Interview #8
Featured Story
After a long period of creative silence, Vancouver Sleep Clinic returns with Valley Of My Prime, an album shaped by burnout, reflection and rediscovering the love for music again.
In this interview with Glitch & Gold, he opens up about emotional exhaustion, healing, identity and the moments that brought him back to creating.
The Return
1. You described the period before Valley Of My Prime as a complete burnout where you felt frozen creatively and emotionally for almost two years. Looking back now, what do you think that silence was trying to tell you?
The silence was trying to tell me to live life a little, to not take everything so seriously and just to slow down and enjoy the beautiful world around me. Although it didn’t feel like it at the time, it was truly a blessing in disguise - i was able to process and heal through a lot of what had happened to me over my career, fall i nlove, and invest into my family, friends & community.
Honest Songwriting
2. The title Valley Of My Prime feels both reflective and uncertain at the same time, almost like standing between exhaustion and renewal. What does that title personally represent to you?
I feel like the title perfectly captures the place I was in over the 2 years of writing these songs. This album feels almost like a scrapbook of different moments from what i would describe as a life rock bottom, or in this case a ‘valley’. It felt like such a strange time to be feeling so low, because I was in my late 20s and in love - it felt like I should be making the most of some of my best years but many days it was a struggle to be motivated or excited about anything.
Silence & Distance
3. There has always been a feeling of distance and atmosphere inside Vancouver Sleep Clinic’s music, but this new era feels more grounded and human somehow. Did your relationship with vulnerability change while making this album?
I just feel generally that I’ve never been closer or more in touch with myself through the artistic process than I am now. The ‘valley’ and the silence brought me back to Square 1, removed all of the distractions and noise that had piled up on the business and creative front over the past decade of VSC. I found myself back home, with a very similar small bedroom music setup to that which I started with as a 17 year old. Completely independent on the business side, I have never felt more connected to and excited about the songs I am creating and releasing, so I am really glad if the vulnerability is prevalent.
Stepping Away
4. Nature and environment have always played a role in your sound, from field recordings to the emotional space inside your production. What places or moments shaped Valley Of My Prime the most?
The interesting thing about this album is that it came over such a wide span of time. Usually i will write and record a whole album in one chunk of time, but because I had been so demotivated and low through a lot of this album process, the songs were few and far between. I think it’s cool because you can sort of hear through the different sounds and sonics across the album the different emotional places I was in. Some moments are super raw and almost demo-like, whereas others are more fleshed out and cinematic. I think the overall inspiration is just to be completely transparent in reflecting the places I was in, not necessarily trying to over-polish or overthink anything.
The Live Connection
5. Earlier in your career you mentioned avoiding artists like Bon Iver, Sigur Rós or James Blake while writing, even though people connected your music to them. Has your creative process changed over the years or do you still protect your own voice in that same way?
Those are some of my favourite artists, it’s less about ‘avoiding’ them now but it’s more that when I’m in a writing phase, I’ll try not to consume too much music just to keep my ideas as original and authentic to what I’m going through as possible.
Valley Of My Prime
6. Only Human already hints at a more emotionally exposed side of the record. Was there a specific moment where you realized this album needed a different kind of honesty than your previous work?
Not a specific moment as such, but there have just been so many lessons I’ve learned from my past albums that revealed things I really didn’t like doing, as well as things I want to try in the future. I think the biggest lesson was that I needed to get back to the heart of what music was for me. I needed to re-discover my first love for music, my ‘why’ for doing it. VSC has always been emotional and cathartic for me, so once i rediscovered that sense of purpose I was able to unlock a new level of honesty and transparency that I believe I haven’t found for a while.
Coming Home
7. A lot of artists talk about reinventing themselves after burnout, but this album feels more like rediscovering clarity than becoming someone new. Did making these songs feel more like rebuilding or remembering?
I’d say it was a lot of remembering. Trying to re-discover and re-learn what it felt like to make music as that 17 year old high school kid in his bedroom. Something had got lost along the way and I needed to refind it.
Purpose Again
8. Your music has connected deeply with listeners searching for comfort, reflection or emotional escape for years now. Do you feel a responsibility toward that emotional connection when writing, or do the songs still begin as something entirely personal?
It’s definitely a bit of both. Something else I’ve learned is that I really need to believe in the song on both emotional and spiritual levels for me to be excited about it and promote it. So it’s been essential for me to go back to making something that’s special to me before I even think about what it might mean to someone else. In saying that, part of my mission is to be there for people and use my gifts in any way I can for them, so it’s still really important to me that I can help create and faciliate a bond and point of relatability between myself and the listeners.
Rediscovering Joy
9. You once said that even in the studio, you always imagine the live connection first. After stepping away from touring and then returning to the stage again, did performing start feeling different to you emotionally?
I think this is actually one of the distractions I had to remove in order to get back to honest songwriting. I think i was making music too much with other factors in mind, like what people might think or how it would translate to a live energy. Whilst I still adore playing live and can’t wait to tour again soon, i think it was necessary and important to have some time away from it.
The Next Chapter
10. Valley Of My Prime arrives more than a decade after Vancouver Sleep Clinic first began. If the 17 year old version of yourself could hear this album today, what do you think he would feel?
I think he would be so proud and relieved that I have managed to come home both physically and metaphorically, that I have managed to re-discover purpose, joy & fall back in love with the artform that has given me so much
Listen to the new album Valley of my prime