On the fuzzy and melodic rocker “Fall Asleep Under Millions of Stars,” Tokyo-based artist springtide took inspiration from a 01:30 AM bus ride in Shibuya. “This song is about ending what you love now and starting something new,” he says. Murky vocals and intimate guitars propel quickly to start, the percussive pit-patter and vocal enthusiasm helping assemble an enjoyable franticness. A pulsing synth and twangy guitars lead the memorable verses. A particularly infectious guitar-based pull past the three-minute mark meshes with a more delicate vocal delivery, the overall result being a fantastic fusing of power-pop and psychedelia. “Fall Asleep Under Millions of Stars” is a shining showcase of springtide’s creative production and vein of songwriting.
The artist elaborates further on the track’s creative process, below:
“More than ten years ago, I heard the chorus of this song in my head when I waited for a bus around 0:30 AM in Shibuya, Tokyo,” Springtide says. “The following afternoon, the rest of the song rang out when I was in the kitchen. So I wrote this song without grabbing a guitar to strum.”
“The initial title of this song was “This is the End,” as this song is about ending what you love now and starting something new. Then I borrowed it and used it as the title of the latest album at the time. Eventually, I came up with the current title “Fall asleep under millions of stars,” which means that you are sleeping in the field because you’ve left your comfortable home and heading to adventure.”
“Recording this song wasn’t as easy as writing it. I tried a few different approaches, and I released one of demos, as a “beta” version of the song, through a limited channel a few years ago. Now I fully understand what this song needs and recorded tracks accordingly, so I’m delighted to remove “beta” from the title.”
“To make this track sound a little unusual, I used unconventional instruments like a customized Fender Telecaster that produces a Sitar sound, and a fretless bass crafted by Japanese luthier T.S Factory for its iconic pitch-bend sound like animals talk.”
“On top of that, I eliminated a snare drum that is an essential instrument for modern music to enhance backbeats. Instead, I used a floor tom throughout the song, with inspiration from one drum kit I found in a music room of a children’s house in my neighborhood. Children were allowed to play that drum kit as they like. However, it missed its snare drum, hi-hats, and cymbals, so you had to play it only with a kick and toms.”
—
“Fall Asleep Under Millions of Stars” and other memorable tracks from this month can also be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of October 2021’ Spotify playlist.
