Overview

Hello world! My name is Tristan Alexander and I'm a singer-songwriter here in the beautiful city of Amherst, MA.

I’ve been surrounded by music my whole life, and I’ve been making it for as long as I can remember. I’ve played shows in South Africa, Canada, across the United States, and even a couple times in international waters! Music has always been my apparatus for understanding the world, and being raised by people from the farthest reaches of the globe, I think it’s all snowballed into a strange and wonderful combination of cultures and sounds. Music is like oxygen, and every breath that I put into my music is one that I hope to share with all of you. 

The material is ready, and the musicians are waiting -- this Plaid Dog campaign is the final step toward creating my first ever, professionally produced studio album.

This campaign is raising funds for my professionally recorded album with Mike Davidson  in Boston, MA. Mike is a seasoned Boston-based producer and engineer with experience working with both established and up-and-coming musicians. Together,  Mike and I are digging into my original material, writing arrangements, and reaching out to local musicians to bring the songs to life. 

We’ve been able to cover the costs of recording and producing one song, which is ready for you to check out right here on this page. This first song is called “Bangkok,” and you can check it out below!

While I’ve been able to fund the recording process for "Bangkok” on my own, to create an album of songs of this quality, studio costs add up quickly. With that said, this campaign can give us a unique opportunity to collaborate and make great art together. Your donation will cover the following costs of my project:

1. Pre-Production: This is where everything starts.  and I will start crafting the arrangements for each song slated for the album. We’ll hold rehearsals to fine-tune the songs and arrangements and talk through new and exciting ideas for how to approach the recording process.

2. Recording: This is when we enter the studio and start capturing the music and where the songs become what you'll hear on this album. This campaign will play a huge role in making sure we have enough time to capture great performances for every member of the band.

3. Mixing & Mastering: Each track will get mixed to create the right balance between instruments, texture and color that make up a track. As a final step, the album will be mastered from beginning to end so that the listening experience is cohesive and carefully choreographed from start to finish.

And what will you get for your generosity and support? So many awesome things!

I am so appreciative and grateful for any support you can lend to this campaign. In exchange for your generosity, I've put together a really exciting group of gifts that are available exclusively through your participation in this campaign.

Check out some examples below and a full list to the right!

Recording with Plaid Dog has been what feels like the first step towards a life that I’ve always dreamed of living—one where I’m able to make my music at a professional level, and share it with listeners. If you had asked me even six months ago whether I thought that I’d have an opportunity to work with a producer as talented as Mike, in a studio as renowned as this, I would’ve easily doubted it. It means so much to me that there are people in this world who have made it their life’s work to support young artists like myself and provide them with professional tools which we wouldn’t otherwise have access to. 

Looking back at my musical career so far, it’s clear to me that there’s no world in which I’d have the confidence or audience that I do now without friends and family supporting me every step of the way—from around the world! Whether it’s hometown friends who were the first listeners to my earliest songs, family members sharing tracks across time zones and continents, college friends who are bandmates, fans, followers, and contemporaries—I thank you all for helping me get this far.

My previous releases were either recorded in dorm rooms or ship cabins with cheap mics and IPhones. Those tracks were mixed in international customs offices, in airports, and sandwiched between final exams and everything else that life throws. There’s an intimacy in my music that has always lent itself well to that kind of DIY sound, however I hope that in getting an opportunity to record this next project in a studio while surrounded by gifted professionals, that the fidelity will only expand the feeling. With your support, I’ll be able to make something magical. 

If you're ready to contribute, just click the "Back This Project" button on the top right of this page! Every little bit counts, and I’m so grateful for all your support.

If you have folks in your network that would be interested in supporting me, please feel free to share this page with them.

Thank you so much for checking out my campaign page. I can't wait to share this music with you.