THE QUALITY OF MERCURY interview with KJAG Radio / Transmedia World Wide

Origins & Inspiration

1. “The Voyager” arrives nine years after your debut Transmission. What sparked the creative reawakening that led to this album?
   1. I did not really have a creative reawakening as I have been working on these songs for a long time.  My career and family responsibilities make it challenging to find time to devote to writing and recording music.  I just keep plugging away when I can.
2. You’ve described the album as a story of distance, discovery, and transformation. What first inspired this overarching narrative?
   1. Maturing as an adult and reflecting on where I am in life was the inspiration for the overall theme of the album.
3. The song “The Voyager” follows a lone traveler drifting deeper into the unknown. Did any specific sci-fi films, books, or personal experiences shape that character?
   1. Films such as Love, Moon and Solaris have definitely influenced my storytelling.  The Voyager is a self-reflection of me wanting to find deeper connection and some of these films help trigger the self-reflection.

Themes of Isolation & Exploration

1. Much of this record explores isolation and the psychological unraveling that can happen in extreme solitude. Was writing this album a cathartic or confronting process for you?
   1. I would identify this as more of a confronting process for me.  It’s a process of coming to grips with aging, maturing and deep contemplation about my time left on this planet and where I might be going next.
2. You’ve said the album deals with “the thin line between exploration and unraveling.” How do you personally relate to that duality?
   1. Life is full of challenges that could easily unravel a person if the mind is not strong. Fundamentally, life is exploration and I find myself sometimes struggling to persevere through challenging situations.  However, I try to understand the consequences of breaking down and so far I have been fortunate enough to navigate through most adversity.
3. Do you find beauty in isolation, or is it something you wrestle with creatively?
   1. I am afraid of isolation and use my writing to help confront that fear.

‘The Voyager’ video https://youtu.be/axLXVEsQf1w
‘The Voyager’ album – Bandcamp https://thequalityofmercury.bandcamp.com/album/the-voyager-2
OR ELSE Spotify https://open.spotify.com/album/6u38jms5yCWLbiLmwkJrlf

Music & Sound Design

1. Sonically, The Voyager blends cinematic space rock with indie and alt-rock textures. How did you approach constructing such a spacious, atmospheric sound?
   1. This usually happens during the writing and recording process. As I write and record parts I envision how I can create atmosphere and movement with the tracks and then align them with visuals that I imagine.
2. Your music has an almost film-score quality. Do you build songs visually in your mind before recording them?
   1. I absolutely see my songs visually throughout the whole process.  I am essentially trying to create a short film with every song. I spend significant time thinking about what type of sounds and effects I can use to capture the mood or vibe that would translate visually to the lyrics.
3. Are there any particular techniques, gear, or sound experiments that helped shape the album’s cosmic atmosphere?
   1. I do a great deal of automation, especially with delays, choruses, panning and volume changes.  I really try to get elements moving around a lot in the stereo field.

The Video Collaboration

1. This is your first-ever official music video. What made “The Voyager” the right moment to explore visuals for your work?
   1. I have been wanting to create music videos for a long time.  Most of my concepts would involve having expensive sets and props which is very restrictive for me.  For The Voyager I was lucky enough to be introduced to an artist who could help me achieve my vision with an alternative solution to the limiting factors that I am usually held back by.
2. Italian multimedia artist Francesca Bonci created the video. How did that collaboration come about, and what was your reaction when you saw the finished piece?
   1. Shauna McLarnon who is managing my PR connected me with Francesca.  I was ecstatic seeing the final cut of the video.  Francesca created a wonderful video that I am very happy with.
3. What elements of the video best reflect the themes of distance, unraveling, and cosmic beauty that define the song?
   1. I think the images of a lonely astronaut walking on exotic planets give a great sense of distance and isoloation while the imagery of a beautiful woman floating outside of the spacecraft conveys mental unraveling.

Album Craft & Production

1. You handle writing, performing, engineering, and even the album artwork. What’s the biggest challenge of being a one-person creative force?
   1. It’s all a challenge and I am constantly second-guessing my work.  In my experience, collaboration usually yields better results and I often wish that I had a partner to help throughout the process.
2. Drummer Mario Quintero brought additional energy to the project. What role did he play in shaping the final sound?
   1. Mario played and recorded the drums and he also did the final mixing.  This is the closest I have ever come to achieving the sound that I envision.  Mario definitely took the album to a level that I would not have been able to achieve on my own.
3. The production is extremely detailed—tiny swells, stereo movements, subtle textures. How long did the mixing and refinement process take?
   1. I work on those elements all during the recording process and build the mix while I am still laying tracks down.   A lot of these things I envision even before I record the track so I have a good handle on these details from the beginning of starting the recordings.

Visual Storytelling & Sci-Fi Influence

1. You have a film production background. How does your experience in cinema influence your music and world-building?
   1. The processes that I have learned from film and video production translate well for me to music production.  I understand the importance of storyboarding and use this technique when writing and recording songs.
2. Are there particular directors or films that had an impact on The Voyager?
   1. I would not say any one director has an influence on my writing.  It is more of the slow-burning and thought provoking sci-fi space films that have the most impact.  I am especially influenced by films with beautifully long shots that allow you to take it all in and look around for a bit.
3. If The Voyager were turned into a short film, how would you describe its visual style?
   1. I would aim to have a slow, meditative visual rhythm with atmospheric density, epic scale and a psychedelic vibe.

Personal Connection & Meaning

1. You’ve said the album is “born from a deep place of longing—for connection, for meaning.” What part of the album feels most personal to you?
   1. It all feels very personal because I am creating stories based on feelings or interactions I have had.   I think that I may connect with Selenite more than the other tracks as it’s the last one that I wrote for the album.  It is self-reflecting and ushers a sense of hope.
2. What do you hope listeners feel or imagine when they hear “The Voyager” for the first time?
   1. I hope listeners feel as if they were taken on a journey both sonically and visually and I hope the stories metaphorically translate to the listeners’ personal experiences and feelings.
3. Has creating this project changed your perspective on distance, connection, or purpose?
   1. I would not say that it has changed my perspective.  I am still afraid of isolation and longing for connection and purpose.  I would say that creating this album has helped me identify and thoughtfully consider these ideas more than I had in the past.

Looking Forward

1. You built such a rich cinematic universe with this album—does this world continue in future releases?
   1. Yes. That is my intention.  I would like to continue to build these universes but, also ensure that the music stays accessible to a general audience.
2. Are you interested in performing The Voyager live, and if so, how would you translate this massive sound to the stage?
   1. I would love to play this and my first album live however, it is such a daunting task for me to commit time to making this happen.  It would not be a minimalist approach, LOL.  It would include a larger band and a choreographed visual aesthetic.
3. What can fans expect next from The Quality of Mercury?
   1. I am currently recording a single that I want to release in the next month or two.  After that I have plans for an EP of songs that I have already written.