Anjalts On the Making Of “Dim the Lights”
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind "Dim the Lights" and the story it tells?
“Dim the Lights” came from a place of both reflection and realization. I was in a moment where everything around me felt loud—mentally, emotionally—and I just needed to find a space where I could breathe. The song is about tuning out the hurt after a heated disagreement, and allowing a quiet reset between two people who still love each other to begin. It’s in that fragile space after the storm, when words fall away and one person breaks the silence—in a kind of slow dance and dimmed lights.
Can you talk about the recording and production process for "Dim the Lights?"
"Dim the Lights" came together in kind of a late-night haze. I remember laying down the first melody on the guitar with all the lights off except for this one little lamp. It just felt like the right kind of atmosphere to be in—like I needed to tune out the outside world completely to get into the feeling of the song. I recorded most of it at my home studio. I like working alone when I’m in that kind of space, because I can experiment freely without worrying about time or rules.
Production-wise, I layered ambient textures with soft guitar riffs and kind of let the vibe guide where the drums would fall. I wanted it to sound like you're floating, but still grounded in something real—especially those emotions you’re not quite ready to say out loud. I did all the mixing myself and then had it mastered professionally so it could still hit right sonically, but the emotion had to stay intact without feeling forced or overly polished. I wanted the whole track to feel like a quiet conversation with someone you still care about—despite the circumstance.
What impact do you hope this song will have on your audience?
I hope it helps someone feel seen. Sometimes our words are too harsh in the heat of the moment. I like to believe that music can reach places inside us where words alone cannot. “Dim the Lights” holds a kind of emotional pause—a moment to reflect without having to explain.
We all go through conflicts in relationships, especially with people we care deeply about. This song isn’t about blame or fixing things—it’s about holding space for each other when things feel like sometimes we have no other choice. And what holds us is a simple dance of love, a reconnection with our own quiet strength. It's more than I could ask for-- choosing a kind of musical hug in the dark.
What tools or instruments are essential to your creative process?
Well, it always starts with a feeling, and then I build the soundscape around that. For “Dim the Lights,” the guitar was key—it added this steady rhythm that felt like a heartbeat in the background, something grounding. Playing the bass came next, just moving behind the drum beat like an emotional undercurrent. I like to use synths more as textures than leads, so you’ll hear them off in the distance, almost like a memory floating in.
I’m drawn to layering—whether it’s live instruments or digital elements—because each layer holds a different emotional tone. My DAW setup is simple, but I customize a lot with plug-ins and effects to create space and atmosphere. It’s not about having the fanciest gear—it’s about how each sound connects to the story I’m telling.
Are there any particular skills or techniques that you have been working on lately?
Lately, I’ve been diving deeper into fingerstyle guitar—experimenting with syncopation and how silence or space between notes can shape the emotion of a track. It’s become a way for me to speak rhythmically without words. I’ve also been blending more layered harmonies into my vocals, exploring how they can subtly shift the mood without overpowering the message.
On the production side, I’m focused on sound design—building ambient textures that aren’t always obvious at first listen but add this emotional depth underneath. It’s all about fusing these techniques together while still keeping that core intimacy. This third album is very much scaled-down in production and very challenging not to put in that extra part that I heard in my head. Vibing like a punkhead! :)
