12/19/2022
“Swim”-9 years ago.
Mugs here. Thank you for taking this journey into the past in preparation for my solo album. Swam has been relaying all your kind words, and I am especially thrilled to find out many of you think I’m funny :) We still have some years to rewind, but right now we’re at a point best narrated by me.
My first solo album was released 11 years ago, and although it was well received, I knew it wasn’t “it”. I’ve been trying to make the “it” album since then, and this upcoming album is finally “it”.
My goal was to seamlessly blend the human and the electronic; that’s where a lot of the layers and harmonies began to develop, to infiltrate the electronic with human-ness.
So, short version: about 10 years ago, with money saved from waitressing, I bought a ticket to Europe to travel, perform my looping set, and find my way. I found out I was pregnant, cancelled the trip, fast forward to an emergency C-section, and my beautiful son Elliot who died in my arms six days after birth. This video was taken five months later by Lake Michigan, and it was one of the first times I made a “beat”. After that, I could never quite seem to get the momentum back, there was always something… I was stuck in a loop of sorts.
My dream album is coming to fruition, and…I am very tired. I thought I’d be retiring by this point, not starting my career. I’m extremely grateful to now have “my people” who understand that I need time alone. We take emotional well being and chilling the f*ck out seriously around here. I’m extremely passionate and can’t believe how amazing this project is, and how well all the skills I’ve acquired during the last two decades fit into it. And I am so glad we’re somehow still kids at heart.
Dance improv at sunrise by Lake Michigan in Chicago. Song/lyrics/video/etc/etc by Scarlet Monk.
