Through It All by Ilan Bell is a beautiful indie pop piano-based ballad debut song by the New York producer and musician. The song is slow and serene, with a gentle melody that builds throughout the track. Being an alumnus of Berklee NYC, he has had experience working with some of the big names in music. Here he has producer Paul Falcone (Jay-Z, Beyonce, Tom Odell) on board. The song is part of his upcoming album American Love.
The song is deeply personal, reflecting, and poetic, expressing maturity and thought. The track is produced with an optimum approach, allowing vocals to breathe. The piano is the main instrument, providing a steady rhythm and a light, airy texture. The accompaniment is subtle and delicate, creating a warm and comforting atmosphere. Ilan Bell’s vocals are gentle and emotive, conveying the raw feeling of the lyrics. The soft ballad makes use of apt space and time in music. The vocals being subtle to robust are well performed with good use of pause and space.
The lyrics describe a sense of commitment and loyalty to the person being addressed, promising to support them even when things get tough. The lines “You should know we can set it all in stone, but only if that’s what you really want” suggest a willingness to make a long-term commitment, but only if it’s what the other person truly desires.
Through It All by Ilan Bell is a beautiful and emotive song, perfect for those moments of reflection and introspection. Through It All is an inspiring and beautiful track and is sure to be a timeless classic.
We get to talk to Ilan about the song.
1. I can hear some modern indie pop and piano, who are your musical influences?
As far as “modern” influences go, Tom Odell and Josh Ritter are definitely among the artists that I admire most. They both manage to consistently put out records that are somehow both timeless and cutting-edge. That’s always what I’m working towards.
2. What was the genesis of the songwriting process for “Through It All”?
Like most of the songs on the album, “Through It All” started with the lyrics and actually didn’t have music for months. I wanted to write something that took the good with the bad, that acknowledged loneliness without despair, so I had to draft several different versions to find that balance. And it ended up being such a personal song that I was actually really nervous to put it out into the world. I’m glad I did though because the response has been amazing. It seems to be really resonating with people and that makes all the writing and rewriting worth it.
3. How different is the experience of making your own music versus writing and producing for other artists?
I came up as a writer-producer and I’m very comfortable in that role. Being an artist is a lot more public facing, so I’m still getting used to that part of it. Maybe I should have put out the songs anonymously. Guess it’s too late now!
4. The song has a cocktail-like blend of varied production elements, what was the mixing and recording process for the song like?
Looking back, most of the really creative production choices on the album came from one of my co-producers, Michael Lituchy from Vern Matz. He was a lot braver than me when it came to choosing sounds while I usually played it pretty safe. He wasn’t afraid to use virtual instruments or to chop up vocals, so he’s a big part of why the album sounds unique.
5. Being an alumnus of Berklee NYC you have had experience working with some of the big names in music. However, how was it working with Paul Falcone for your own music?
Paul is one of the hardest working producers in the industry. And I knew it would be a good fit because Paul had worked with Tom Odell, who was already one of my biggest influences. Right away we had a pretty good sense of what the record should sound like. I was also lucky that Paul has a real passion for developing artists, so I got to learn a lot from him both in and out of the studio.
6. Tell us more about what you have in store for us with your debut album “American Love”?
There will be a new single every couple of months until they all come together in an album released at the end of the year. The album is really a look at America through some of the people I’ve fallen in and out of love with—hence the title, “American Love.” There’s not much more I want to give away though because I think that part of the fun is making sense of the lyrics and I wouldn’t want to deprive the listener of that.
7. Do you have live performances lined up for promoting the single and album?
I’m planning a couple showcases at some point with some of my favorite artists in the city. It’s always a lot more fun to perform with friends, so I’m excited to share the stage.
Check out our playlists here!
Discovered via http://https://app.musosoup.com/submit/SinusoidalMusic
