"what else?" is the fourth song I've mixed for Nolan Barba and definitely my favorite one yet. It kicked off in June 2024 when I flew into Nashville heading to Murfreesboro, Tennessee; going down to mix and shoot a couple music videos, turning into an adventure I won't forget.

Between working, I tried bouldering with my friend Max (I was instantly addicted and dismayed when I found out the closest gym back home was over an hour away), and went hiking to this incredible waterfall spot, cracking my elbow open on the way back.

We spent a few days getting the initial mix dialed in back at the house. When I headed back home to Minnesota, I had this clear vision of where I wanted to take the mix, but first I needed new speakers.

The mix went on pause while I searched for a pair of Yamaha HS8s to match Nolan's back in Murfreesboro. I was also in-between moving places and the setup was the first to get packed. It just so happened the break was exactly what the project needed. After settling into my new apartment and getting the new speakers set up, the mix took off. The HS8s were a great upgrade to my previous pair of Kali LP6 monitors that I've had for over 5 years. The new room acoustics and monitor upgrade was the perfect mix (haha) for getting this mix completely dialed in.

Getting to work with Nolan on his music has been this evolving journey of trust and creativity. Each song we work on together gets better than the last, and "what else?" really showcases that growth. It's wild how a mix can capture not just the music, but all these little moments and memories that went into creating it.