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Rebecca Goldberg is a multidisciplinary artist from Detroit who combines her skills in musical and visual arts to create a lane entirely her own. For this release, she invites her friend Jon Dixon to join her and the results of her capture each of her signature sounds, weaving them into something new.
Rebecca met Jon in 2017 and was responsible for designing the artwork on Jon's 4evr 4wrd label releases. This prompted Jon to show Rebecca the keyboard so she could learn how to play the Westworld theme. Eventually, after a few years, she decided it was time to suggest they collaborate on some music. The result of that collaboration is the song “Our Morning”, which is now presented to the world in this very special release.
Opening with hazy strings and a broken 909 beat, "Our Morning" creates an atmosphere of anticipation. As elements are added, the tension builds, with melodic snippets sliding over one another. The acid settings slowly start to intensify, giving way to a hi-tech explosion of pure soul at the top of the track. If sunlight breaking through clouds had a musical accompaniment, this would be it. Jon's melodic and harmonic sensibilities mesh wonderfully with Rebecca's mechanical rhythm, peppering the dance floor with optimism in these trying times. After that launch, the descent is elegantly handled, slowly but surely bringing reality back as we bask in the warm glow of the journey we just completed.
The music in this special deserves a special introduction, and Rebecca's devotion to creativity in all aspects of her work shines through here. An excerpt from "Our Morning" is recorded on a 5"x7" flexidisc postcard that you can play on a turntable, featuring the work of local photographer Ryan Southen. The Ambassador Bridge is in the foreground, connecting Detroit and Windsor, with the cities lurking in the background. The postcard is limited to 250 numbered copies and purchase includes a high-quality digital file download of the full track.
We have had the pleasure of interviewing him and this has been the result.
Hi Rebecca, how did your collaboration with Jon Dixon come about? What do you appreciate most about him?
- Jon is just such an amazingly nice person. Being immensely talented, he is truly humble and, at this point, open to many of my very out there ideas! And what do you think he appreciates about you? - My out there ideas, ha! Initially I was working with Jon on graphic design, but he has always been aware of my musical output as well. I think he appreciates my approach coming from experience in both mediums. When I probed him for a musical collaboration it was an easy decision for him to make!
How did you come to shape this work?
- I had a demo track that I was working on for another label. I knew that a feature from Jon would really polish it off and take the track to the next level. I was worried about that but the track wasn’t picked up in the end. Rather than put it to the side, I wanted to do something really creative for a single release which is how the flexi-postcard idea came about.
What production criteria did you choose?
- Luckily the best criteria is sometimes no criteria. I sent my work to Jon and pointed out a part in the track that I thought could use something more and that’s about it. He did what he does best, and together I think we created something really special and unique.
What does each one contribute to this project?
- I worked on the drums for this track as well as the acid lines and main melody. Jon sent over a few layering keys and harmonizing lines. A good friend and fellow Detroiter, photographer Ryan Southen, contributed the photograph for the flexi postcard release. It’s truly a Detroit collaboration through and through.
Do you plan to continue collaborating together?
- I have done some additional design work for Jon’s 4EVR4WRD label since “Our Morning” was released. I have no doubt that musically we will do more projects together in the future.
What other projects are you working on?
- I personally just finished a conceptual EP inspired by the Detroit People Mover that I am shopping around to various labels. Getting ready to tour at the end of the month, back to Athens, Greece for the first time since before Covid as well as debut gigs in Israel that I’m pretty excited about!
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