"Flowergrade is the first release under my new alias Garden Busker. I felt a restart was necessary, as this new era marks a significant change of attitude from Wyhatt. This song has been a puzzle piece to a picture I've been trying to find for quite a while now. I think this is it -- trying to put the music out with the exact artistic idea I have in mind. I'm no longer about trying to get playlist spots or elaborate rollouts. This is the music and I love and appreciate everyone who gives just a moment of curiosity for it. Thank you forever."

Processing

I began writing Flowergrade in September of 2022, in my hometown of Barstow, California. It began as this loop of the main components -- the Frou Frou vox chops, green frantic arpeggio, shaky percussion section, and an awfully boring placeholder bass synth. With about two weeks of constant work on the track, I had the majority of Flowergrade finished by September 21st. At this point, the arrangement was finalised, and over the next two years, only nitpicking and a major mixing overhaul occured.

I'd say the reason it took so long to release wasn't the music, but I got caught up in the idea of making it a big deal. I'd begun to form plans for a big release, whether an album or extended play, I knew Flowergrade would've been the big track. I had plans for it as a single, debuting with a lacquer cut from Audio Geography (Clay has a test cut of Flowergrade from them, actually) and CDs handled by my lonesome.

I got a little busy over the years with school, and especially my move up to Portland. Even during the revival era of Wyhatt (my previous alias), with "Dreamweight", "Flora / Fauna", and "Two More", I stil held onto Flowergrade. It felt a step above what I'd been making, and like I needed to address that with a big New!! era. That took so much time, though, and I kept putting it off.

Recently, I premiered Flowergrade with some CDs up for grabs at my high school's 'senior exhibition night', where all the seniors show off their 'senior project', which is required to graduate. I decided it'd be (1) easy to complete, and (2) creatively motivating to use Flowergrade as my senior project. I thoroughly enjoyed having my friends, loved ones, and total strangers come up and see what I'm doing. I had my laptop open with a screen recording of the Ableton file for Flowergrade, and some CDs I made at home sprawled out along the tablecloth. I gave away about thirty copies, with only ten left.

That night gave me a sense of rediscovering the joy in making music. I'd been struggling for a long time on the idea of having a Music Career!!, when I could've been creating art in a more enjoyable, and sustainable, manner. This is why I decided to abruptly release the song here. There's no concern for streaming services, or promo rollout, or reaching out to playlisters. This is the music I make, presented entirely within my control, solely for the joy of sharing art with those who even just slightly get it.