Capturing the Artist’s Identity with Syllous Mai
In the music industry, it is often true that the work of sound editors and audio engineers goes unnoticed, despite their critical and essential role in the music-making process. While you may know many of the recognizable names with whom sound editor/audio engineer Syllous Mai has worked with, her own work has been mostly seen behind the scenes, resigned to those within the industry rather than the general public. Having worked on projects alongside artists like Oscar–nominated and Grammy Award–winning composer James Newton-Howard, Syllous enjoys the kinship of those whose special talent is in bolstering the music creations of the artists whom they work with. Among those most recently receiving the benefit of Ms. Mai’s own immense skill and expertise is the South Korean singer/songwriter known as Jihae. Like so many others, Jihae sought out Syllous to bring a magical touch to her most current recordings, including the song “Home”, which has received a great deal of international attention on Spotify, Soundcloud, and other streaming platforms. In contrast to much of the mainstream music today, “Home” is heavily reliant on Jihae’s vocal and songwriting abilities. Deeply emotive and sincere, the song instantly evokes personal memories from the listener despite sharing a different history than the artist herself. “Home” is an instant classic for anyone’s playlist.
Anyone who has seen a concert by one of their favorite artists can attest to the idea that the perfect performance is hard to capture. This magic can only be manifested when a music artist works with professionals of the highest skill level. If you consider your favorite songs, you’ll realize that they allow you to access a very specific emotional state, whether that be joyous or melancholy. “Home” is powerful due to the emotional delivery Jihae engages with. Yes, the melody is insanely memorable, and the instrumentation perfectly complements this but her performance is paramount. This final performance from Jihae is largely dependent upon the critical work and creative input of the professionals behind the microphone. The artist will communicate their specific creative intention for the final record, but it is the audio professionals, like Syllous, who empower that intention and make it a reality. Syllous imparts, “I get to know the mood and style of the musical artists I work with. In regards to Jihae, the vibe is very chill, calm, and peaceful. This informs my microphone choice, instrumentation, and mixing direction. I listen to the artist and try to figure out the meaning they are trying to convey, the style they want the song to be in, the ‘space’ of the music, and their strengths and weaknesses. For example, Jihae’s voice sounds great in a Neumann M149 whilst other artist’s voices might not. I also put myself in the artist’s shoes and think ‘If I were them, what would I want to present?’ When I’m working at my best, there’s a shorthand between myself and those whom I’m recording. That’s important because if we get to that place, the listeners will also be able to access it.”
“Home” expertly combines pop with a prominent jazz influence. Peaceful and serene with a touch of sadness in the longing for familiar places and people, the lyrics and music are the epitome of bittersweet. A muted trumpet solo by Akahiro Kokufukata and upright bass by Jinhong Andy Kim, emphasize the piano and vocal tapestry of this song, deepening the classic timelessness of “Home” both musically and in message. Syllous describes, “Instrumentation is so vital in making the emotion of the music accessible to the listener. When the right choices are made, the scene is already set for the listener. We don’t have to tell them too much about what the song is going to say because they will feel it through the instruments. The instruments and the way they are recorded reinforce this. For example, the reason we decided to use a solo muted trumpet for ‘Home’ is because it sounds kind of lonely itself, which we understood could bring out the audiences’ emotion of being lonely and missing home.”
There’s a sense of bringing people together baked into the very DNA of the song “Home.” All of those who were a part of this recording are themselves living away from their home countries, now residing in the United States. From Korea, China, and Japan, these artists and professionals channeled a common mood of desire for that place which we all know even though each is different. It’s this commonality that makes “Home” such an endearing listening experience. Wherever home may be for you, you’ll recognize it in this enchanting song.
