Songwriting is like any other artistic profession. The more you do it, the better you will get. There are no shortcuts and passion and drive are needed. We recently came across Azwel, who has been creating music for over 20 years. That test of time has refined a style that hits all the right spots and is just as mesmerizing.
We caught up with Jason from Azwel to get a little deeper into how they reached this level and we chat about their upcoming album. Enjoy the interview here:
Creating music for over 20 years is impressive. How has your style and opinions on the music industry changed through the years?
The sound has naturally evolved, though I never make a conscious effort to force change. I just create. People may hear the differences more than I do. I guess it’s like getting older. Other people see you change over time, but inside you still feel like the same person you’ve always been.
What I do try to do is make each album its own unique experience rather than “this album, part two.” I never want to repeat myself. Every record should have its own identity.
The music industry is completely different now. Streaming has made it much easier for my songs to reach people all over the world. I don’t print physical albums, but that actually works to my advantage because I’m always updating mixes. Whatever you hear on Spotify or any other service is the most current version. There’s less pressure now to chase a major label deal, and I have full control over the production. I try to focus on the positives. I’ll let everyone else complain that MTV isn’t around anymore.
We hear there is a new album coming in June. What can you tell us about it?
It’s called Lives in Motion. It’s definitely my favorite album in a while. It plays like a movie. It opens with an intro track called Start of the Story and closes with what feels like a “credits roll” song. Between songs, you hear ambient background sounds from the scenes we’re in, and sometimes even bits of dialogue.
I’ve thought about turning it into a full-length film, but that would be a huge project.
It follows several different characters who all live within the same town. There are fictional locations like Railway East, Wishing Well, the river, the Chateau, and a particular street that all help build the world. The main characters include a girl who leaves town and returns years later, a money-hungry stock trader, and a couple caught up in trouble with the law alongside their best friend. It’s all connected.
How did these songs come together for Azwel? What was the songwriting process for Lives In Motion?
Most of the songs were written over the last few years, but recorded within the last two months. Songs usually build up and accumulate over time. The lyrics and overall concept were the last things to come together.
Most songs start with a vocal melody and chord progression recorded into my phone as a voice memo. Some of the writing overlaps with the session from the last album, The Drifting Game.
A couple songs from the last album, like Beyond an Orchestration and The Longest Day of Your Life, actually could have fit here. I was going to save them for this album, but that album had so many rock-oriented songs that it needed some ballads to balance it out.
A lot of this album was written on guitar and piano. My previous album, had a self-given “no piano songs” rule, so this time I wanted to bring piano and keyboard-driven writing back into the mix. That’s one of the ways I keep things fresh from album to album. After 17 albums and this being the 18th, it’s important not to repeat yourself.
I also brought back some humor into this album. The last one was intentionally very dry. Everything I do is deliberate.
What do you hope to share with the audience through this record? What themes do you explore?
If someone can close their eyes and see another world while listening, that’s what I hope they get from it.
I probably won’t turn it into a cinematic production, so hopefully the audience brings their own imagination to it. Even the album artwork plays into the story. It shows the girl from The Life She Promised, returning to her hometown years later, standing above it and making the decision to come back.
The themes are complicated because they follow different characters. It’s about the emotions, struggles, and choices each person in the story faces.
The video for ‘Start Of The Story’ shows off full band recording together. Tell us about the music video?
Yes, this video was actually filmed at John’s home studio. It’s a real look into what we do almost every Wednesday preparing for upcoming shows.
John built the studio himself and has an extensive collection of equipment, instruments, and microphones, though he’s always looking for the next piece of gear/software etc.
We filmed it in 4K using James’ iPhones, setting up cameras on tripods and also taking turns doing handheld shots for movement. It’s not fancy like videos we’ve recorded more professionally in the past with Steve, but it was an experiment and worked pretty well. I edited the video myself at home. Just like with the music, I like having control over how things look and sound.
That said, I definitely need a new computer for editing. It was timing out every 20 seconds or so, which was annoying. It took four days to edit what should have taken two.
I’ve edited quite a few of our past videos too. My favorite is probably Half the Battle, where I used footage from a public domain Laurel and Hardy film. Somehow the footage matched the music perfectly, and I even adjusted lyrics to fit the visuals.
Moving forward, I’d like to do more self-shot concept videos rather than relying on found footage. The next video definitely won’t be in the same setting. I don’t like repeating myself. Maybe something outdoors, maybe something more conceptual. We’ll see.
Which other tracks stand out for you on Lives In Motion?
I’m equally proud of all the songs because I work on and experiment with them until I’m as satisfied as I can be. The production on this album is very full.
I chose Start of the Story as the first single because it’s what we’ve been rehearsing and it naturally introduces the album. Every song on the album sounds different.
At the End of Your Life is one of my favorites. It reminds me a little of something Seal might do, and it was amusing hitting a very high note at the end of it.
Another one I like is The Life She Promised because its a duet, and it’s been a while since I’ve had another lead vocalist on a song. She (Christina) did a great job. I can sing, but sometimes it’s good to bring in someone who can really SING!
Then there’s Low Tide Temptation, which might be my favorite depending on the day. It guess it has this Antonio Carlos Jobim / Joao Gilberto sort of feel to it.
I tried to put together the best variety of songs and styles I could. Rock, pop, piano ballads, bossa nova, baroque pop, lo-fi beats and some R&B elements. I wanted it to feel diverse to help the story develop.
Share some advice for other artists looking for the longevity Azwel has had in the music industry.
You’ve got to have the drive. If you have that, you’ll achieve what you want to achieve.
More than anything, you have to find your own process. The one that allows you to take the songs out of your head and turn them into something real that other people can hear. That process is everything.
What is on the immediate horizon as you prepare for the full release of the album?
Before the album release, there will be several singles and videos. There are 15 songs on the album, so releasing a handful beforehand feels like the best way to introduce it. Hearing 15 brand-new songs at once can be a lot for a first listen.
We also have a live show coming up on May 15th at the Village Pub in Lindenhurst at 9 PM, where we’ll be playing both older songs and material from the album.
And beyond that, there should be some album reviews coming out soon. The early reactions have been really strong, so I’m excited for people to hear the full record. Bye!
