A Beech Landing Unleashes “Better By Design” and Connects With Us for a Deep Dive Into the Vision Behind It
- STAFF
- Aug 5
- 8 min read
By: Staff
Spellbinding and sonically fearless, “Better By Design” is a masterstroke of mood, detail, and emotional pull.
A Beech Landing Unveils “Better By Design” and Shares the Unexpected Path That Led There.
A Beech Landing just dropped their latest track, “Better By Design,” and it’s the kind of release that doesn't ask for attention; it quietly demands it. Cinematic yet personal, polished but emotionally raw, the song stretches far beyond easy genre lines and instead lands somewhere beautifully in-between. There’s a sonic elegance here, but also something off-kilter and lived-in. It’s not just a song you hear. It’s a feeling that slowly reveals itself the more time you spend with it.
We spoke with A Beech Landing following the release to dig into the layers behind “Better By Design.” What we uncovered was far more than just the backstory of one song. It’s a glimpse into a process that often defies structure, a journey built on emotional truth, analog experimentation, and a rivalry that may or may not have shaped everything. From turning personal chaos into clarity to building a sound with gear that wasn’t meant to make music in the first place, this conversation pulls back the curtain in a way that fans and curious first-timers won’t want to miss.
Read on to find out where it all began, what nearly derailed it, and what’s coming next. A Beech Landing has plenty more to say, and it’s all worth hearing.
Here’s how it went:
Begin Interview:
Hello, A Beech Landing, we’re thrilled to have you here for this interview! We've had an amazing time exploring your music and diving into your creative journey. Now, we’re even more intrigued to get a deeper look into both your brand and your personal and professional inspirations.
Q. We loved the whole dynamics of this song. From the vocal performance to the musical arrangement, it's a real powerhouse song. Honestly, it’s like a world-class live recording. Before getting into your inspiration for this song, can you tell us about how your music career started as a whole, like, did it evolve slowly, or was there a big moment?
A. Thank you, I’m glad you dig the music. It's interesting that you say “world-class live performance,” as it was actually the complete opposite. Every instrument was recorded individually. But I tried all my best tricks to make it sound more live, so I’m glad you felt that. Music “career” is probably a bit strong, I’d call it more music “over enthusiasm”. It wasn’t that there was a moment when I started, but there was definitely a moment when I realised I couldn’t stop.
Q. Do you have a go-to instrument that serves as the foundational starting point for your music? How does whatever instrument is chosen influence the direction and overall sound of the compositions?
A. No, not really, I'd say all the songs on the upcoming album started on different instruments. If I really can't think of anything, I’ll go to the drum machine; that way, even if I don’t end up writing a song, I’ll at least have some jumping off points for later songs. It's never one instrument that dictates a song with me, more one particular element/riff/lyric, etc.
Q. We learned that you see music as a therapeutic tool during tough times. Most people can't even admit this, but you are very open and revealing. Can you tell us more about this and what it has done for you?
A. Yeah, it's a shame more people aren’t more open with their mental health, but it's not they’re fault, and I think it's getting better. Sometimes I use music as something to focus on to push through difficult times. Other times, I find writing songs about difficult things going on in my life or in my head works as a kind of CBT. This track is a prime example. Also, for some reason, making music makes me feel less lonely; I can’t quite explain why.
Q. Can you explain the significance of this very unique song name and the significance of your artist name, A Beech Landing?
A. Before I started this project, I got kicked out of where I was living and ended up at an ex-girlfriend’s place. The only place I could make music was the small hallway at the top of the stairs, or “Landing” as we call it in the UK, and the floor was Beech wood. The whole record was made there, so I only thought it fair to the hallway to name the project after it.
Q. What role did the “rivalry” with your friend’s band play in shaping your music, and how did it manifest in the songwriting?
A. It was only a rivalry in my head; they had no idea it existed, and still don’t, but I was behaving like it was real. Always trying to outdo them, but every time I thought I'd caught up, they’d outdo me again by releasing another killer track. It pushed me to write more, and also out of my comfort zone, for example, going heavier and more aggressive.
Q. How did you handle the mental and emotional challenge of feeling like a passenger in your own song creation?
A. It doesn’t always happen, but it's exciting when it does. I don’t have to make any decisions. It's a similar feeling to when you hear a new song by a band you like for the first time.
Q. We heard that you found and incorporated old, analog gear, some of which wasn’t originally designed for music production, into your mixing and mastering process. Could you share more about how this unconventional approach came together and how it contributed to the unique sound of your project?
A. Well, I was on a budget but wanted an analogue sound. So many times during the mastering process, I would use cheap gear that wasn’t really intended for music mixing or bootleg versions of stuff. For example used a dbx 1231 graphic EQ, There aren't many mixers on the planet that would reach for this when mastering. It’s cheap, imprecise, and a nightmare to reset back to where it was when you left it. On top of that, I bought from a guy who’d been using it in traveling in speaking events for years. So it was old a battered. I also bought a “tape emulator” of dubious origins with no markings in it, which I’m still not sure does anything, but I use it anyway.
Q. After reading about how creative you are, we were wondering. There is a lot of technology available today. Some artists have described it as overwhelming or too much. The current climate of music is growing, with computers being more prominently used for both creation and correction. Do you feel this has a positive or negative impact on the end result for music?
A. I’d say positive for sure, it just takes time to figure out your workflow. Everything is a double-edged sword. Plugins, for example, it's amazing that they've made so many modern and vintage tools available to new musicians for low prices, but when you don’t know how to use them, you can end up adding too much stuff and making it sound worse than if it had nothing on it at all. Also, it's amazing that so many AI tools and sampling plugins exist, but it can end up in everyone's music having the same sound and getting lost in an ocean. It also means everything can be changed, resulting in wasting hours tweaking things that barely make any difference. Analogue gear forces you to use your ears and make a decision in the moment, but it can be daunting for a beginner, and it's expensive. But there is a middle ground; new technologies and manufacturing processes are making it easier for companies to make high-quality, cheap analogue gear.
Q. There was a move that impacted things. How did this change your process of music-making?
A. It limited what I could do and how easy it was for me to do it. So perhaps there's something sonically missing, but it forced me to make decisions, so I was able to do everything from start to finish quicker.
Q. How would you describe your musical creation process? Is it more rigid and calculated or something else?
A. I would say layering, the people I idealise set the bar pretty high in terms of doing everything. So I do things one at a time. The trouble is knowing when to stop layering.
Q. When someone asks what kind of music you make, what’s the first thing you say?
A. “I guess it's rock music.”
Q. What does the title “Better By Design” mean to you, and how did that phrase make its way to the forefront?
A. As mentioned, the song is about this fictional rivalry, but it's mainly about making people and things up in the head to the better than they are. I.e, by my design, they are better.
Q. What’s something you’re working on right now, whether musically or personally, that your fans might be surprised to hear about?
A. Well, I’ve got a couple of singles and an album ready to go, and I’m halfway through the second one. But they might be surprised to hear I’ve been recording live Cello. I also do all the artwork, graphics, and music videos. I also have a full-time job and kick-box 6 times a week….one of those maybe.
Q. Has your approach to songwriting changed since you first started, or do you find yourself sticking to habits that work?
A. I'd say it's changed quite a bit for 2 reasons. 1. I'm a lot more capable now, and 2. I get obsessed with how certain records and sounds were created, so I’ve got a backlog of facts that make it quicker and easier to get certain sounds. For example, I know what guitar, Fx pedals, and amps Billie Corgan used on Siamese Dream, as well as the recording techniques and gear butch vig used to record it. So if I want that sound, it doesn't take forever to figure out like it used to. It still often comes out sounding nothing like it, but it does it quickly
Q. What is the most unexpected sound or technique you used in this song that listeners might not catch at first?
A. There are loads of different vocal harmonies going in all the time, way more than you’d think. I was obsessed with the Bee Gees at the time, but I have no idea what I’m doing, so I threw in everything but the kitchen sink.
Q. We can't thank you enough for sharing these intimate details! So, what's next? Can you give us the inside scoop on your upcoming projects and what fans should be excited about? We'd love to be the first to share the news!
A. There's another single coming out in about 6 weeks called “HERMIT” then another after that. Followed by an album. Then by the time all that's out, the second album will be done, so the plan is just to make music constantly. If you dig this track, then you’ve got plenty more coming
A Beech Landing, thank you so much, we appreciate you taking the time to talk to us!
End Interview
We’re happy to have shared A Beech Landing’s exciting journey with you and uncovered such inspiring insights about their creative process.
