filmhop deconstructed: ch 3

Step-by-Step Evolution: Live Instruments and "Laser Circus"

A2: The absolute mantra for that third song is that change is the only true constant. It is an incredibly fast song, which is a major departure since I typically write at a much slower tempo. This track marked my first distinct marketing and creative shift. I was incredibly intent on making the third single sound drastically different from the first two because I wanted that pure shock value. As an artist who has historically put out very docile, acoustic piano music, dropping this track was a massive pivot. As N8 and I like to say, it’s a force—but it’s a positive force because it puts our best foot forward.

Crucially, it is the very first single featuring live instruments. The wonderful instrumentalists that N8 connected me with out in Nashville all played on this track, contributing live guitars and live drums. That brings us back to the mantra of transitions, change, and the critical lessons learned during those volatile times. As far as "Laser Circus" is concerned, it is pure, unadulterated action from start to finish.

Siri: There is a ton of action in this one. As you mentioned, "Manzilla" acts like an intentional interlude that continuously builds, whereas "Laser Circus" moves up and down dynamically. You start incredibly fast and dive straight into the action immediately. Then, right around the 30-second mark, the arrangement settles down before adding layers to ramp the energy right back up as the track progresses, only to settle down once more at the very end.

Was there a specific vision behind that arrangement? You wanted it to be drastically different, but if we focus on our main character, does this represent a different chapter of their journey? Sonically, we feel like we are in outer space now compared to the desert terrain of the first two tracks.

A2: The most distinct and drastic difference is that "Modern Native" and "Manzilla" only utilize a few instruments, whereas "Laser Circus" features a full lineup of live instruments. I absolutely loved the unique challenge that came with that shift. Incorporating live drums introduced a massive learning curve regarding how to properly engineer those sessions. N8 walked me through that entire process; we took the time to invest heavily in the necessary gear required to track it correctly.

We have been incredibly blessed to work with a drummer in Nashville named Urri, who is phenomenal. Pretty much whatever material you throw at him as a session and live drummer, he executes flawlessly. Bringing all those live elements together presented a unique challenge that I gladly accepted. If you listen to the early versions of the track without the live drums and compare them to the final versions, you hear not only how Urri completely elevates the track with his rhythms, but also the sheer musicianship he injected into the song. It isn't just the mere fact that there are live drums on it—anyone can put drums on a track. He added a deep musicality that allowed the guitarists, on both bass and electric, to add their custom touches based entirely on the foundation Urri laid down.

When you listen to my original demo drums prior to his tracking, you can hear the clear direction I wanted—specifically that heavy "four-on-the-floor" feel where you are just clapping along. In a live context, the core vision behind that rhythm is to get the audience physically involved and clapping along with the band. That is the ultimate vision dividing the studio experience from the live experience.

All of those elements worked together beautifully, but the live, collaborative nature of the project allowed entirely new ideas to take shape. By the time the track finally reached the mixing and mastering stage, I sat back and thought, "Wow, these collaborative ideas at the forefront completely elevated what I originally wrote." At that point, when it sounds that great, it makes the entire process worth the wait to ensure every single detail is exactly where it needs to be.

The Solo Project That Isn't a Solo Effort

Siri: It’s interesting you mention the live versus studio arrangement and the balance of technicality versus free-form playing. You highlighted that Urri brought a distinct level of craftsmanship and musicality to his performance, which sets him apart from an ordinary session drummer. It sounds like you took those live elements and essentially told the musicians, "Do you," which in turn allowed the bassist and guitarist to fully express themselves. You took live elements and seamlessly embedded them into a studio version, letting these craftsmen compose on the fly as you built the track out. Is that an accurate way to think about how you collaborated with Urri and the guitarists in the studio?

A2: Absolutely. Urri, John, and T all played an incredibly vital part. John, our bassist, was tracking takes for "Laser Circus" right alongside them. By the time Urri completed his second take on the drums, I actually ended up keeping his very first original take. But as I always say, I never delete anything; those extra takes are brilliant sketches that we save to use for alternative versions down the line. There are so many distinct sections and moments within this song that they honestly deserve their own individual parts. They could easily be pulled apart to get their own unique sync licensing placements or sequences down the road. Taking meticulous care of every single detail is always the goal.

For example, the Rhodes piano interlude that enters right after those massive hits as the B-section builds—that moment stands entirely alone as its own mini-song. Having these musicians play such a key role was the entire point of stepping outside of my comfort zone. I wanted to move past just scratching out isolated demos on my hard drive, sitting on these ideas by myself. I wanted to actively invite other people in and curate a collective experience, making sure the right people were involved from start to finish so the original vision never got hindered along the way.

Throughout this entire process, I have been incredibly blessed with phenomenal collaborators. N8 was heavily involved from both a musical standpoint and a mixing standpoint, alongside the other musicians I mentioned and our stellar tracking engineer, Chris Duncanson. Having these collaborators is the primary reason why the music sounds the way it does.

It is brought to my attention time and time again that this is a solo project, but it is by no means a solo effort. It is released under my stage name, which directly represents my legal name, but it is not just me working in a vacuum. It takes immense time, patience, realistic goal-setting, and clear communication with your people. This record represents the hard work they put in just as much as it represents the initial vision I decided to take off my hard drive and place into the hands of people I trust.

That reality was completely personified when I received the final mix and master. With all of my recent transitions and moving around, one of the trickiest parts has been lacking a consistent, treated physical space to references my mixes. You need to be able to listen to this material loud and incredibly clearly to hear how all the distinct parts are interacting. I haven't always had access to that environment lately. Having an engineer like Chris Duncanson do what he does, talking through the fine details and essentially educating me throughout the process, contributed immensely to what "Laser Circus" ultimately became. For me, it was well worth the wait.

Siri: That answer is about as on-brand for you as it could possibly be. It centers entirely on authenticity and recognizing the collective team that brought the project to fruition. A solo project is hardly ever a solo effort—that is A2 to a tee. Yes, your brand name is on the front, and yes, you established the vision, but you let the experts be the experts and help shape the final product. I love that mindset. You recognize that you are simply the tip of the iceberg, and there is a massive mountain of work from other talented people underneath supporting it. Allowing people to play freely within your authentic world to help shape your vision is awesome to see. It’s exactly how you live your life.

The Climax, Pitch Bends, and the Tiny Desk Stripped Version

UP: When A2 sent me the final master of this song, I was just like, "Yo, this is crazy, man. This is the one." There are so many incredible parts to this song, but my absolute favorite moment—not to downplay any other section—is the final three seconds where that synthesizer modulates upward. You guys had absolutely no business making a transition that dirty.

A2: Yes! That pitch bend, bro. Real talk, it acts like an instant reality check. It pulls you right back down to earth majestically because the frequency is just so intense.

N8: I love the entire song on so many levels, but I had to give that specific little moment a shout-out because it hits you hard. There is a lot to take in with this track—the layers, the live elements, and the distinct musical contributions. That pitch bend did something to my spirit.

The only other thing I’ll say is that when you listen through the progression of the demos, you can hear the exact moment where everything clicks for the musicians. When you listen to the raw, original demo, you can clearly hear A2's core vision. But as the rest of the musicians do their studio thing, the average consumer is going to focus heavily on the lead instruments like the guitar. That was the biggest transformation across the iterations. In the early intros, the guitarist was just casually noodling around, and while it was cool, there were a couple of random note choices where I questioned the direction. But as you progress through the versions, you hear the studio team lock in completely on one unified vision. There are no loose notes or excess playing just for the sake of playing; they brought it together tightly for the final master.

A2: That’s the B-section groove you’re talking about. I appreciate that a lot. That section actually begins with a MIDI harp that I played. Later on, T echoed that exact rhythm on the guitar. He didn't echo it through the entire part, but we kept it strictly groove-based in specific sections. While that harp is looping, I established a custom groove for the bass line. By the time John received the bass demo scratch track, he was hearing this highly specific rhythm: one, two, three, four; one, two, three, four.

As that B-section evolves, Urri locks onto that exact cadence, hitting it perfectly on the kick drum and mirroring it on the cymbals. The section concludes with the band hitting those heavy bass notes together because the arrangement is built entirely as a call-and-response. It’s a live conversation. This is where the layering becomes highly intentional. What pushed the call-and-response completely over the top was when Urri came in for the original take and hit those drums perfectly. Outside of him listening to the track, I didn't tell him to do any of that; he brought his own innate musicality to the record. Once that first demo with the live drums arrived—I believe it was version 13—you could see the track finally becoming complete. I want to hear more from N8's perspective regarding when we were getting those live sessions tracked, because we did at least two separate sessions specifically for the drums.

N8: When it comes to arranging and playing these tracks live, my philosophy is simple: spandex. We have to keep it incredibly tight. The absolute best moments in a live setting happen when the entire band locks in and plays the exact same rhythm simultaneously. They echo the core melody, whatever the lead instrument is doing. When a song is arranged that cleanly, you just play what's there; you don't need to overcomplicate it. You play your part cleanly—whether it's what a piano part or an organ part theoretically should be—and it naturally fills out the room to make the song sound massive. That was my entire approach. Beyond that, we just had a phenomenal time tracking. Mixing those drums was incredibly fun and allowed me to hone in precisely on the exact sonic experience we want the audience to have when they spin the record. It was wonderful to have the freedom to do that without the typical studio stressors of only having a few hours left on the clock.

A2: Exactly. We actually submitted a stripped-down version of this song to the Tiny Desk Contest, which was an amazing experience.

We cut a completely live, raw version of this incredibly layered track with almost all the guys we’ve mentioned up to this point.

It was a great exercise because it lets you hear the song in an entirely new context, perfectly illustrating that contrast between the studio arrangement and the live experience while showcasing the pure musicality of everyone involved.