Dylan Schneider’s ‘Higher Than You Left Me’: Tale At the back of the Tune

“Higher Than You Left Me” arose Oct. 10, 2022, at the first day of a multi-day writing retreat at Nashville’s SMACK workplaces, the place a handful of songwriters crafted subject material for Schneider. As Schneider drifted periodically between dueling writing rooms, Michael Tyler (“Someplace on a Seaside,” “Thoughts on You”) and unrelated Brett Tyler (“Chilly Beer Calling My Identify,” “Wild as Her”) settled into the place of job of Lalo Guzman (“Cowboy Songs”), and after an extended duration of catching up, probably the most Tylers – which one stays an enigma – introduced up the “Higher Than You Left Me” phrase sport. It reveals the singer in dialog with an ex, asserting that he’s feeling higher than after they broke up, but in addition noting that he’s develop into a greater guy since assembly the brand new female friend.

Schneider recalls Michael throwing out the identify, even though neither of the Tylers is bound who offered it. Even though the identify was once Michael’s, Brett had a identical one in his notes, serving to to crystallize the tune’s path.

“The concept that I had was once form of that ‘Go away the arena higher than you discovered it’ form of factor,” Brett recollects. “It roughly stems from that quote, and I used to be considering it’d be attention-grabbing in the event you have been in a dating and it was once unhealthy, [but] the following particular person goes to get me higher than you left me.”

To get the song going, Guzman referred to as up a program that permits a keyboard to approximate acoustic guitars. That may make traditionalists scoff, nevertheless it has a realistic software in a gaggle environment. “As a substitute of me being like, ‘Everybody be quiet, I’m gonna mic this up,’ it’s simply an more uncomplicated strategy to stay the vibe going within the room,” Guzman says.

And for the reason that programmed model calls for urgent keys as an alternative of plucking strings, it additionally adjustments one of the most inventive chances. “After I’m enjoying the acoustic on a keyboard, I’m enjoying totally other strategies,” Guzman says, “and I’m enjoying totally other inversions of chords that spark an absolutely other method of feeling and considering.”

He used that set-up to create the acoustic guitar riff for the intro, and it shifted the crowd out of its chatty disposition and into extra targeted growth at the project. “After Lalo introduced that observe up,” Michael says, “it roughly jump-started the entire tune.”

The arpeggiation impressed a relatively linear verse melody, and so they explored the protagonist’s state of affairs, introducing a breakup-induced duration of bar-hopping, when he felt like an “empty glass.” After repeating the linear melody two times, they offered a pre-chorus with an “I noticed the sunshine” positivity that created an anticipation for the refrain.

Even in that early degree, they knew that phase was once sturdy sufficient they must repeat it once more later. “If it’s excellent sufficient for the pre-chorus, then it must be excellent sufficient for the bridge,” Michael suggests.

That “pre” shifted immediately right into a hooky refrain that varies between elongated phraseology and lighter, bouncy passages that paintings in tandem whilst they distinction. “I at all times like crafting melodies the place you give one thing truly staccato, virtually, and proper at the beat, after which throw in a curve ball that makes it come out a bit of bit extra,” Brett says. “It’s a push-and-pull factor.”

In the second one verse, the ex reappears in what might be interpreted as a booty name, or – now that he’s discovered any person new – a play to take the man again. Irrespective of the purpose, the singer pushes again, confirming within the procedure that he truly is in a “Higher” position. “You wish to have to search out any individual that now not handiest will make you’re feeling higher, however will make you a greater particular person, will make you’re employed on your self,” Schneider notes.

Michael sang lead at the demo, and Guzman completed the majority of it all the way through the consultation’s ultimate moments, blanketing the pretend arpeggiated-guitar intro with a easy, three-note atmospheric section. “That was once one thing I created with a bit of pitch-bend at the keyboard,” he says. “I’ve a pair sounds that I do this with to create a vibe, that you just truly can’t do with out doing it that method.”

When Schneider went to document Perplexed, he incorporated “Higher Than You Left Me” in a big batch of doable songs he introduced to Abend, who was once satisfied that it must be a part of the undertaking. There was once little pre-production dialog about “Higher” – Schneider relied on Abend would know what to do with it. For his section, Abend idea he must stick as regards to Guzman’s roadmap.

“It had that trappy beat, and that sig lick was once in there,” Abend says. “It was once so like a Lalo roughly demo, roughly extra at the city aspect.” They recorded “Higher” at Sound Degree on Nashville’s Tune Row, blending actual musicians with some programmed items. The snare sound, as an example, was once the skinny, ticky-ticky taste in the beginning popularized in hip-hop recordings, as an alternative of Nir Z’s thicker snare pops. It was once tucked in with Tim Galloway’s banjo, the 2 tools combining to outline the percussive reinforce.

“An actual snare would have got too busy,” Abend notes.

“There’s no gaps within the lyrics,” he added. “I sought after to position fills in every single place, however it might distract, I believe.”

On the other hand, guitarist Justin Ostrander took a solo in the course of the tune, deftly rippling his method thru a scene-changing aspect adventure. Schneider recorded his ultimate vocal at Sound Emporium, deviating in a couple of spots from Michael’s unique phraseology to make the efficiency a bit of extra private. “He sounds truly easy,” Brett says, “and in addition truly plausible.”

Wheelhouse in the beginning deliberate to unlock “Carhartt,” the outlet observe on Perplexed, as a unmarried, however “Higher” – despite the fact that it was once the 14^th minimize at the undertaking – generated just about the similar collection of streams. The label took realize and switched its plan, issuing “Higher Than You Left Me” to nation radio by way of PlayMPE on Jan. 7, with Jan. 27 pinpointed because the authentic upload date. It’s catchy; it’s additionally comfortable sufficient to lend a hand Schneider’s promotion efforts.

“It’s now not like a straining factor,” he says. “You’ll be able to simply be simple and run round degree, have amusing, and focal point a bit of extra in your efficiency and getting the gang excited. Which, I believe that’s what this tune does anyway.”