I’ve probably alluded at times to the point of this blog. It’s primarily a chronicle of my personal music endevours. About two years ago, I was gearing up for a second album. My first one had been recorded five years earlier, right after I finished college. I was stumbling around for a long, long time (well, five years to be precise) for the tonal qualities my next recording would have. Yes, I over-thought this. But, on the plus side, I listened and reflected.

Which brings me to my turning point. Inspired by an electronic musician who only releases EPs (forget who exactly), I decided to do the same. Instead of sculpting that seemingly perfect idea once every five years or so, I might as well release a shorter work every year.

This gives me two big benefits. One, it will boost my production chops. Two, I’m sitting on many years worth of material that I have to get down in order for it to see the light of day. Also, once a song is done, I can move on.

The goal is consistency. My recording rig improved by leaps and bounds between my first and second records. I’ve always felt that my real art was songwriting. I used to say, to the chagrin of my guitarist friends, that my choice of instrument wasn’t important. What’s important is writing melodies and rhythms. And I’m sitting on this kind of huge body of work that’s grown over only about the past 10 years or so. I can go in there and grab fragments and turn them into songs. And that’s exactly what I’m doing.

Zen Luck Tricks was supposed to be 12-14 tracks, but I simply ran out of time. Two songs that didn’t make that cut will highlight this summer’s EP. So you see ZLT would’ve probably taken 5 years to complete. But by breaking it up, I can change so easily. I don’t have to worry about the overall flavor. The flavor will change. Every year.