Hello again!
It's about time that I actually sat down and authored a newsletter for my page. In short, I'm going to be discussing a few things about the recent release, future plans, and me in general. I wish I had a better tl;dr, but I am horrible at condensing written ideas.
Before I go into anything, let me preface my words with an expression for gratitude for any and all support shown towards me and my works. No matter the size of this support, I am grateful to receive any of it, and I'm just happy that I appealed to at least one person, especially considering that my promotional skills are poor and I am comparatively amatuer.
With that said, let's just head straight into our first section.
Post-Album Analysis
If you've been listening to my discography, you might have seen my debut album, Forbidden Airwaves. Released in four segmented installations, this is work that I considered significant enough to form a true album - and my first dive into albums, no less. There are things that I think I did well, and there are areas that can be improved upon. Before I dissect the good or the bad, let's go over the plain facts.
Released in four parts from May 17 to July 10 of this year, Forbidden Airwaves was a thirteen-track album primarily centred on the genre of electronic rock. The decision to break this project into pieces was made so that I could circumvent my own inhibitions, doubts, and pressures (albeit self-inflicted) in regards to the release of another mass collective of audio. The artwork was chosen out of a series of old photographs I took at a park, and the name was derived from the artwork as a little joke.
The Good
- My approach allowed me to finally publish my work instead of telling myself I'm in over my head.
- I managed to achieve a high threshold of originality with the album and minimise the reliance on samples or redoing my own established works.
- I finally stepped out of my comfort zone properly and attempted electronic genres properly, instead of just making my usual dnb/metal mixes and omitting the guitars.
The Bad
- I rushed into announcement and publication of the album's contents, not giving myself time to prepare promotional materials or teasers, and forcing my own hand with regards to what saw the light of day.
- There was less consultation with testers before the music was publicated. While independence is definitely valuable, it meant that I had no clue what would stick the landing until after I hit publish.
- I neglected to establish a rigid schedule of naming, teasing, and publishing installments, meaning that the doubts and inhibitions regarding the project were allowed to re-establish themselves, and the project was sporadically publicised (it almost ended on 10-1, believe it or not, that's how chaotic we're talking).
- Even though it was the most planned part of my musical presence online, it was still very improvisational, and this meant that even with my growth with other genres, the album was largely guitar-centric and not as diverse as intended.
Lessons To Be Learned
If there are takeaways that I can derive from this, it's that I should get into the rhythm of scheduling things, manage and mitigate impulsive decisions in regards to my musical endeavours, evaluate and scrutinise project materials in greater depth, and do some research in regards to what people who already listen to me actually come here for.
Hiatus
I like music. Make no mistake about that. Music is a deep passion of mine, and I'd never want to turn my back on it for good. But it does me no favours to bury myself in soundscapes and songwriting 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Of course, respite is crucial to avoid burnouts and to mitigate the risk of developing a loathing for my craft. Henceforth, I am temporarily stepping back from music altogether, and reducing general activity under the Dreams Of Incarnadine moniker.
This is not a permanent resignation from music, nor does it mean that I will disappear completely, but it means that things will be taken at a slower, easier pace from up to one year after writing this post, and the activity I harbour under this persona will be more laid back and unrelated to music.
Rest assured that this decision does have an end, and I will one day make a comeback as a musician. I just need time to do things other than music.
My Life In General
So, given that this is not my main means of expression and existence online (gasp! the hyperfocused persona that talks exclusively about one thing is a detached alter ego!), I am aware that my existence under this moniker is very impersonal, detached, and locked in on musical pursuits. I want to be more open and personal, and to present things about myself that aren't just sound compositions.
It'll be infrequent, and like all new things, it'll start off rocky, but on my YouTube page and across my microblogging accounts, I'll begin to share things about myself like life in general, hobbies, and things that pique my interest. If I get comfortable enough with the idea, I might even do what a lot of people are seemingly doing nowadays and open a Q&A line for people to ask questions.
In short, I'm going to be more of a person from this point forward. I hope this change isn't too jarring, and I also hope that anyone who shows up for this more human side of my presence enjoys what they find. Regardless, I once again thank you for any and all support, and I shall see you in the future.
Until next time :)
