by mariah estran
photo by amaya pena
The seven-piece indie collective NATL PARK SRVC emphasizes emotional growth through a sweeping concoction of sound on MAGICIAN. Previously released in October, the two-part LP moves through heartbreak and its aftermath.
Focusing on their production structure, they found the beauty in letting things flow while learning to understand who they are personally and as artists.
The group worked through demos, modifying them to keep that initial idea in mind. The result is an array of emotional high points that carry you from beginning to end.
NATL PARK SRVC took the time to go in-depth about MAGICIAN. The ensemble shares more on their creative vision, producing, and how the album helped them unpack their own experiences at the time.
I understand that the album is supposed to be two different sections. One being heartache, the other being what comes after. Was setting up the album this way always the intention, or did it happen overtime?
NATL PARK SRVC: “I think it was a little bit of both. We knew we wanted to do a double LP. We think a lot about the track listing and album structure. We're always keeping that in mind when we're making a record, but in terms of the content of the songs — I think it came pretty organically. We had the structure of it, but the emotional points weren’t there until it happened.”
How do you feel the album setup heightens those emotions?
NATL PARK SRVC: “I think when you have a long record, it's got to warrant its length to a certain extent.
I think an interesting point is how the second-half of the record goes from ‘Like All Good Magicians’ to ‘Up On Marlene's Hill.’ This set up of the record lends that self to being an emotional high point.
There’s pretty obvious peaks and emotional high points. If you’re going to tell a narrative — there’s a beginning, a middle, and an end. But I think with this record, it’s this big emotional, sweeping thing, but it doesn't come to a conclusion. In the end, it sort of just leaves you with it.
That is sort of cathartic in itself.”
You all mention how it is a cathartic release. The album looks inwards at things that happen throughout life. What introspective lessons became unveiled while piecing together this album?
NATL PARK SRVC: “The album uses broken relationships with people as a catalyst for this journey to understand yourself a little bit deeper. And recognize where you can be within the process.
To answer the question, it's a journey of learning — what it takes to be a part of a community and learning how to understand yourself so you can relate to other people.”
This album follows your debut, and there’s a progression in sound. How did this project help you hone in?
NATL PARK SRVC: “We found our footing in writing and producing on this one. On our last album, we recorded with a group here in the studio, which was a lot of fun, but we realized that we work the best in our own element.
A good chunk of this record, all of the auxiliary instruments, all of the vocals, all of that was recorded in our dining room, which was a lot of fun. But it sounds a lot more natural and a lot more fluid.
Definitely the closest to NATL PARK SRV sound that I think we've ever gotten to.”
All of you were putting your hand in this together. It wasn't a one man show, y'all are basically a collective. What is it like collaborating with one another?
NATL PARK SRVC: “We found a cool way of writing these tracks, doing multiple iterations of demos. So we'll get a certain number of people on a track, then all of a sudden the drums don't fit as well as they could, or this part could be emphasized more; this needs to be rewritten and we're able to. Like growing the song in that way, in a way that we have not been able to do in situations where you're just jamming.
You don't wanna lose the magic that comes with the initial idea. When we have these moments together, you’ll hear it on the record — there's lots of those moments.”
Lastly, how do you feel this album has documented your growth so far?
NATL PARK SRVC: “All you really got to do is listen through the discography, right? You’ll see.
I think a lot of it comes down to stepping back a little. Earlier, with the songs, we were putting stuff on because we like the way it sounded. With this record, when we were working on stuff, we wanted to step back and go, ‘OK? Does this need to be here? Like, what is essential for this groove?’ We made sure that everything served the song.
I think the songs, the lyrics, have improved a ton. It it sounds like we know who we are now.”