Song lyrics & music written by Andre Mistier
Some insights from Andre Mistier about “Headspace”
The Inspiration:
This song is about meditation, and about the journey towards finding meditation. If my external experience defines my perspective and mood, then I am subject to the fluctuations of external actions and actors. If things are good, I feel good. If things are bad, I feel bad. But this feels like a fundamentally out of control approach, always at the whim of other people’s additions and intrusions. This led to a need for inner solace, peace that comes from within as opposed to externally. For me, this search led to meditation as an important component of self-harmony.
The Process:
I wrote this song in collaboration with my friend Joseph (J Gabriel). We were talking about collaborating one day, and he said, “Why don’t you listen to some unfinished tracks I have and see if anything catches you?”
He gave me a bunch of tracks to listen to, and about 30 seconds into listening to this track, the lyrics and vocals of the “in my mind, in my soul…headspace” part came immediately into place. I recorded my vocals onto it and sent it back to him. He added the “I just need a place inside my head” vocal part.
I sat with it for a bit because, while it was good, it didn’t quite sound like it fit into either his or my style.
But I decided I liked the song enough that I wanted to produce a version that did fit me. I kept some of the drums and some of the melodic elements, and redid or added a number of new elements.
Initially I finished it without the “Sitting here in this place…” section of lyrics, but it was pointed out to me that this song wanted a second verse. I’m very glad I added it, I feel that it ties the song together well.
The Setting:
For this song, we have our protagonist, Aren, and his antithesis, the head of The Silent, in an otherworldly bar, with no knowledge of the other. J, our bartender, gives each of them a drink, a special drink. They both have roller coaster journeys through their own minds, and we see different perspectives on how people cope with themselves- Aren uses contemplation and meditation to break out of his mind, while his antithesis uses anger and separation.