Okay, music lovers, I have a special one for you today – the details about “Secret Place,” this new spooky, but gorgeously moving track. It is a work of Andrew Caryl and a talented artist from Belgium, Human Without Gravity, whose real name is Lieselotte Verrecas.
With its focus on peace and solitude, “Secret Place” captures the desire each of us has for an oasis from the rigors of life. Lieselotte sings the most heavenly operatic soprano over these fat booming piano notes that wrap around your head like a blanket. It’s their musical therapy, the medicine for the ears, you feel me?
The story of the song is so familiar too. Lieselotte was a resident of a big city that was full of noise and she began to yearn for quiet. In her own words, “I always thought, ‘I wish I had a secret place. ’ . . . ” And that was the inception of this heart-touching piece.
Andrew’s brilliant mixing and mastering enhance Lieselotte’s poetic, reflective lyrics, and the songs’ healing nature is undeniable. When I spoke with dude, he shared with me all of the juicy details : his numerous musical inspirations, his foray into the production booth, his opinion on how the music business is moving.
You’re going to want to hear what Andrew has to say and how he and Lieselotte harnessed that desire for calm in creating their new musical sanctuary. Don’t miss the opportunity to go behind the scenes of “Secret Place”.
Listen to Secret Place below
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What is your stage name
Andrew Caryl
Human Without Gravity
(Human Without Gravity is the artist on this track, and Andrew Caryl is the co-writer and producer. The questions are being answered by Andrew Caryl)
Where do you find inspiration?
As a producer first and an artist second, I mainly look for artists and songs that are what I refer to as “within the 4 chords” – a reference to the spaces just ‘outside the box’ If you place a square inside of a circle so that the corners of the square touch the inside edges of the circle, you end up with 4 semi-circular spaces surrounding the square.
In the world of mathematics, each of these spaces is called a chord. I find that songs and artists that fit into these spaces – not middle-of-the-road pop-hit stuff, but also not way out there either. That is hard to find. That is what inspires me. It’s not about genre. It’s about finding a unique sound in a world full of copycats. When I find them. I jump at the opportunity to produce them.
What was the role of music in the early years of your life?
I started playing trumpet when I was around 8 years old. That was influenced by my grandfather, who was a big fan of Dixie-land jazz. My mother was the president of the Barry Manilow fan club, so we went to a lot of Barry Manilow concerts. As a reward for my tolerance of all that, she would let me pick a show from time to time that I wanted to see.
I’m dating myself a bit here, but some of my first concerts were KC & The Sunshine Band, Iron Maiden, Kraftwerk, and Howard Jones – a crazy wide love of music across multiple genres. By my early teens, I had discovered electronic music. I studied music theory and composition at university. I have been writing and producing ever since.
Are you from a musical or artistic family?
Not really. There aren’t any other musicians or artists in my family, but my parents and grandparents were massive fans of music. Their love of everything from jazz to rock really influenced me. It helped me understand that just because I don’t ‘like’ a song or an artist doesn’t mean it isn’t good. It taught me to listen to everything with an open mind.
Who inspired you to be a part of the music industry?
My old friend Steve Thompson. He is also a musician and former band-mate. He reached out in 2020 during covid. We all had plenty of time on our hands, and he thought we should get a remote/virtual band together and record cover songs for fun. He called it ‘The Distance Blues Project’. We recorded a few songs that summer.
It forced me to get my ‘chops’ back on the keyboard. It inspired me to start writing again. This is when everything took off. I started meeting some really talented singers and other producers and working with them. I found that what I really loved was the technical aspect of music production. So I dove in head first. I’m still learning.
Everyone is still learning. But after landing a song as a finalist in a pretty large songwriting competition, I gained a lot of confidence that I was good at it. This all started with a phone call from Steve in early 2020.
How did you learn to sing/write/to play?
I’m not proficient at playing any instrument. I can play just enough keys or guitar to accomplish what I need. I don’t really sing much, but when I do, it’s a style I developed a long time ago. I think I have a terrible voice. So I had to find a way to create a sound that would work and would sound cool. So, when I do sing, it sounds a bit like Trent Reznor but with more distortion. Mostly, I rely on working with other singers who can actually sing!
What was the first concert that you ever went to and who did you see perform?
I’m dating myself again here! The first concert I ever attended was Barry Manilow because my mother used to take me to every Manilow show she could get to. But the first concert I ever bought a ticket to was KC & The Sunshine Band. My first record was a gift from my grandparents: Johnny Cash’s ‘Live at San Quentin.’ I have a huge love of music across all genres.
How could you describe your music?
‘Secret Place’ with Human Without Gravity, for a moment. Lieselotte (Human Without Gravity) writes melancholic pop music about being human and the disappointment that often comes with being human. She’s very introspective. With songs like ‘Greed’, ‘Drinking Tea With Demons’, ‘Storm’ and ‘Secret Place’, she has a voice that pulls you in and makes you listen to what she has to say.
Describe your creative process.
I always start a song with a beat or melody that I love. Then I build around it. When I create something that seems to be working, I’ll then start thinking about the subject matter, lyrics, etc. and build out the rest of the production. Depending on how the song evolves, the genre, etc. I’ll then start looking for a singer. Or, in the case of my personal projects as Darren Vader or dilemma sect, I’ll record the vocals myself.
What is your main inspiration?
Nature. Mother nature is fascinating. Full of beauty. And full of life. And full of mathematics. Everything comes down to numbers and patterns. I really get inspired during those rare moments when I can sit in silence in a quiet place outdoors. Just last week, I was on a pretty secluded beach. The wind and waves. Man, it’s so rhythmic and soothing. The same thing happens in the forest. I love sitting alone in the forest. The wind flows through the trees. It’s truly musical; and magical. Those are the times that I come up with the best ideas.
What musician do you admire most and why?
This is a tough one. I admire so many. But right now I;d have to say it’s a tie between Post Malone and Tayler Swift. Yes, both in the pop genre. or country. I guess that depends on the day of the week. But that’s what I love and admire about them. Post Malone was able to to bring his fans into hip-hop, pop, and country music all at the same time. I really love that he doesn’t have to pigeon hole himself into a single genre. he’s teaching listeners that genre doesn’t really matter. I think that is awesome.
Did your style evolve since the beginning of your career?
Absolutely. My early songs sucked so bad. I mean really bad. And the production. wow. so bad. And it was very stiff and electronic. I learned to produce with a more human feel as I developed my own sound as a writer and performer. I started listening to everything. For a while, I couldn’t figure out how to rectify my love of everything and turn it into a production process that made any sense. But now I think I am figuring that out and am developing a production style that I like.
Who do you see as your main competitor?
I don’t think about ‘competition’ at all. Everyone is unique and everyone brings something great to the table. So I don’t think about it as competition. In fact, collaboration is the key in today’s music industry. If you are collaborating and making friends in the industry, you probably won’t get very far. It’s not just about business either. It’s about human connection and understanding that we all have great things within us. Everyone has a unique view that can make a project great.
What are your interests outside of music?
I love to travel. I love meeting people and experiencing new cultures and ways of life. I also love college football and motorsports.
If it wasn’t a music career, what would you be doing?
I’d probably be a magician or a circus clown. Maybe a river rafting guide or an interior decorator. So many possibilities!
What is the biggest problem you have encountered in the journey of music?
Income. It’s really hard to make a living in the music business. It’s become a lot harder with the advent of streaming services and the lowering of the attention spans of the younger folks. Everything with the fans who buy music is increasingly driven by social media. They don’t seem to be experimenting with new music nearly as much as I did when I was younger. They prefer to only listen to what their friends are also listening to. This makes it harder to build a fan base and breakthrough as a new artist.
If you could change one thing in the music industry, what would it be?
I would get rid of music streaming. Sure, it provides a platform for anyone to release music, but it has also completely changed the landscape of how an artist makes a living.
Why did you choose this as the title of this project?
‘Secret Place’ was born through the experience that Lieselotte (Human Without Gravity) had while living in a big noisy city. In her words, “It was never quiet, which stressed me out because I really needed a place where I could find some peace. I always thought, ‘I wish I had a secret place…’ And that’s how the song was born.”
What are your plans for the coming months?
I hope to work with Human Without Gravity on another project very soon. in the mean time I am working on an EP with London-based artist Shea, an acoustic EP with Louisiana-based singer Richard Guidry, a couple of upcoming tracks with Florida-based singer Melanie Joy Wilpon, recording a new album with my alter ego ‘dilemma sect’ and focusing on projects for TV and film.
Do you have any artistic collaboration plans
You bet. I am always collaborating. I have projects in the works with Shea, Richard Guidry, Melanie Joy Wilpon, Okafuwa, Robbie Rosen, and Alessa, among others. I thrive on collaborations.
What message would you like to give to your fans?
I really love the folks who follow the music that I help create. If they follow me, then they have a wide range in musical tastes. I appreciate them so much! I always say “Don’t let genre define you or what you like. Be you. Be yourself. Explore.”
