by pankhuri bhutani
photo courtesy of armon jay
Producing his entire new album from his home studio in Franklin, TN, Armon Jay’s latest release, The Dark Side of Happiness is a product that emerges out of his personal struggles and inner conflicts. Be it anxiety, neuroses, frustration, or self-doubt, the album revolves around many vulnerable topics that sparks a novel conversation among the listeners.
Spending almost fourteen hours everyday for two months, Armon tried his hand at writing, recording, arranging, engineering, and producing every track for the album. He also joined hands with Jeremy Larson and mixer Zach Hanson on the album. The project conveys a motivating message and shines a light on dealing with such self struggles and not losing hope at the end of a dark day.
We talked to Armon regarding the process behind the album, how it was like creating an art out of personal struggles and feelings and the kind of reaction he is looking forward to receive from his fans on the album.
Hello Armon. Thanks for joining us on Unclear. As we are facing this unfortunate pandemic, how are you managing to stay creative during a situation like this?
Armon: “Hey! Of course, thanks for the chat! I’m learning that the more I take time to care for myself, the better off I am. Sleep is a huge part of that, but recently I’ve been getting into cycling. My wife and I bought an indoor bike and I seriously love it. I also ride outside on my road bike. All of these things help me reset so I can get back to making music.”
Your third and latest album, The Dark Side of Happiness, dwells deep into the personal aspects of your artistic approach. How was the process like exploring a theme like depression and creating an art out of it?
A: “Honestly, It wasn’t as heavy as one would think. Recording the album myself left me little time to overthink things or get in my head. It was definitely a positive and therapeutic experience.”
How did the name The Dark Side of Happiness come into existence? What was the meaning behind it?
A: “I started writing TDSOH in 2015. I was going through a very different season than I am now. But the song always stuck with me. As strange as it sounds, I felt like the song was haunting me. So I finally gave in and worked through finishing it. I ended up with probably ten different versions as well. Somewhere along the way it became the anchor for me to build the rest of the record around.
As far as the meaning, I wanted it to be a statement. Something that I couldn’t hide behind in a metaphor. I would almost call it unpoetic. But that was my goal. It came from a place of feeling depressed and anxious, and I wanted that to be clear.”
You spent almost 14 hours everyday for months working on the album. Were there any complications that you dealt with during the production stage of the album? If so, how did you overcome them?
A: “Performing certain instruments while engineering were tricky. Especially acoustic guitar. It’s a very sensitive instrument and one little move can change the way it sounds when recording. Going back and forth to my studio desk wasn’t ideal... So I had to make it count when recording takes.”
Having created an album entirely out of personal experiences and feelings, was there ever a moment where you felt so personally connected to a track that you started having second thoughts about putting it out to the public?
A: “Absolutely. But once it was mastered and done, I was more excited than nervous. I will admit the closer it came time to release day I felt the nerves again.”
What kind of reaction are you hoping to receive from your fans?
A: “From the beginning, I wanted this to be an album that could spark conversation and be an avenue to talk about the things that most of us (including me) find uncomfortable. And if that can help someone walk through their shit, then that encourages me.”
What message do you want the listeners to take away from this album?
A: “This album is an invitation to feel a lot of feelings, but they’re not all as dark as one might think.”
What’s next for you, Armon? Any plans on future projects/collaborations that you would like your fans to know about?
A: “I’m continuing to make as much music as I can, as well as work with other artists writing and producing.”
Lastly, is there any message that you would like to convey to your supporters from all around the world?
A: “Nothing makes me more stoked than to get messages from people saying that the album has helped them through something. In return, that helps me and inspires me to make more music!”