From the heart of Sacramento, CA, the post-rock duo, Living With Giants, is once again stirring the musical landscape with their recent single “Rest.” This track, a single-piece 20-minute musical journey, marks the band’s fresh approach after returning from a hiatus.
Having been established in 2009 by Ryan Mannie as a platform for his ambient musical inclinations, the band had evolved from a solo project to a four-member group for their live events.
They have had their share of the limelight with their 2011 album, “The World is Held by a Taut String,” and an impressive performance record alongside bands such as The Story So Far and Icarus the Owl. However, their journey wasn’t without its breaks.
After a pause from 2015 to 2021, they resurfaced with a focused vision, distilled into a duo, resulting in the EP “This Place Is Not a Home” in May 2022. The positive reception led to their ambitious work, “Rest.”
Influence on “Rest”
Ryan explains, “A big part of the influence on this piece was my wife’s medical struggle with Chronic Kidney Disease. In 2019 she was diagnosed with kidney failure and was rapidly declining. This piece mirrors the emotional rollercoaster we went through to get to a transplant. It was less about external musical influences and more about encapsulating the emotions from our journey.”
Musical Approach
Breaking down their approach, Ryan shares, “Being a “studio band” allowed us to shake off any limitations related to live performance. We experimented with polymeters and binaural beats, delving into pseudo-psychological musical concepts.”
Carver chimes in, “This meant we could be more intricate in layering our music. Although this posed its challenges. We found ourselves streamlining some parts that sounded chaotic and cluttered during the recording.”
Production Insights
“Ever thought about recording on an opera house stage?” Ryan starts. “That was our vision for ‘Rest‘. Even though we didn’t have access to such a stage, we used busing techniques to mimic that vast space effect for the guitars. And to capture the raw emotion, some guitar sections were single takes with no breaks, running straight for over 2 minutes.”
Carver reveals the changes in their working dynamics, “Before ‘Rest,’ our songs were crafted during band practices. But for this, after our initial jam session, we remotely crafted the song, sending session files back and forth. Ryan took care of the guitars and bass, while I focused on the drums and percussion.”
About the Album Art
Ryan offers a glimpse into the inspiration behind the album art. “The branches on the cover belong to the ‘stone breaker’ plant, often linked with kidney health. These three branches symbolize the three movements in ‘Rest.’ We aimed for simplicity, to avoid steering the listeners’ interpretation while echoing the song’s inspiration.”
Their journey, filled with personal challenges and a renewed vision, is evident in every chord and rhythm of “Rest.”
Living With Giants, with their roots in personal experiences and a willingness to evolve, stands as a testament to the power of music as a reflection of life itself.
