
"By The Millions" emerged as a reflection of the uncertainty and fear that gripped us at the onset of the pandemic. Confronted with the prospect of an unknown and potentially catastrophic future, we both grappled with the overwhelming sense of isolation and abandonment. The lyrics convey our profound sense of vulnerability, as we felt like nameless shadows left to our own survival. The instrumental sections carry a lumbering quality, evoking a reluctant march of millions one by one, while amplifying the peculiar parallel of solitude amidst the collectively shared experience. As the song concludes, it felt natural to steer the tale towards a more open, uplifting ending into a place of hope.
Extended Commentary & Behind The Scenes:
Because of the magnitude of the experience for the collective, we wanted the song’s choruses to feel bigger than just the two of us. We decided to create a gang-style vocal to create the effect of many voices walking and singing in unison. To achieve this, we took advantage of the size of our live room at our studio Temple of the Trees for natural reverb and depth. We placed a single microphone at one end of the room, after each vocal take we took one step back until we reached the other side. We ended up with 48 takes of vocals.
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