pin in the map podcast
Behind the song
What do you do with unsolvable human experiences that you can only move through slowly?
Write a song.
Pin in the Map was written in a post breakup haze after a trip to have dinner and watch the superbowl with a longtime friend and college ex-boyfriend. The writing process started that night on the subway home, not able to shake that feeling that time had worked its magic and somebody you were once so close to was now so distant. Yet, at the same time, there was an unshakable hope that this was one of those special relationships that could exist beyond norms and stand the test of time.
It took about three and a half years from that moment to see it all the way through to the end of production. We’ve had many amazing collaborators along the way from Elliot Moss who brought the song to life in its final stages, to Noah Kellman who created the iconic etheral reversed vocals and designed our synth world, to Alex Rodriguez and Steve Xia who produced with us in the beginning stages of this songs life. We also came into our own as producers on this one.
With a song like this that’s about one instant, about missing the past and longing for the future, and about shaping relationships -- we hope you relate. And we hope you bop along.
Producers: ALMA, Elliot Moss, Noah Kellman, Steve Xia, Alex Rodriguez
Audio Engineers: Steve Xia, ALMA
Mixing Engineer: Elliot Moss
Mastering Engineer: Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound
Vocals: Alba S. Torremocha, Lillie R. McDonough, and Melissa Kaitlyn Carter
Strings: Alba S. Torremocha
Guitar: Horace Bray
Keys: Noah Kellman
Recording
It was after our inital recording session at D70 in October 2019. We went to Queens to have a session with Noah to record synth parts. Sidenote: Alba has made brocolli and rice for dinner. Mel hadn’t eaten so, Alba generously shared her food.
Noah right away started messing around in the session. We had our scratch vocals in from the Demo we recoreded and Noah just took them, reversed them and plopped in the beginning of the session. Cue: major modern day Enya vibes.The lesson learned? You never know what you’re gonna get when you go to record synths.
““Pin In The Map” vividly paints the story of heartbreak heard throughout the song’s lyrics. While there aren’t many of any other pop groups that sound like ALMA, elements of duo Sylvan Esso by way of their lead breathy lead vocals and out of the box production as well as Your Smith’s echoing harmonies and new age pop writing approach can be heard. ”
Early Demos
*Gasp* These will be our little secret...
Wow oh wow has this song grown during it's life in the ALMA incubator. Lillie likes to call us "learning meows" and jeez do we feel like ones in looking back on all that we learned in producing this track. Wanna know a secret? This is the first song Mel ever produced, alongside our very motely crew. Given that and more, this song is like a cat that lived almost 9 lives. It's seen many iterations and has been in the hands of countless talented producers from Alex Rodriguez, to Steve Xia, to Noah Kellman, the ALMA ladies, and finally, to Elliot Moss. Learning rocks. Girl Power.
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Charts + Music Video how-To!
Click on the link below to download the chart and play Pin in the Map at home! Also, wanna take a peep at our shotlist for our big 'ol collaborative music video?!
Pin in the Map
I put a pin in the map
It’s been years and now I’ve found my way back here
It’s kind of funny, well that, I thought
It would all be the same.
How many breaths have you taken since I saw you last?
How many hours at your daily grind?
And I wish we could just say, “how are you?”
Instead, “it’s been so long, old friend.”
How many years will it take?
Will we ever get back to where we started?
I didn’t make a mistake
It was right. Was it right?
It had to be right.
How many breaths have you taken since I saw you last?
How many hours at your daily grind?
And I wish we could just say “how are you?”
Instead, it’s been so long
How many breaths have you taken since I saw you last?
How many hours at your daily grind?
And I wish we could just say “how are you?”
Instead, it’s been so long
Instead, it’s been so long
Instead, it’s been so long
Old friend.
Pin in the Map Project