New Ways

Whereas Twin Solitude was about self-reflection, New Ways is about engaging and changing, touching and being touched. Its a physical record, with louder and tighter grooves, and the rawest lyrics the musician has ever recordedtenderness and violence, sex and rebirth, Plato and Julie Delpy. What mattered most was the feel of each the groove, the distance between the kick and the snare.

If it didnt feel right, we'd do another take, or switch from piano to guitar, or change the drum sound, Vollebekk says. 10 different tracks for 10 states of motion, each with its own pulse. There's the heat of the night and the cool blue of morning, hints of Prince and Bill Withers. Only when everything was finally overwhen the mixes were perfect, and the masters cued updid Vollebekk really understand what he had made. Now I knew what was going to happen, he remembers. The moments didnt feel fleetingthey felt eternal, almost fated. The songs spoke to me differently, but they hadnt changed. I just heard them in New Ways.