HappyMag x Melting Reed on navigating their songwriting process
Melting Reeds have been quietly building a reputation for crafting music that feels both intimate and expansive.
Behind their lush, immersive soundscapes lies a meticulous yet instinctive approach to songwriting.
Guitar-focussed compositions form the backbone of each track with synths, bass and piano layered in to create texture and depth.
The band’s frontperson explains the inspiration isn’t a precise formula, it arrives in moments of sincerity, simplicity and emotional truth.
By starting with music first and letting melodies and harmonies emerge naturally, lyrics are born almost unconsciously, reflecting raw feelings that need expression.
Over ten tracks are already waiting to be recorded, hinting at a full-length album on the horizon.
For Melting Reeds, songwriting is a full-cycle process from conception to production and release, allowing them total creative independence and engagement at every stage.
Songwriting Process
I’ve never really known exactly how inspiration arrives. When I was younger, I used to overcomplicate things, as if making them elusive somehow made them more valuable. Now, I realize that the simpler it is, the stronger it can be. If you create something sincere that can stand the test of time, it’s powerful — authentic and inevitably close to who you are. If a professional thinks, “It’s brilliant how it’s constructed,” and a listener just feels, “I love this vibe,” then maybe you’ve really done something right.
I work very guitar-forward, so I almost always start with the strings. Then I add synths, bass, and experiment with ideas. That approach can be limiting, but it also gives structure, and with my current setup, it’s the way I can create. I already have over ten tracks waiting to be recorded — a full album is on the horizon. Beyond that, I handle almost everything myself, from initial composition to production, mixing, videos, promotion, and release communications. I like the full-cycle independence: it keeps me engaged, allows me to explore different mediums, and ensures I never get bored. Once an idea takes shape, I bring Matthieu in to offer another perspective and, most importantly, to add his magical touch on piano and synths.
My writing process is somewhat unconventional. I often start with a kind of automatic or unconscious writing. I never begin with lyrics — the music always comes first. Almost simultaneously, vocal lines appear — melodies and harmonies that I explore with humming or “mumbling.” It’s in that phase that certain words or syllables start repeating themselves in the same places, and that repetition becomes the foundation for the lyrics.
This unconscious element gives the words their meaning. These instinctive words often reflect what I’m experiencing, feeling, or perceiving, and — most importantly — the emotions I need to release and make sense of. It’s about translating that raw, inner energy into something tangible, something that communicates directly and sincerely.
