Richard O’Flynn
Mixing Richard O’Flynn’s Debut Record
The record was a great pleasure to mix and I was given the time to fully delve into extending the sounds and creating rich and dense sound stages.
Richard originally planned to release another EP, but soon realised that he had plenty of material to fill albums and so he went off to Wales with producer Snorre Bergerud to track 11 songs. The diary of the sessions you can follow here.
Snorre’s work on the album let to colourful arrangements of Richard’s songwriting, which includes pop-rock and singer-songwriter aspects and a track inspired by electronic artist Fennesz.
Lightly played cymbal patters and exploding drums, lyrical and scratchy acoustic guitars and muted and distorted bass lines build the backing to Richard’s main vocals and harmonies. All harmonic sounds of the album are recorded using guitar sounds, largely extending the range of the ‘typical’ electric guitar sounds used in production.
I found myself creating sounds out of the source material, which would push the individual parts of a song further into their intended direction and see Snorre’s production vision to the end. By reamping nearly everything I was able to introduce a nice depth and harmonic ‘gel’ to the mix. I also continued with my new passion for reverbs, which already emerged when mixing the Alice Klar album.
Hopefully I will be able to put a few sounds of the record into this post very soon. Once again, I have been at Whitewood Recording Studio to mix the record, where I have setup all of my mixing and recording equipment as a residency for the foreseeable future.
Alice Klar
Mixing AK’s Record
The question of how and where to mix Alice Klar’s Record comprising 12 songs was more difficult to ask then what may usually be the case.
A vast range of ideas from different periods of songwriting was to be put together and the responsibilities of family life had to also take priority. It so proved as an advantage to some that the producer’s family got stuck in holidays because of an erupting volcano!
Alice Klar performing Lykke Li’s Possibility
AK Live with Orchestra
“Breathtaking and moving” … The Youtube community feels this version of the New Moon Film Theme by Alexadre Desplat, combined with Lykke Li’s song ‘Possibility’. Interpreted by Alice Klar during a recording session for their debut album. We are delighted with the large response and comments from all over the world.
Can’t Start The Machine – Gorbachov Debut Album
Listen to the full album
Irish rock band Gorbachov has finally unleashed the debut album “Can’t start the Machine” onto the net-world stage. It can be listen to in full using the Soundcloud player above.
I’m really into all the sounds and ideas we’ve put onto the record. Keeping it straight forward, but every song has its nuances. My favorites are Friends, Mr Fahrenheit and People Skills, they make such a great middle section of the album. But the more you listen to the album the better all the tracks get. I also really like Brandan’s lyrics, which are all about places, people and situations.
Mix on 4hero release ‘Extensions’
I mixed the track Sophia of the eagerly awaited album 4hero presents Extensions, which can be heard below. The original track is from 4hero’s Play with the changes album. The Liverpool Session Orchestra performed the strings with Christian Badzura’s arrangement being dynamic and soulful, keeping the sweetness of the original but with a 1970’s funky disco groove driving the rhythm section.
Gorbachov’s racing soundrack
This – I must say – I like. It’s coverage of the Wexican Motorsport crew testing their newly aquired Nissan Laurel before the third round of the Irish Prodrift Series in July 2009.
Hildebrand mixed and co-produced the debut album of Gorbachov in 2007/08, which is now the soundtrack to a loud and fast racing car sport.
The song “Come and Get It” seems to fit perfectly for this video and is part of a strong first album. You can listen to more in the Media Player, read the related post or visit Gorbachov’s Myspace.
So cool to hear the gear changes over the guitar parts…
Gorbachov – People Skills
It was great fun to have the Irish lads known as Gorbachov over in Liverpool to record and mix their debut album.
Now it’s the turn of Waterford fivepiece Gorbachov, who are trying something a little different, as they’ve announced an official pairing with Wexican Motorsport Continue reading… »
Mixing Nate James – High Times
High Times is a song on Nate James’ second record Kingdom Falls. After releasing the record Set the Tone as well as the EP Funkdefining, Kingdon Falls was a surprise to many with a very different sound and musical direction. Hildebrand was asked to mix the track High Times and give it brash and dirty, yet still popular sonic quality.
“The brief was particular interesting as it was also about pulling the sounds closer together and introduce additional drive. Often the feel for the tempo is changed when mixing a song and obviously the aim in this track is to make it feel faster. So first I introduced a lot of ‘natural’ distortion into the sounds and worked the EQs out so that the drums become a gel between programmed and natural and a unit in the mix. In comes the Manley Vari-Mu and its great bounce together with the bass. Getting that right lays the ground for the whole track and forms the basis for the rest of the sounds”, comments Hildebrand.
