PARAMAX (2)

By: Max Glenn
September 26, 2021

We are pleased to present PARAMAX, a three-part series in which talented musician and HILOBROW friend Max Glenn guides our listening to his latest release, Maxtape II. Spotify users, scroll to bottom of each post for a track link.

MAXTAPE II TRACKS: I | II | III.

The first section of the track “II” is my version of a sound collage beat; pure destruction. All melodic elements were put through iZotope Trash, which spat them out with a layer of grit and grime on top. Beneath the beat is this preacher I recorded on 32nd street who was delivering a sermon amongst the traffic and crowds. To me, these two layers of sound are paralleled, and weaving them together made me work with distortion — which I almost never do. At the end of the beat is a guitarist I recorded during one of my walks in the West Village last December. These cold walks were fun because all the restaurants had their heat lamps set up on the sidewalk, so I would plan my route from one outdoor dining space to another.

The next section of “II” is another experiment with repetition and space. I made a recording walking down the street a while back, and when I listened closely I realized that there was a very subtle rhythm playing in the background. Maybe it was someone’s shopping cart jingling on beat, maybe it was someone playing the tambourine. I looped the rhythm and used it as the foundation of the track. As the subtle rhythm loops, the rest of the street ambience — which isn’t “on beat” — becomes part of the groove. This track also features my friends Nate and Mena on guitar, recording three months apart, plus my piano from almost a year ago, and a street collage from I don’t even know when. I love tracks like this, which take a long time to fully steep. I believe that taking my time comes through in the sound, and it has this fun time traveling element whenever I listen.

The final part of “II” is a long voice memo I recorded on my phone while standing in an instrument shop in the West Village. There were wild-looking instruments covering every surface, and in one corner an elderly woman was playing a sideways guitar. I recorded her teaching me to play, and then her playing it. It’s kind of like a mindfulness moment for me. Listening to this long-form voice memo is presence, it’s just listening and breathing and enjoying my own company. The moment felt like a dream, so I added reverb with a long delay time to create an ephemeral/ethereal tint to the track.

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PARAMAX (2)

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