I always assume that you guys all know what IKSRE stands for. And how to say it. But there’s a lot of new people here, so I thought I should explain it to you.
It’s also (almost) the 8 year anniversary of me starting to write these ambient bangers, so it’s kinda fitting in more ways than one.
First up, it’s I – K – S – R – E. (not Icks-ray).
And it stands for I Keep Seeing Rainbows Everywhere.
Why?
Ok so, as I mentioned before – this project began almost 8 years ago. I was sitting, alone, by the river at Barham Paradise Scenic Reserve, on Gadubanud country – just outside Apollo Bay. It’s one of the most gorgeous places I know. A wonderland of ferns and towering gums, with a river running through it. It feels like something from Middle Earth.
I’d never done anything like this before – for context, I was a member of a three piece electronic band, and singing 3-4 nights a week in a 5 piece funk/soul/jazz covers band. Ambient music was something I listened to at home to practice yoga to. I wrote bangers, and sang party tunes in sweaty bars til the wee hours.
But here I was. Sitting on the pebbled banks of the river. Writing an ambient song.
I could hear a drone bass in my head. And the main synth too. So I quickly pencilled them in using my computer keyboard (I didn’t even have a MIDI controller with me).
I went home and totally forgot about this fledgling song until weeks later, when I had a spare window of time to work on it. I spent an afternoon immersed in it. I didn’t imagine it would ever get released, I was doing it for myself and noone else.
Writing this music felt good. It felt like therapy. There was no inner critic telling me that it wasn’t good enough for radio airplay. No voice saying the lyrics sucked. All there was, was pure creativity. And freedom. Isn’t that what art is for in the first place?
I sent the track to my husband, who was at work – he rang me within minutes, raving about how unreal it was. And that I should do more of it. And so I did.
That song was ALONE. at Paradise. And it was the first song I wrote for my debut album, Unfurl, which came out in 2019.
Every song on Unfurl was written for me. It was written for me to use for my personal yoga practice. At home. I wanted a soundtrack I could practice at home to.
It was for myself. I never thought anyone else would hear it. And I think that’s what made it so special.
Don’t make art for anyone else except yourself. Who cares what anyone else thinks. If you love it, that’s all that really matters. Maybe someone else will connect with it and if so, that’s just a bonus. And maybe it will spur you on to doing some more stuff. But never make art for anyone but yourself. It will come off all wrong.
So, the name? 🌈
Once the album was finished, I sent it to a few friends, who suggested I should release it.
So I set to finding a name for myself.
At the time, I was out walking with my baby daughter. A lot. And if you live in Naarm/Melbourne, you may know that in early Autumn, the sun shines at such an angle that it creates prisms everywhere – in road signs, windows, mirrors… like this.
I thought to myself “I keep seeing rainbows everywhere”
I K S R E
“that’s kinda good”
And it fits my general outlook in life – I see rainbows where there are road signs. Colour in grey, rainy skies. Overall, I’m a pretty positive person and always have been.
Months later I also saw how it fit the music style – rooted in the living world; not to mention colour visualisations being invoked in some people during sound baths.
So there you have it. Now you know.
And now, I hope you too, will see rainbows where there are only roadsigns. And you will make art for yourself and noone else. And maybe it will get shared. Maybe not. It’s not the point. Do it because it makes you feel good. That’s what art is for.
xx P
