filmhop deconstructed: ch. 1

Layering the Cinematic Narrative of "Modern Native"

Siri: Did you write the individual singles with something specific in mind? "Modern Native" starts out with this very large scale. It feels important and massive, like you're completely zoomed out. Then, at about 24 seconds, you zoom way in, taking us another layer down. By 49 seconds, it's almost like we're at a character level—we are zoomed right in. You start adding layers at 1:20 and 1:35, and it almost feels like a reflection point. It feels like there was a distinct vision in your head because it immediately made me envision something visual. You jump right into that movie mode. Talk to me about this single particularly—was there something in your head you were watching while you were composing it?

A2: Oh, definitely. It was such an important song because it's the lead single for the project, so I had to put my best foot forward. At the time, I had just moved to Nashville, and N8 had just put the final touches on it. Everything was coalescing at the exact right moment.

I definitely wrote it with a main character in mind. As you said, it starts completely zoomed out because it is meant to serve as a prelude. I'm writing a story without saying any words. Starting with that zoom-out signals that we're about to get into something very expansive. You can feel the expanse, but then the focus shifts to this main character.

Even looking at the title "Modern Native" in a literal sense, choosing that name represented being adaptable in our current time. Keeping up with constant changes in technology is challenging, but it's about being adaptable and modern while still maintaining the traditional values that make you who you are.

In addition to that, by the time I finished the single, I had already commissioned the artwork for the first three singles back in 2020. I held onto those pieces for a long time as visual inspirations before the name "Modern Native" even existed. Early on, version one was actually just two separate demos that I put together because I realized they were in the same key and written at almost the same tempo. I usually write between 80 and 95 BPM anyhow, so it made sense to merge those two ideas—which originally consisted of just the flute and the Rhodes piano. They shared the same groove and key, so I started there.

Once I conceptualized the title, I discussed it with the graphic designer to finalize that visual piece. That artwork, in turn, acts like a flag standard to me. If I were to creative direct a live animated series, that artwork looks like the clan standard someone would carry on their back—like a Uchiha or Kaguya clan symbol. That was the vision I had as someone writing a cinematic piece without an actual cinematic reference. It was a cool challenge that allowed my imagination to go as wild as possible so I could dig deeper into those sonic ideas.

N8: I can say from talking with A2 that he frequently focuses on manifesting his exact location and emotions while writing a song. He’ll tell me, "Yo, I was in this specific state of mind, feeling this way, and then I just went and made this piece." As a viewer watching his process, I know he completely submerges himself in those spaces to create these works of art. I've seen a lot of the different iterations of this project, and it is crazy to hear it in its final form. Hearing how it started as two separate demos and watching it come together into this cohesive tapestry really paid off. It builds an entire sonic world.

Studio Ear Candy and Hip-Hop Influences

Siri: Did the flute stay in there, or did I miss it? Do I have to go back and listen again?

A2: No, it's definitely in there! That sample is the melody that carries the whole single. We actually sped it up because it was originally even slower, but it kept the exact same pattern. I just had a distinct moment where I thought, "If I were producing for a hip-hop artist, what would this sound like?" and it just clicked.

A lot of that execution has to do with N8. For the outro of "Modern Native," we put a filter over what was originally a raw groove idea. It has some vocal chops in it, but when he first showed it to me, there was no filter on it. We added that to create a specific experience—almost like someone is manually playing with the volume knob.

A great example that comes to mind is an Eminem song where the lyric is about trying to turn him down, and you hear the instrumental drop all the way down to a whisper before he screams, "Turn me back up, are you insane?" and the volume slams back up. Small details like that matter immensely to me in music. That outro shares that exact vibe. The alternate version we are making for the album—as opposed to this single version—is going to feature a lot more of what N8 originally had in that outro to give the listener a completely different experience.

You get these little previews. It's similar to how hip-hop music videos back in the day would drop on an MTV countdown, and right in the middle of the track, they would preview 30 seconds of an entirely different music video before switching back. Hip-hop has always given audiences those little hidden nuggets and snippets of other songs, and that's exactly what I'm going after—ear candy and creative nuggets.

Siri: In "Modern Native," right around the two-minute mark, there's a filter where everything tamps down. It felt to me like it represented an internal conflict or confusion, where the character is suddenly trapped inside their own head. They are no longer exposed to the world; they are only listening to their internal thoughts.

A2: Exactly, and that was intentional. Those audio effects and filters make a massive difference, as subtle as they might be. I always look for those little moments to elevate the studio listening experience. That is strictly a studio feature; when you see us perform live, you won't hear it quite like that. You'll hear it in a completely different way, but we will still tap into that exact same emotion. Going back to our initial conversation about the studio versus the live stage, that filter is a great illustration of what you get sitting with the record versus hearing it live with a full band.