For a few years now we have been listening, watching and doing the sound for local based Mod Rockers, The Myndset.... so it was about time we got them in the studio!
As a complete fan of the band it was on my list to one day record these lads as i really wanted to see how i could get an input on transferring their live sound on to record, and my chance had finally come. We started off recording 2 of the tracks they cut on a live demo a while back 'The Score' and 'Nightmares', both tracks classic Myndset sound with a strong hammond presence and nice swirly guitar undertones, classic ricky bass and solid heartbeat drums with nice fills. After we had these tracked we moved on to a couple of newer cuts which revealed an apparent evolving of their sound to a more rocky edge with 'Are You Ready' and 'Lottery Prizes'.
These two tracks sounded instantly heavier and more 'The Who/Small Faces' than their previous sound which was much more spacey and trippy! Though i enjoy all of their music this new sound was really bringing it up another level.
Once we were finished in the studio recording it was time to mix them down. Keeping in line with their sound but not wanting to make the EP sound too different overall we started with the drums and gave them that vintage sound verging on an almost Live feel being careful to not over compress. The bass was a very important part of their sound and needed to be a strong presence in the mix being a sixties rocky sound so we kept the Rickenbacker nailed to the drums creating a nice base for the guitars to sit on. When we got to guitars it was really a case of not loosing the swirly/phase sounds that we had grown to love but also making them a bigger part of the overall sound sitting slightly ahead of other instruments and making them sound a lot bigger than usual, it was starting to sound like a bit of a beast! Once we had these sounding right it was time for the keys and that classic hammond sound that really stamped the deciding edge on where this music would be categorised in a music world. Just adding hammond to this track gives it a whole new spin and was again something that needed to cut through more in certain parts of tracks to make you remember that at heart even with the heavier guitar/bass and drum sound they still have the cool 60's sounding edge to their music.
It was an amazing project to work on and were all in agreeance after we finished that we had created something they loved and could be proud of which i couldn't be happier about. There is already talk of new music to record later in the year which excites me and hope we can go a second round! For now head over to their Facebook and give them a like, head over to their Spotify and give them a follow once you have listened to what i would say is a finely written EP for fans of sometimes new age Mod Rock!