TRACK BY TRACK : ELLIS K.'S TECHNICAL LOOKBACK ON HIS LATEST ALBUM, "SAECULUM"

Release day has come and gone for Ellis K.'s long-awaited second studio album, "Saeculum", which follows his eponymous debut released just short of four years ago. Listeners will observe a huge difference between these two albums, with the huge timespan between them having been spent by Ellis K. working on refining his sound. In this article, Ellis K. walks us through the album, track by track, sharing insights and comments along the way.

White Flame was intended for an album of the same name which I had worked on extensively throughout 2019 prior to shelving it to make way for what would become my debut album. Upon completing a period of promotional work in September of 2020, I retreated to the studio once again, listening to some of my earlier demo recordings from the shelved album, which ultimately inspired the writing and recording of Saeculum.

Like most tracks on the album, White Flame was re-recorded a number of times - a preliminary demo was assembled in the studio in 2020, and reworked in the earlier part of 2021. I finally revisited this track once more in the earlier part of 2024, stripping it back and rearranging it, before recording it at AERYAD this spring.

Tropical Storm is unapologetically cinematic, much like 'Armageddon'. These tracks are included to break up the album, serving as soundscape-like interludes which move the listener forward in the figurative journey of Saeculum. This particular track was written and recorded in the early part of 2021, with much of the progress taking place during the same sessions in which Sunrise Over Australia was worked upon.

This track emanates nostalgia for me, as upon listening to it, I am returned to the early recording sessions for this album, which will always be fondly reflected upon. The guitar solo in the closing part of the song builds the sense of isolation and coldness which is a core part of the emotional fabric of this track, juxtaposing the thematic nature of its title.

The Dancing Ghost is a solemn piano waltz, which has become a personal favourite from the album. Unlike some of the much more complex tracks from this album which took months, or even years to produce, the writing and recording of this track occurred contemporaneously. As a result of this, The Dancing Ghost was the second track from this album to have been completed, following Tropical Storm.

Music Box is lighthearted and develops the theme of the album further, with instrumentation evoking themes of nostalgia and reflection. This track, like the first, was written as part of an earlier, shelved album, and so upon revisiting this track, I hear ghost-like remnants of my earlier work.

Armageddon was very nearly shelved from this album, yet a last minute decision swapped this track's destined fate in a folder of incomplete tracks with that of another, which I may revisit in the future. At its core, this track is ambient and incorporates blended synthesised elements along with more unique instrumentation such as the Duduk. It breaks the album up, giving way for much more lighthearted tracks to close the album. The interpolation of the Winter's Lullaby piano riff is a reminder of my brief intention to incorporate the track in the tracklisting of this album, yet I ultimately decided against this.

A Folk Medley admittedly seems slightly out of place within this album, yet I feel it brings an exciting theme to the album. Written in 2021, this track was re-recorded a number of times, though I confess that the second and third songs within this medley were ommitted from the first demo. Unusually, the version that made it onto the album was in fact a 2022 demo for a later version, which was scrapped as I preferred the production of this version. The slight inconsistencies in the recording make it feel organic and playful.

The Postcard was the final track to be written and recorded for this album, and very nearly didn't make it onto the final tracklisting, having been recorded on the day in which the final album was sent off for mastering. Similar in dynamic to The Dancing Ghost, this track conjures themes of nostalgia and warmth.

Sunrise Over Australia perhaps has been the best-documented track on this album, due to its release as a single alongside The Dancing Ghost in 2021. I feel that this particular track encompasses the entire theme of the album, and was recorded over a period of around 12 weeks between January and March of 2021. The finished track incorporates elements from the many instrumental sessions, creating a diverse and unique soundscape.

First Light closes the album on a sombre note, almost a reflection upon the journey, much like the last track on my debut album. Structurally, the track incorporates melodic elements from Sunrise Over Australia and another track, which was written and recorded for this album, but ultimately shelved. The selection process for the tracks on this album was complex and frequently changed, yet the final release involves a string of tracks which compliment each other, both for their diversity and shared themes.