Prior to forming The Midnight, Tyler Lyle and Tim McEwan were both established musicians. Lyle was an indie-folk singer-songwriter based in the state of Georgia and gained initial notability with several self-released titles, becoming regionally and nationally known. McEwan was a drummer and producer based in Denmark, later becoming a member of the Danish production group Deekay who has written and produced songs for many popular artists.
The pair met for the first time in 2012 at a songwriter’s workshop in North Hollywood organized by Katie Donovan, Lyle’s A&R representative at the time. Prior to meeting, McEwan had listened to some of Lyle’s previous work and liked Lyle’s folk sound. Despite differing musical backgrounds, they bonded over a mutual love of 80s rock and began to write songs together. After initially struggling to define their sound, McEwan suggested that they compose songs in the synthwave style. McEwan had prior exposure to the burgeoning genre and was inspired by the movie Drive. The first song they wrote together as a duo was WeMoveForward, which was included on their debut EP Days of Thunder.
STYLE AND WORKFLOW
For most of their career, The Midnight has created a strong and distinct synthwave sound in their music - Tim McEwan once described the band's early albums “as if Miami Vice had a baby with a John Hughes movie”. However, McEwan has continuously expressed a desire to evolve the synthwave genre and not be confined by it. Tyler Lyle has stated several times that the band's philosophy when composing is “combine, not confine”. Influences of genres such as lo-fi, soft rock, trance, and vaporwave can be heard on Monsters, and Lyle's musical background has brought influences of indie folk and Americana to the band's sound as well. Regarding the merging of their individual talents and styles, Lyle has said:
It’s rock and roll with synthesizers. Tim has a keen ear for production, and I can write songs that fit comfortably within the tradition of 20th century classic pop songwriting. Somewhere in the middle things get interesting.
McEwan employs various digital synths in his production, including Serum, Diva, TAL-U-NO-LX, Spire, and Roland Cloud's Jupiter 8 and Juno 106. In mid-2020, he mentioned that his favorite synth to use at the time was U-He's emulation of Prophet-5, known as Repro 5. McEwan has stated that he commonly begins with presets and then tweaks them to his liking. KONTAKT is used for sampling.
Both McEwan and Lyle use Logic Pro on macOS as their primary Digital Audio Workstation (DAW).Universal Audio interfaces are used to capture their sounds, which are then processed using UAD plugins. Using the same utilities makes it easier for them to share session files as a significant amount of their work is done remotely, due to living in different areas of the US. However, they will usually get together in the same room a few times during a release's production and will often write and record together while on tour. A release's sound and overall direction are generally created by the two bouncing ideas off each other - McEwan will send Lyle a rough track or beat, which Lyle will then think of lyrics and a title that would go good with the beat, after which McEwan will further build and produce the track. McEwan has stated that the production of a typical The Midnight album takes around three to six months, “from the early gestating part to finish”.
Production and drums are handled by McEwan, with Lyle providing guitar, lyrics, and vocals. Lyle has stated that he writes on a daily basis, and many lyrics come from a large number of fragments he keeps stored in Evernote. Most of the remaining instrumentation is digital, but on occasion songs (including most with saxophone and guitar solos) will at first have digital instruments that are then outsourced to other musicians to play live on the track. Thomas Edinger has been the primary saxophone player for The Midnight's releases, and McEwan's brother Oliver has frequently played bass for the band as well.
For live performances, various setups have been used by the band. Lyle stated that the Spring 2019 tour utilized an Ableton rig, with McEwan using an SPD SX sampling pad and MIDI controller. Lyle ran his guitars through a Kemper profiling amp, and he also used an OP1 for certain synth moments and pads.
Glória
The Midnight Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I feel so much better
I feel so much better today
And it's not the drugs
And it's not the weather
I just feel so much better today
I've been asleep in the driver's seat
Tryin' to find what it is I need
Too god damned tired to sleep
And then there were other times
I'm so aware that I lose my mind
And I feel that I could get enough
So high that I can't stand up
Oh, Gloria
I feel so much better
I feel so much better today
And it's not the drugs
And it's not the weather
I just feel so much better today
There are those who will never learn
Who build a fire and can't stay warm
The only secret to make it through
Is to take what's in front of you
I feel death and it thrills me
And all the lights in front of me
Drive ‘til the coast is clear
Fight until it disappears
Oh, Gloria
I feel so much better
I feel so much better today
And it's not the drugs
And it's not the weather
I just feel so much better today
Oh, Gloria
I feel so much better
I feel so much better today
And it's not the drugs
And it's not the weather
I just feel so much better today
Oh, Gloria
I feel so much better
I feel so much better today
And it's not the drugs
And it's not the weather
I just feel so much better today
I've been asleep in the driver's seat
I've been lost in my head for weeks
Tryin' to find what it is I need
Too god damned tired to sleep
The Midnight's song "Gloria" is an expression of a feeling of contentment and inner peace that the singer is experiencing. He repeats the phrase "I feel so much better" several times, which implies that he has had a rough time but has finally found some solace. The use of Gloria as a proper noun in the title may signify a person or entity that has been a source of comfort for the singer. He clarifies that it's not the drugs or the weather that has made him feel better, but something else.
The lyrics then indicate that the singer has been struggling with a lot of issues, including feeling lost in his thoughts and not being able to figure out what he needs. There is also a sense of being too exhausted to sleep, which suggests that he may have been working too hard or going through an emotional rollercoaster. There are moments where he feels like he's reaching a limits, wanting to escape and get so high that he can't stand up. However, he's also aware of a sense of danger in his desire for oblivion.
The lyrics of "Gloria" by The Midnight point towards an overall theme of self-discovery and personal growth. It's a song that acknowledges the struggles and pain that come with life, but also celebrates the moments of peace and happiness that one finds along the way.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, Gloria
The singer is addressing someone or something named Gloria who seems to be responsible for making them feel better.
I feel so much better
The singer is experiencing a positive change in their emotional state.
I feel so much better today
This positive change is taking place on this specific day and not previously.
And it's not the drugs
The positive change cannot be attributed to the use of any drugs.
And it's not the weather
The positive change is not a result of the weather.
I just feel so much better today
The singer is reiterating that their improved emotional state is limited to the current day.
I've been asleep in the driver's seat
The singer has likely been neglecting themselves and their responsibilities, putting themselves in a dangerous situation while doing so.
I've been lost in my head for weeks
The artist has been struggling with their thoughts and emotions for an extended period of time.
Tryin' to find what it is I need
The artist is searching for something important to them, likely a solution or answer to their problems.
Too god damned tired to sleep
The artist is exhausted to the point where even rest is not helping them feel any better.
And then there were other times
The singer is recalling times in the past where they have also struggled emotionally.
I'm so aware that I lose my mind
The artist is conscious of their mental state deteriorating.
And I feel that I could get enough
The singer is seeking an escape from their current situation, possibly through excessive drugs or other means.
So high that I can't stand up
The singer is using drugs to the extent that they are physically impaired.
There are those who will never learn
There are people who are unable to recognize or learn from their mistakes.
Who build a fire and can't stay warm
These people are unable to find comfort or happiness despite their efforts.
The only secret to make it through
The artist believes that there is only one way to successfully navigate through difficult times.
Is to take what's in front of you
The singer is suggesting that one should focus on what they have and not what they lack in order to persevere.
I feel death and it thrills me
The singer is experiencing an adrenaline rush from doing something dangerous or life-threatening.
And all the lights in front of me
The artist is likely driving or walking towards a destination with many lights ahead of them.
Drive ‘til the coast is clear
The artist wants to keep going until they feel safe and clear of any potential danger.
Fight until it disappears
The artist is determined to fight their way through any obstacles until they are no longer present.
Contributed by Olivia T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
tayo
on The Equalizer - Not Alone
A very good music can you make some new songs then we will give your channel 24700 subscriber I promise