As the world collectively closed its doors to activity and many creatives took the early pandemic to reevaluate their goals, I shifted my focus away from creating collaboratively in band to expressing art independently. In 2020, I wrote 80 songs, releasing two into the world under the name Logan Emm. Still and Nothing, two indie-pop melodramatic singles of underwhelming consequence. I consider my Logan Emm career to be more concerned with commerciality than any sincere artistic exploration. Which isn’t to say the songs can’t be good or doing anything interesting, they’re just not doing what I would like them to. They don’t illustrate any depth of my soul, only the superficial facade of depth I felt necessary to kickstart a creative career. After trying to write after Nothing, I felt the weakness of having a falsehood as my foundation, and set to start anew in 2021.
Transience is the first project as Estuari. A 4 song concept EP concerned with the lack of effect force we have in changing anything. People coming and going from our lives, our body’s slow decay, and the sometimes unending consequence hurt can leave. This being my own project, I feel somewhat hesitant to divulge what effect the songs have on me. My heart and emotion is already in these lyrics and chords, there is nothing further I could say.
In tandem to the EP, a short run magazine was released featuring poetry and artwork from Janelle Cordero, PJ Betker, Jaiden Haley, Park, Leah Berkowitz, and Kaylee Bosse. With many young artists who experienced few opportunities during the early pandemic, creating a collaborative music project felt essential. All collaborators were given the same prompt as what led the EP thus creating a cohesive project.
Lastly, I want to note a few inspirations that led to the production style. First and foremost, Give Up by the Postal Service. Peter from my local Starbucks sold my mom the CD when I was 12 years old, and the unique instrumentation and songwriting felt like breathing air for the first time as a child. I had never heard anything so laid-back yet provoking. Secondly, Bombay Bicycle Club was huge for me at the time. Their lead singer, Jack, leverages his light and reedy voice in a way that can impart are surprising amount of emotion. Particularly thinking of songs like Lamplight, It’s Alright Now, and I Can Hardly Speak.
Transience didn’t completely capture my spirit in song-form, but the exercise of self-exploration being the precursor to sharing art with the world is what this EP ultimately signified for me. As the debut EP from Estuari, I am shooting for deeper depths in future releases. Of which I can’t wait to share.
Contributions from Janelle Cordero, Jaiden Haley, PJ Betker, Leah Berkowitz, Kaylee Bosse, and Park.
Music written and produced by Logan McDonald