 

And when I see you breathing in 

I know your’e not giving in 

Alive and housed inside skin 

Like a bird who cannot sing

Your dying heart broke mine

So I will float for a little time

But Death mountain

Is not for the living

Death mountain 

Is not forgiving

Heavy, rapid, slow

Deep, quiet and shallow

Just keep breathing in 

So I know you’re not giving in 

Keep breathing 

Stay in the land of the living

And I will float, 

I will float, I will float 

And I will float, 

I will float, I will float