AUDIOSIEGE

What a great way to end another productive year… Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein’s original score for the final season of Stranger Things is out today, and I’m proud to have been entrusted with mastering it. Thanks to Kyle, Michael, and Lakeshore Records for bringing five seasons of this characteristic original score into the world, and for helping it become such a massive part of my work as a mastering engineer.

To me, the perfect equalizer isn’t one that lets you do everything down to multiple decimal points. It’s one that isn’t overly technical or deep-one that allows me to make moves that I know will sound musical. This is, absolutely, my favorite EQ for revisions. Need a touch of high shelf? No problem. Need the kick reinforced at 85 Hz? Done. Need a little more midrange, maybe more on the sides than the center? You got it. Need clean but not sterile? Natural color without dirt? The Sontec MES-432D9D from Make Believe Studios and Metric Halo will do it, and it does it here daily. A little goes a long way, I’m still amazed with it.

Huge thanks-albeit a bit overdue on my end-to Portland’s Hard Pill for sending a copy of their new LP “Confusion Range” on vinyl. I love working with these fine folks, and this album really takes a new step musically for the band, with a dynamic listening experience that invokes emotions and themes for the listener. I thoroughly enjoyed mastering it, and I hope you’ll enjoy listening to it!

Sometimes good old black vinyl is the best choice… The “Thorns” LP by Guiltless arrived last week, and this is one I’m proud of on multiple levels. I first worked with Josh Graham in 2013, mastering an album for A Storm Of Light, and the first full length by his new project features a team of people on the production with whom I have an equally long history. The drums were recorded by Travis Kammeyer, with additional tracking by the band, and mixing by Kurt Ballou at God City. “Thorns” is available through Neurot Recordings, and is a fantastic piece of work from start to finish. Thanks y’all!!!

Another great one from this year, courtesy of Relapse, which I mastered. “Life Is Violence”, by Idle Heirs is a masterpiece both in and out, with beautiful packaging and artwork to accompany the stellar sounding vinyl. Thank you so much for everything y’all!