It’s no secret that we have a growing obsession with Meat in Space, having featured his evocative and intricate debut single, Chromium Dioxide, and the intentional trip garage-rock sophomore single, Outta My Head, so when we heard that the talented creator was back with Ruby Tourmaline, we couldn’t wait to listen and share our experience.
Establishing the mood with strummed, acoustic guitar chords, Meat in Space opens Ruby Tourmaline with a timeless energy and atmospheric vocals, akin to a power pop meets Brit-rock vibe. Naturally, psychedelic riffs amplify the journey, and we appreciate the rolling and dimensional nature of the track.
The opus feels more emotive than Meat in Space‘s first two releases, and we are captivated by the authenticity and relatable nature of the track. Speaking on its message, Meat in Space, also known as multi-disciplinary artist Shawn Stedman, confesses, “Ruby Tourmaline [is a] message of letting someone know you are thinking of them as they are going through a difficult situation. The lyrics follow on variations on that idea, wishing for someone you care about to persist in the face of challenging circumstances.”
With reference to his creative process, the talented artist adds, “My production got a bit of an upgrade to mid-fi using a Tascam 388 reel-to-reel machine to record the track and I feel like I’m moving into new space finding my voice.”
We learn that Ruby Tourmaline was recorded at Orange Sherbet Studios in El Cerrito, and Shawn informs us that the acoustic guitar and drums were first recorded on a cassette 8-track, but were then transferred to the Tascam 388 where the vocals, guitar and bass were added.
Shawn cites Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana and Elliot Smith as sonic references, although as we previously noted, Meat in Space is manifesting a sound of his very own. We have added Ruby Tourmaline to our New Music Spotlight playlist and our brand new TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream Meat in Space‘s debut and sophomore singles, as well as Ruby Tourmaline‘s b-side 5th Dimension!