Music / Features
Track by Track:
Mid-Evening - Evening Demos
Mid-Evening - Evening Demos
Under his moniker Mid-Evening, Melbourne multi-instrumentalist Robert Nguyen recently shared his debut EP Evening Demos, a collection of multi-layered ditties, jam-packed with woozy keyboard melodies and velvety rhythms. We caught up with Rob to hear about the process involved in creating each track.
As its title suggests, the near twelve minutes of music on Mid-Evening’s debut EP complements an evening setting. Driven by soulful instrumental arrangements and paired with Rob’s crooning vocals overlaid on top, it’s a relaxed and effortless listen. To ease the rigmarole of the recording process, Rob made a compromise to keep the track length’s short, which fittingly makes the EP feel all the more leisurely.
Although saturated in depth and complexity given the shortness of each track, Rob has alluded to expanding on these songs in the not-too-distant future, as he shares “full length tracks are on the horizon and looms as my next little project.” And although this listen is a little fleeting, it still arrives loaded with character, so we’re sure the next step of the project will be just as satisfying to any listener.
In the interim, recline into your favourite chair or couch, pour yourself a libation and press play on Evening Demos: the perfect accompaniment to end your day. Read on to find out what Rob had to say about his creative process.
Although saturated in depth and complexity given the shortness of each track, Rob has alluded to expanding on these songs in the not-too-distant future, as he shares “full length tracks are on the horizon and looms as my next little project.” And although this listen is a little fleeting, it still arrives loaded with character, so we’re sure the next step of the project will be just as satisfying to any listener.
In the interim, recline into your favourite chair or couch, pour yourself a libation and press play on Evening Demos: the perfect accompaniment to end your day. Read on to find out what Rob had to say about his creative process.
Stuck Inside
A short song arranged entirely to accommodate the keyboard line played in the latter half of the track. This line had been nestling in my head for the better part of two-three years without any other idea to accompany it. In the end it was all thrown together in quite an untidy manner. Lyrics revolve around that weird little time of being in lockdown - not sure if anybody knows what I’m talking about?
Stop Myself
Again, another track that was hastily assembled in an attempt to find a home for some random ideas on the keyboard. By this point in time, I was a little obsessed with the idea of a “two-songs-in-one” kinda vibe, and compressing them into something short.
I wanted to make the vocal part brief - it was my first time singing; something that had always made me a bit uncomfortable. I cooked up a quick sorta double-harmony, double-layered vocal track to add a bit of spice. Lyrically, the narrative revolves around the notion of resisting a temptation or an urge, but eventually succumbing to it.
Went Too Hard (Part I)
This song doesn’t make much sense to me at all, so I assume it also might not make a whole lot of sense to the listener either - which doesn’t necessarily mean it should detract from the tune itself. To be honest, I was just having a wee little doodle on a keyboard/synth - which at the time of recording, was pretty much my first time playing one.
I basically wanted to just collate a bunch of sounds (that sound nice to me) and dish it up in separate parts that bear no real relation to one another, preempting each new section with a change in dynamic. The outro to this track is probably my favourite section in the entire EP; drenched in reverb and maybe a little bit overboard with the chorus effect but not without purpose.
Went Too Hard (Part II)
Probably the peak of layering sound with regard to how I was recording at the time. I just couldn’t help but add a line, followed by another line. Sonically, I debated whether all the individual instrument tracks were getting more cloudy and undefined as they multiplied, but in the end I think the main hook is still clear. Like a few of the other tracks on this EP, I’ll likely be developing this one into a full length song at some point and hopefully improving the shit out of it.
Meet Me At The Milkbar
About childhood summer school holidays, where I’d meet my friends at the milk bar around the corner.
Thankful for Winter
A sentiment I think a few others in their mid-20s can relate to. This song is about that feeling of needing to make good use of a day, to do something productive, and that anything otherwise would deem the day a waste. I think it’s a trap a lot of people can fall into, and though I’m fully aware that we don’t always need to be productive, I just can’t help but feel a little shitty for “wasting away” the little time I have. The whole mindset of being productive puts so much unnecessary pressure on our mental state and it’s something I'm trying to rid myself of.
‘Thankful for Winter’ is about those cold rainy days where you don’t feel too guilty about being in bed, doing nothing. I think we need those days more than we let on.
A short song arranged entirely to accommodate the keyboard line played in the latter half of the track. This line had been nestling in my head for the better part of two-three years without any other idea to accompany it. In the end it was all thrown together in quite an untidy manner. Lyrics revolve around that weird little time of being in lockdown - not sure if anybody knows what I’m talking about?
Stop Myself
Again, another track that was hastily assembled in an attempt to find a home for some random ideas on the keyboard. By this point in time, I was a little obsessed with the idea of a “two-songs-in-one” kinda vibe, and compressing them into something short.
I wanted to make the vocal part brief - it was my first time singing; something that had always made me a bit uncomfortable. I cooked up a quick sorta double-harmony, double-layered vocal track to add a bit of spice. Lyrically, the narrative revolves around the notion of resisting a temptation or an urge, but eventually succumbing to it.
Went Too Hard (Part I)
This song doesn’t make much sense to me at all, so I assume it also might not make a whole lot of sense to the listener either - which doesn’t necessarily mean it should detract from the tune itself. To be honest, I was just having a wee little doodle on a keyboard/synth - which at the time of recording, was pretty much my first time playing one.
I basically wanted to just collate a bunch of sounds (that sound nice to me) and dish it up in separate parts that bear no real relation to one another, preempting each new section with a change in dynamic. The outro to this track is probably my favourite section in the entire EP; drenched in reverb and maybe a little bit overboard with the chorus effect but not without purpose.
Went Too Hard (Part II)
Probably the peak of layering sound with regard to how I was recording at the time. I just couldn’t help but add a line, followed by another line. Sonically, I debated whether all the individual instrument tracks were getting more cloudy and undefined as they multiplied, but in the end I think the main hook is still clear. Like a few of the other tracks on this EP, I’ll likely be developing this one into a full length song at some point and hopefully improving the shit out of it.
Meet Me At The Milkbar
About childhood summer school holidays, where I’d meet my friends at the milk bar around the corner.
Thankful for Winter
A sentiment I think a few others in their mid-20s can relate to. This song is about that feeling of needing to make good use of a day, to do something productive, and that anything otherwise would deem the day a waste. I think it’s a trap a lot of people can fall into, and though I’m fully aware that we don’t always need to be productive, I just can’t help but feel a little shitty for “wasting away” the little time I have. The whole mindset of being productive puts so much unnecessary pressure on our mental state and it’s something I'm trying to rid myself of.
‘Thankful for Winter’ is about those cold rainy days where you don’t feel too guilty about being in bed, doing nothing. I think we need those days more than we let on.
Evening Demos is out now.
