within, without by jacob wolos

released August 17, 2018

I wrote the songs in this album, and did all of the recordings on my own, with the exception of MOSH, which Doug and I did in a makeshift studio while on vacation. I move in circles of sound engineering, and so this is experimentation, figure-eighting away from those circles. This is play. This is portraiture with sound as the medium, a too-grand way of saying that I functioned as lyricist, composer, performer, artist, and producer of this album.

More importantly, though, I was a filter feeder, a slightly smudged mirror, lovingly reflecting those who took me through making this, who helped talk me through these explorations, who critiqued and provided feedback for this year.
These album credits belong to you.

Doug, my own personal Local Hero, and the other half of Painted Soup. He talked me off the roof countless times, and helped steer me straight. Doug and I began playing music together in 2011, in a practice room at our university that had two detuned pianos facing opposite directions. Neither of us played much piano at that time, but we learned together, to speak the same language. Doug knows what I'm trying to say better than I do, and for that, I'm endlessly grateful.
Allison: for years I was afraid of making my art too externally-inspired (muse-driven art). But last year I began to look back, and realized that all the art I'd made since meeting her had her signature all over it. So I leaned into that. Thank you for all that you've been and all that you will be.
Carlos, whose presence in my life is indescribably important, whose laugh could make a gargoyle smile, and to whom I am forever indebted.
Alyssa, whose dedication to exploring boundary-pushing transmedia collaborations greatly influenced this body of work.
Michael, who, in 2009, once told me that he wanted to hear me sing more, and it never stopped eating at me.
Mauricio, who said that hearing me make music was the first time he heard me speak.
Faith, who, while we were drunk in a karaoke bar told me she thought I had a nice voice.
Dodge, who wished for me to "light up the world in abstractions."
Sam, first for an entire life of light and joy but also for a very well-timed set of homebrew Oblique Strategies.
My teachers, all of you, who have been patient.
My entire family, including you if you are questioning whether this includes you, for loving me and believing in anything I've ever done. A day doesn't pass that I do not feel honored to have such mind-boggling support.
Mom, for being the strongest person I know.

And Soup, whose life and death started us down this path.