Jacoby Davis

Real quick: This isn't the final version. I literally pumped out this song in 6 days to make it available in time for the Best of LMMS Vol. 3.

I figured I'd write a little bit about the song. I wrote this during a period of my life where I was going through some heavy anxiety and depression. I did my best to hide it from everyone, but nonetheless, it was still there. During that time, all I could do was play piano. I wrote this song to distract myself, and the finished product was a bright theme that danced with hope while still hinting at the pain I felt. But that hope was light in a dark place, and it kept me going. Eventually I came back a year later and produced it to become this song. The title Lux comes from a Latin word for light, and it seemed more fitting to leave it as a hybrid of acoustic and electronic elements versus trying to find lyrics for it.

Lux composed, adapted, arranged, performed, produced, and mixed by Jacoby Davis

All production (excluding piano tracks) done using LMMS v.1.1.3
Piano performed live. Recorded and produced using Garageband for iOS
Mixed using Audacity
Mastered through LANDR
Final recording finished 11.09.2015

Artwork designed and drawn by Jacoby Davis.
Artwork digitally produced using GIMP v2.8 by Jacoby Davis
Artwork uses elements of an original pencil sketch by Jacoby Davis entitled Arbol 2 © 2015 Jacoby Davis

Lux ℗© 2015 Jacoby Davis
Track Artwork © 2015 Jacoby Davis

This track is featured as the fifteenth track in the Best of LMMS Compilation Vol. 3, which can be found here:
https://lmmsartists.bandcamp.com/album/the-best-of-lmms-vol-3

Lux (Best of LMMS Vol. 3 / Original Mix)

The Little Things ℗© 2018 Jacoby Davis (ASCAP)
Artwork and Photography © 2018 Jacoby Davis
Produced in LMMS by Jacoby Davis.
Composed by Jacoby Davis.
Distribution Services provided by Soundrop

This song has a lot of emotion at its roots.

Last year was nothing short of hell for me. The combined stress of a full-time job, attending college, and all the demands outside of those had me constantly on edge. During the latter portion of the year, I started suffering from actual mental breakdowns that would range from mild anxiety attacks to actual episodes where I'd suffer from a combination of full blown panic attacks, vertigo, and (on one occasion) loss of sensation in my lower legs and arms. There was probably only a handful of days each month where I actually felt completely happy and was able to relax.

So during the Christmas/New Years period of December, I started making drastic changes. I changed the shift at my job, changed my focus in educational/career pursuits and decided I was going to take control of my life.

The roots of this song took place a matter of a couple weeks after all this took place. January 29th, I came up with a small little melody while at work and wrote down what I remembered on a piece of paper. That week, every day that I wrote on it, I had a new piece of paper outlining some little idea until I had mostly finished the composing.

But the thing is, the song became a release for all the negative emotions I'd been carrying. The anger, frustration, and overarching pain from last year faded away as I worked on the song and was replaced with a combination of joy, comfort and a brightness of hope. The song became imbued with all those emotions along with a somber undertone--the remnant of what pain I still felt. And you know, in hindsight as I think back on last year--it's the little moments--the little thoughts--the little things that kept me going.

And thats where the title comes from. You don't need to have a perfect life to be happy. You don't need to have everything you ever wanted to be content. Despite all the stress, I still overall was a happy person and kept moving forward. Cause it's "The Little Things" that keep me going at the end of the day. Those little things can add up to a whole lot if you take the time to appreciate them.

Special thanks to James Robert Staten, Jerry Xu, Stakeout Punch, Jousboxx, Etorna_Z, Peeftube, Pankakez, MegaHOP, Dystany, and Poleroyd for all the critical feedback y'all gave me as I sent demos of early versions. Your feedback really helped me shape the track into what it was.

I'd also like to dedicate the song to the memory of Lisa Kimmell Jacobs--a wonderful woman in my hometown who passed away on the day I started writing this song.

Jacoby Davis

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