Now, McCaslin is returning with his first album of his own since working with Bowie.
As Davidhad just passed, it was such an emotional time.
We played it every set that week.
Credit: Jimmy King
I knew that I wanted to record it.
A Small Plot of Land was suggested byBeyond Nows producer, David Binney.
That one felt like it would be a good match.
It resonates with us and we feel we can tell our own story within that framework.
Both of these Bowie songs are from albums he did with Brian Eno.
Did you think the sound they had together particularly fit your group?I do.
It wasnt a conscious decision, but as I settled on those two songs I did notice that.
Not all of them are collaborations with Eno, but a large amount are from that Berlin trilogy period.
Tunes offLodger, another song or two offLow that period just seems to resonate with me.
All the originals were written last summer before he passed away, but while theBlackstarrecordings were still really fresh.
[The sessions concluded in spring 2015.]
Songs of his were just kind of running through my unconscious.
That was part of it.
We were all just pushing hard.
We were all excited.
Theres a spot near the end of the tune where he goes Woo!
and that encapsulates how we were feeling.
I was hearing it for the first time.
I told him that I was checking out his discography, looking to adapt some of his tunes.
He seemed happy [laughs].
He was looking forward to hear what he would do with them, was my impression.
There are also covers of Mutemath and Deadmau5 songs on the album.
How did you choose those?Theres some other influences on the record.
The way the melody is phrased is really coming from Kendrick Lamar.
Bright Abyss and Beyond Now both have Deadmau5 influences.
Coelacanth I is a Deadmau5 tune from that record that resonated with me.
Mutemaths Remain was a suggestion from my producer.
It just gets bigger and bigger.
