Hero of Time Studios
When I was 14 years old, I took Beginner and Intermediate Guitar as my electives first and second semester of 9th grade. Learning guitar was great, but I had a bit of an issue when learning songs: I’d learn the main riff, then lose focus on the song and instead just make stuff up until something I played sounded cool. My memory has never quite been what it once was, so I started recording my jams into Garageband to help me recall what I played. Then as I got further engrossed in music production, I graduated to Logic Pro 9. In college, my degree focused on learning how to run and operate my own recording studio. Using my knowledge and better than a decade’s worth of composing, recording, and production experience, Hero of Time Studios has released three full albums and four EPs.
Cutter Videan
In February 2014, Cutter released a short EP called Dreams I-V in a multi-platform staggered release. The songs are short-form post-rock songs; heavy on delayed guitars and sparse drums but more self-conscious. As his thesis for his Bachelor’s degree, he transmediated five short stories written by Jorge Luis Borges into an hour-long concept album named Labyrinths, after the collection of stories. The songs feature looping to create a melodic maze both beautiful and bewildering—much the same way as the stories contemplate the true nature of reality and infinity. And very soon to come: Sweet Nothings, a concept album diving deep into the emotionality of a crumbling long-term relationship.
The Darling Sounds
Surf-trash, nu.wav, indie pop-rock. The Darling Sounds formed at the beginning of the universe, but only really got together in 2013. Originally with Theo (Grace) on lead vocals and guitar, Cayce on Bass and vocals, and Zach on drums—Cutter started as recording engineer and sound guy, to join after adding some guitar parts to their original EP release The Quilts Demo. Eventually, the band found its final form with Theo adding bass and occasional synth riffs, Zach adding all other kinds of percussion and bringing an incredible lyric game, and Cutter toying around with way too many pedals and digital effects. Their full-length album, Haunt, is truly the epitome of the band’s genre at the time: dark pop. The songs focus heavily on ghosts, isolation, separation; the bitter counterpart to their upbeat instrumentation and surf-rock/indie-pop leanings. Their final release, Flop Hits, is a glorious revel in self-indulgent songwriting. From the silly self-awareness of “Simple Surf Rock Suzie” to the soaring emotional journey of “Atrophy and Failure”, to the quiet, heartfelt ballad of “Laughing in Her Sleep”, The Darling Sounds can deliver whatever you want—especially if it involves cryptids.
Paper Kingdom
Arguably the first release for Hero of Time Studios, Paper Kingdom’s album June 28th is a completely DIY record—the songs were all originally recorded in Garageband with a two-laptop setup (using the internal speakers as microphones), using only one track, and then were mastered in a single project. Don’t let that scare you too much; the lo-fi sound lends warmth and humanity to the tracks, the lyrics are fantastic in a black humour sort of way, and each song is a romp on its own.