When winter rolls around, many people just want to find a warm place to escape from the weather. For Mike Justman, cold weather isn't forbidding or unpleasant, but rather the muse that inspired a great song.
The Los Angeles musician is the man behind Oldboy Records. Beginning his artistic career as a poet, Justman formed the band Oldboy with two friends in 2008. The band gradually evolved into a solo project, Oldboy Records, as Justman became increasingly obsessed with songwriting and more ambitious about the band's direction. He released a self-titled debut EP earlier this year, and is currently working on a full-length album.
From the EP, "Cold And Bright" is as cool and crisp as the winter day that inspired it. With soft vocals, twinkling glockenspiel and a funky, thumping beat, it's a song that unfolds over several listens. Instruments pop in and out, mirroring the disappearance and reappearance of the lover about whom Justman sings.
Mike Justman recently explained the strange way "Cold and Bright" came about, and described what the song means to him:
Mike Justman:
"Cold and Bright" came about as a song in a pretty strange way. I woke up one morning, and it was really beautiful outside. There were huge, ultra-white clouds in the sky, and it was really crisp and chilly. It was one of those days with a lot of electricity in the air. I was experiencing a very heavy feeling/vibe that carried over from my dream. The feeling was definitely overwhelming, but in a good way. I've learned from experience that those are the best times for me to write — not necessarily when I'm feeling really good, but when I'm feeling strong about something and when my emotions are running high. I didn't particularly set out to write a song at that point. It was more like I started singing phrases that were naturally coming into my head, in a sort of half-trance zoned-out state that I get into sometimes, and I let myself go with it. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I was taking notes, trying to remember what I was doing. Once I got a couple phrases and melodies out onto the table, the song started to reveal itself to me. I kind of caught on to what my subconscious was doing.
On a literal level, the song is about being involved with a love or a lover that continually comes and goes, and how dealing with those intense highs and lows can be really bittersweet. In a more unidentifiable way, the song carries with it a piece of that intense energy that I was feeling the day I wrote it. I don't know exactly what that energy is, but it's definitely in the song. I try not to define it too much, because a song or a piece of artwork can mean a lot of different things to different people, and I like that. Sometimes, someone can actually teach you something about a song that you wrote. Either way, this song came together in a very disorderly fashion, but I think it's beautiful in its own way. Hopefully, the listeners will enjoy it.
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