We Are The Willows is an art pop project of Minneapolis based singer/songwriter and producer Peter M. The project has been active since 2007, with a number of releases including a two-part concept album in 2014. We Are The Willows has featured musicians including Jeremiah Satterthwaite (guitar), Travis Collins (bass/vocals), Hillary James (cello/voice), and Josh McCay (drums) to complete the sound.
Most recently Peter M has worked with New York record label Youngbloods to release a series of EPs. The first is called ‘Now That I’m Older’, and involves an experimental approach to songwriting and production. Something I Need, alongside its video is a fascinating track, combining Peter’s voice treated and manipulated alongside looping electric piano and other textures, glitching and re-pitching, alongside a great video. Check it out below…
Now That I’m Older, in Peters’ words:
“These songs found me at a time in my life where my hopes, desires, & expectations of the world were not being met…I thought creating music had lost its usefulness: for me and for others. It hurts to let go of stuff we want, and I was thrown into a depression…but of course, my way to cope with that is making music. And now, I’ve maybe learned what it is I want, what it is I need out of this fucking art stuff. It needs to make sense of the world. It needs to feel transcendent.
I really like writing with loops. I like that a somewhat unconcerned performance of a keyboard line can multiply and adhere to itself over and over again until it’s something new. It’s something that could not be re-created. It’s time travel. It’s collaborating with a past self. It really takes the pressure off. I feel like I can dance on it.”
Now That I’m Older is available now on Bandcamp.
Written and Produced by Peter Miller
Mixed by Jeremiah Satterthwaite
Mastered by Huntley MIller
Background Vocals by Hilary James
Clarinet and Saxophone by Adelyn Strei