I love the whole atmosphere you have created with ‘Scale of Life’ and I’ve heard that your debut EP is being released in December. How is the process of recording it going?
Thank you! Yes, we are releasing the entire ‘Sunday Sessions’ EP on December 18th. We are finished with the recordings and couldn’t be happier with how everything sounds. Doug Williams took care of all the recordings in Winston-Salem, NC at EMR Recorders. He’s worked with some notable names such as The Avett Brothers, All Them Witches, and The Wood Brothers, just to name a few. Not only was Doug amazing, but we were lucky enough to have Emanuel Wynter and Jason Atkins play on the record as well. You hear Emanuel on violin and Jason on piano. All in all, the EP only took a few days of recording so it was a breeze.
So you are both artists yourselves outside of falllift and you know what it is like working in the industry, but how has it been working together so far?
Micah: For me, coming from a solo project, it’s been relieving to have someone else to distribute some of the work to on the business side of things. Creatively, I find it to be interesting to create songs and records with someone else. Of course, I’ve co-written before, but not with this level of consistency with the same partner and that’s inspired new concepts and ideas that I may not have come to on my own.
Steven: It’s honestly been a breath of fresh air. I’m the lead songwriter for my other group, which has several weight-carrying opinions, so it’s nice to simplify the decision-making process while still having someone to bounce off. I really enjoy what Micah brings to the table from her Nashville background and her ability to bring full intention into the songwriting space. Our extensive backgrounds are both valuable, but different enough for our experiences to be complimentary. This has led to some excellent opportunities like major festival placements, and a cross-country tour before publicly releasing our music.
What do you believe are your greatest strengths as artists?
Micah: My greatest strengths certainly come in the form of lyricism, singing, and authenticity. Although I enjoy playing a variety of instruments, I believe it’s my willingness to write about topics people don’t typically feel comfortable with and that truly mean something to me, making them approachable, and conveying that emotion as raw as I can while singing.
Steven: Technically speaking, guitar, drums, singing, and songwriting have been my strengths. However, the core of my gift is my hearing. I’ve learned every instrument and vocalization based on sound and feeling. I have gained so much awareness on what songs can be made of, what type and where harmonies can be used, instrumentation, etc to convey the right feelings expressed in the lyrics or mood. Part of this awareness is understanding the freedom of writing whatever you want. It doesn’t have to fall under any rules whatsoever.
How did you come up with the name ‘falllift”?
We came up with at least 100 names before landing on falllift. One night, we were on the phone about 1:30 AM, and randomly talking about physics – Steven studied some physics while in college and I have a small obsession with the subject as well – and we were discussing equal and opposite reactions. Somewhere in that conversation, Steven said “what about falllift for a band name?”. We made sure it wasn’t already taken and boom, we stuck with that.
Is there an artist you are both inspired/influenced by?
We are both around the same age and grew up with similar music tastes so our overlapping inspirations run pretty deep. From having our ’emo’ phase in our teens and listening to quite a bit of heavy rock, metal, emo, punk, and then growing into young adulthood and finding more folk, funk, and experimental music. We both find inspiration in The Mars Volta, The Avett Brothers, and several others. It should be noted that Steven is a sucker for songs with great instrumentation and I tend to gravitate to tracks with impactful lyrical content.
And aside from other musicians, is there something else that inspires your music?
Micah: My dad was a musician so I have always had a root of inspiration in that way. Mostly I’m inspired by moments and connections. Love, death, growth. Even places. Being in an interesting place or setting seems to trigger something in me. My writing always seems to circle back to the human condition, and what connects us, in some way though.
Steven: I think my writing has had many inspirations over the years. Many times, I have stumbled upon a new sounding chord on the guitar that evolves into a story based on the chord or a life situation. I love being submerged into nature away from any traces of society. This natural harmony I tend to blend with inspires harmony through my writing. Then there are songs inspired by relationships (good & bad), family members, or a valuable concept a friend inspired.
Do you have a favourite lyric from ‘Scale of Life’?
Micah: “We can be more than better, together” We chose to repeat this line at the end and it seems so simple but the more you think on it, it speaks to community, relationships, support, breaking down barriers and defenses, and realizing that allowing connection and building bridges can get you farther than anywhere you would get on your own.
Steven: “We can be more than better, together” has hit me the hardest because its energy in the song fell right into place. It felt too easy at first, like maybe it was too cheesy. But honestly, it’s just not as easy as it seems which makes me love it so much more.
You can listen to falllift’s latest single ‘Scale of Life’ here: