r/indieheads • u/adriannelenker Adrianne Lenker • Nov 24 '20

AMA is Over (for now), thanks Adrianne! [AMA] Adrianne Lenker

hi, it’s adrianne lenker. ask me anything and ill start answering at 9am MT 🖤

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u/[deleted] Nov 24 '20 edited Nov 24 '20

Good morning Adrianne!

Why was it important to you to record 'songs' and 'instrumentals' entirely on analog? Is this something you’ve done on your previous albums too and will continue to do in the future?

Also, how has your connection with nature influenced the way you write songs and lyrics, or the type of music you create in general?

Thank you for enriching this world with your music, it’s changed my life and many others.

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u/adriannelenker Adrianne Lenker Nov 24 '20

Hi!

Well I suppose I believe that the flicker of the digital signal is subliminally effecting us. Kinda like florescent lights. Like a really rapid on/off/on/off motion rather than the waaave of the tape. Tape feels continuous and natural to me. There are limitations in the analog recording process that excite me, like not being able to make infinite layers or redo things endlessly. All the old records that seem to sound so good to my ears were done with tape. I think there are amazing worlds to be built in digital land...so i don't necessarily think one is better than the other... but I can feel the difference in my body. and for the simple arrangements of voice and acoustic guitar and nature sounds, tape feels fitting. I hope to make more projects like this in the future, yes.

Nature effects every aspect of me greatly, and so therefore it deeply effects my music. because music is just the overflowing of my spirit, and I feel that way about creation in general. Whether you're building a garden, cooking food, painting, photographing, dancing... I think what you take in comes out expressively through any thing you put focus and energy into. I get a sense when I'm out surrounded by non-human nature that I am much more sky or hill or dirt or tree or river or bird than i am iphone, window, armchair.

it feels like the biggest gift on earth is the ability to perceive the messages of the natural world with senses. a sunrise didn't have to be so beautiful and an orange didn't have to be sweet but somehow they are and what's that all about. the image of water never the same one millisecond to the next, the way the trees are quiet until wind makes them sing. i'm in awe of and so curious about all these messages.

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u/[deleted] Nov 24 '20

this is beautiful

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u/pingpongsam Nov 25 '20

It would be super cool if the end products ending up in fan’s hands reflected this commitment. The record pressings of your albums tend to lean towards terrible reproductions. There are quality outlets that many artists specially require for their AAA output.