Feature: Nom De Plume Decodes ‘Circle The Dream’
How did you come up with the theme?
I'm always thinking about music and composing and collecting ideas for songs. Many of the songs that made it on this album have come about from years of struggles, observations, and life experiences. The album title ‘Circle The Dream’ captures a major theme of the album, the longing to achieve something, a dream, a way of life that seems elusive, just out of reach, but always returning to it despite doubts, obstacles, and detractors.
How did you approach the arrangement and composition of the music for ‘Circle The Dream?’
We built ‘Circle the Dream’ around emotional expression; every arrangement choice was about serving the mood and tension of the song. In addition to stacking layers for complexity, we leaned into texture: rhythmic acoustic guitar, varying percussion styles, atmospheric pedal steel, expressive violin and cello lines, warm keyboard swells, and even adding a smokey saxophone part to one of our songs. Each instrument had to earn its place emotionally. In the whole process we were going for resonance, both sonically and emotionally.
Can you talk about any standout tracks on 'Circle The Dream' and what makes them special to you?
That's a tough question to answer! It's like choosing a favorite child, impossible! Each song is special in its own way. Each song at some point is my favorite, and it rotates. "Once a Time of May" is one of the first songs I ever wrote, when I was 17 years old living in Athens, Greece. It brings back so many memories of that time. "While My Eyes Gently Weep" is a very personal, emotional, and vulnerable song with themes that I think can be universally related to. "We're All Like That" is just fantastically fun to play. It’s a syncopated rocker.
Can you tell us more about you as a band?
What matters most to us as a band is the friendship and loyalty we’ve built over the years, and the connection we share through making and performing music. There’s really nothing like the feeling of creating something together and then sharing it with an audience. Circle the Dream is our third studio album, and it’s a reflection of that bond.
How have your life experiences shaped your musical voice, and what are the most significant influences?
In the creative process for us as a band there really isn't a separation between life experiences and musical voice. What we've lived is reflected in our musical expression seamlessly, and I think this is likely true for many artists. It's hard to pin down just a few significant influences. We truly are inspired by a wide range of music and genres. No matter the genre, what really inspires us is skill, originality, and authenticity.
