Originally a vehicle of songwriter / producer Kurt Feldman, the band's first recorded output was Nautilus, an EP made available for free download through New York netlabel 8bitpeoples in 2006. After recruiting Akira Hashizume as second guitarist, the group went on to record their first LP, In Her Gentle Jaws, which was released as a free download from their website in December of 2007. This album was self-engineered in New York and mixed by Joshua Eustis (Telefon Tel Aviv, Sons Of Magdalene) in Chicago, Illinois. Hashizume left the band in 2007 and was replaced by guitarist Christoph Hochheim. Anton Hochheim joined the band in 2008 as drummer.
In 2009, the trio signed to Kanine Records who released the remainder of their recorded work: two singles, Dream About Me (June 2009) and Blue Lily (September 2010) as well as their second full-length album, Spirit Youth (May 2010) which was also engineered, mixed and produced by Joshua Eustis. A limited edition vinyl reissue of the now deleted In Her Gentle Jaws album was released in 2009 as well. Depreciation Guild's second and final album, Spirit Youth, aimed to broaden the group's sonic palette, emphasizing pop hooks over gimmick and adding layers of live instrumentation to their already lush sound. To accommodate this, Raphael Radna joined the band on live bass guitar and keyboard.
After touring extensively in Europe, the United States and Japan in 2009 and 2010, the band amicably split to pursue other musical endeavors.
In August of 2010, the band released an original iPhone puzzle game called TileWild as a collaboration between Kurt Feldman and programmer Hayden Cacace, which featured three new compositions written for the game. While the band is currently defunct, Depreciation Guild, Inc. continues to develop games for the iPhone OS.
On August 3, 2013, The Depreciation Guild's original line-up of Kurt Feldman and Akira Hashizume reunited for a one-night show at the Glasslands Gallery in Brooklyn, New York, where the duo played In Her Gentle Jaws in its entirety. There are currently no plans for additional shows or a new record.
Currently, Kurt writes and produces music for his synthpop project Ice Choir. He has also played drums in The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, and has done production work for bands like Anamanaguchi and Roman à Clef. Christoph is a touring guitarist for The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart and has his own project, Ablebody; Anton is also a touring member of The Pains of Being Pure At Heart and Ablebody, and has also played drums in the Brooklyn-based experimental rock band Dinowalrus. Raphael is currently a member of Ice Choir, in which he plays synthesizer.
Trace
The Depreciation Guild Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
a heart, some shapes
a lover's back,
a sleeping face
so unknowing, and so unsaid
could you tell if
someone instead
would trace
would trace
would trace
if i were gone, you would go on
of touch, and of taste
feelings too small to trace
in the warmth
of sun in your hair
in a doubt
you're not sure is there
you will trace
will trace
will trace
will trace
what i can't see is killing me
when feelings fade i will retrace
and i will stay with you
when feelings fade i will retrace
and i will stay with you all the time
The lyrics to The Depreciation Guild’s “Trace” are beautifully written, conveying the deep emotions of a person reflecting upon love, loss and the importance of memories. The song begins with the idea that “a hand can trace a heart, some shapes,” a metaphor for the power of memories and how they can be preserved and captured by tracing them. The lyrics then go on to describe how a lover’s back or a sleeping face can be traced and how these memories are “so unknowing and so unsaid,” indicating how the memories are not communicated but are deeply felt.
The next stanza talks about touch and taste, and how some feelings are too small to trace. It describes how these emotions are captured in the warmth of the sun in your hair or in a doubt that you’re not sure is there. These emotions are again described as something that will be traced, but this time the line “what I can’t see is killing me” is particularly poignant. It suggests that the emotions that are being felt are so strong but they can’t be seen or quantified, thus making them hard to deal with.
The last part of the song talks about the importance of memories, even when feelings have faded. It suggests that the person will retrace their steps and stay with the other person, preserving the memories even though the emotions may no longer exist.
Overall, “Trace” conveys the importance of memories, and how they can be captured and preserved through touch and tracing. The song speaks to the deep emotions that are often felt but not expressed, and how memories can be a way to hold onto those feelings even when they are gone.
Line by Line Meaning
a hand can trace
The ability to capture or remember an image by tracing it with your hand.
a heart, some shapes
Tracing a heart symbol, or any other shape that brings forth feelings and emotions.
a lover's back,
Tracing the shape of someone's back, specifically a lover's back which is intimate and personal.
a sleeping face
Capturing the image of a sleeping person's face while they are unaware and vulnerable.
so unknowing, and so unsaid
Tracing these shapes and images without needing to express them in words - the power of visual communication.
could you tell if
Questioning if someone would be able to discern these traced images and shapes without any explanation.
someone instead
Challenging the idea of someone else being able to capture these same images if the singer were not present.
would trace
Repeating the act of tracing as a powerful tool for memory and connection.
if i were gone, you would go on
Acknowledging the idea that life continues even if one is no longer present, but tracing provides a way to stay connected to memories and emotions.
of touch, and of taste
Tracing is not just limited to sight, but can also include the senses of touch and taste.
feelings too small to trace
Recognizing that some feelings may be too complex or abstract to capture through tracing.
in the warmth
Describing a specific feeling or image associated with warmth, such as the sun on someone's hair.
of sun in your hair
The warmth of the sun specifically on someone's hair, which creates a unique feeling and image that can be captured through tracing.
in a doubt
Describing a feeling of uncertainty, which may be difficult to trace but still carries emotional weight.
you're not sure is there
Acknowledging the liminal space of uncertainty, where emotions and feelings may exist but are not yet fully formed or understood.
you will trace
Encouraging the idea of using tracing as a way to capture these complex emotions and feelings.
what i can't see is killing me
The artist is struggling with something they cannot see or understand, which is causing them emotional pain and turmoil.
when feelings fade i will retrace
Tracing provides a way to relive emotions and memories even when they start to fade or disappear over time.
and i will stay with you
Through tracing, the singer can create a connection with someone else even after they are no longer physically present.
when feelings fade i will retrace
Repeating the idea that tracing can provide comfort and connection even as emotions and memories start to fade.
and i will stay with you all the time
Through the act of retracing and remembering, the artist can stay connected to someone else even after they are gone, creating a sense of permanence and continuity.
Contributed by Noah A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.