Ervin Munir Interview With Colby

Guide

Hello, Ervin, your new album “When I Think” spans intimate folk moments to rocky edges, what was your creative vision for this record?

I wanted to show that I was capable of writing songs that span folk and rocky sounds. Aeron was also a very very good electric guitarist and bass player and I wanted to take advantage of his skills, so I had him in mind for some of the songs.

The title track will have an animated video, how did you approach translating such a personal song into a visual story?

The title track “When I Think” was written in late 2017 not long after my wife, Dorothy, died. It is basically a report of my experiences at the time. The artwork for the track and album (by Simon Glossop) included lots of line art which I thought would lend itself to animation. In particular, he drew me! So Simon had done some of the “translation” for me. Mike Hodman (Hodman Animation) is the son of Dorothy’s best friend. He knew Dorothy well. So I approached him and he was able to take the translation further, in a sensitive way, working closely with me.

Standout tracks like “Rainfall Memories” and “One Step Beyond” show a wide emotional range, how do you decide which experiences or stories make it onto the album?

At the start of each recording session with Aeron I would play him a few songs I had written and ask him which one he fancied recording first. I felt it important that we both had “energy” for each song we worked on. We would finish (recorded/mixed/mastered) around 5 songs each week. I worked with him in my studio around three times a year. This meant that I have had around 15 tracks a year as candidates for an album. It was my job then to decide which ones made it onto to the album. My aim is to keep the listener interested when doing this, so I like variety and surprises.

This album is dedicated to the late Aeron Z Jones, your long-term producer and close friend, how did his influence shape the music and the recording process?

I can’t overstate how important Aeron has been in everything I have released since 2022. He was a fantastic producer and a creative musician and both these talents have hugely influenced my catalogue of songs and the sounds within.

We were the “band” that brought my songs to life. I hope to find something like this again.

I also counted him as a close friend. His death has left a big hole in my life both musically and personally.

The album seems to take listeners on a journey, what do you hope people feel or take away after listening to “When I Think”?

I would say “Life with all its joy and pain” is the journey. All the songs on the album reflect my personal experiences in life and love. Despite everything, it has been worth it so far.