I am Michael Angelakos, otherwise known as Passion Pit. Ask me anything!

What inspired Sleepyhead? It's the best song ever.

Honestly, the samples usually tell the story. Was really into Mary O'hara, listening to lots of Irish folk music. But I had been making a lot Passion Pit material. I hadn't sampled anything that heavily before. But I realized I had a song that was kind of doing what that song was doing already (melodically).

In the end, I finished it in less than 2 hours... And the sound in the beginning was an accident -- had some plugin turned on accidentally that reversed the whole song and this one drum loop.

It's always the stuff that isn't perfect.

Is Passion Pit a band or a solo project?

it's a solo project. live it is a band.

Hey man. I read Kindred, a novel. At one point in the book, a character asks the young protagonist "Where will you go?" She replies, "I don't know, but I can't stay here."

I noticed that the same sentiment is echoed in "Dancing On The Graves." Is this intentional or just a weird coincidence?

WHOA! Just saw that book somewhere. Um, total coincidence, actually, but that's... man, that's the best.

What would it take for you to come to Chicago and play a show that a seventeen year old long time fan could afford?

I'll even bring you tacos.

PS - Gossamer got me through a very tough time in life, I owe you a ton. Thank you so much.

you rule. i wish somehow that could work, haha. come to a show soon, my friend. you don't owe me anything -- we're all supposed to be doing things for each other -- you just did something wonderful for me!

Hey M!!! I really appreciate that you are connecting with your fans a lot recently. You are an inspiration to me, not just because of your music but what you have gone through in life generally. I look up to you so much for being an open book.

So, anyway my question would have to be: how did you know that it was time to come out? Right now, I'm still confused which probably explains why I'm often too depressed.

It is... very hard. I am bisexual, and to confront my homosexuality was just... a matter of time. There is not right time, which means there's always the right time, so follow your gut but understand that you need to make yourself feel happy. You need to control your narrative for you. Don't let other people hijack it. I know how hard it is, I know it's painful, and it doesn't make sense really -- but at the end of the day, you will be coming out the rest of your life. This stuff is really dumb, we should be able to be whatever we want. But you're probably a really creative person -- make it work for you. I m rooting for you.

Followup question: how did you come out with your closest friends? Did you just say it blatantly or you have a feeling they knew anyway so why not let the cat out of the bag?

it was a very hard, weird process... i don't know how to even recall it, i think it's still kind of fresh, actually.i mean, just never assume anyone knows. i think some people thought it, others didn't. none of it matters. you have to control your version of it all.

As a bisexual person, thank you so much. Knowing there's other awesome bisexual people out there makes me feel a little more okay about everything.

it is a very misunderstood world. do not question yourself. enjoy yourself and the things you bring to the world. otherwise it's all a waste of time. xo

Hey Michael! I just wanted to say thanks for all the rough times you've helped me through and everything your music has given me. It's really something I can never give back. If you had any advice for an aspiring artist, what would it be?

Do not question your validity. You are an artist whether a system tells you are or aren't. Do not look to others to validate you -- just share, share, share.

1: What is your favorite eurorack module?

2: Who is your favorite former bandmate, and why is it me?

;-)

i love any of the addac or makenoise stuff.

Cheers bud, I just ordered a 4ms DLD, I'll let you know how I get on with it

dude. look at that. i just was flying through answers. YOU SEE? TRUTH. love you of course you are my favorite. on the record. i tried to get you to join the band AGES before you did.

Haha much love my friend. Won't be the last time we work together. Speak soon!

psssh u

Can I use your music in my YouTube videos? I'm traveling around the US solo and making daily videos and would love to include your songs.

yeah, awesome. and thank you

Hi Michael! First of all, shout out to you for introducing me to one of my favorite electronic DJs/artists, Madeon! Pay No Mind is one of my favorite songs ever. How did you meet Madeon? How was it like working with him? Also, have you seen him perform on his own tour or during the Shelter tour?

he reached out to me. he's so damn good. he's super nice. he's very smart. he's super driven. he's probably just going to keep on crushing it. he's a good friend, i'm proud of him.

How would you feel if Trump's secretly a big fan of your works? LOLLL

oh, god... well, maybe i could make him feel something, but i highly doubt it. let's be real. so, really, nothing.

Is there a certain reason why "American Blood" and "Almost There" didn't make it onto the American release of Gossamer?

well, when you release music, your supposed to incentivize services by giving them bonus material. so, whatever you have left over...

personally i hate that. all of a sudden those songs aren't special, they're "additional." this is... dangerous to me.

Hey! Thanks for everything- your music and all you've done for mental health awareness. I'm looking forward to hearing more about The Wishart Group. Any updates you can share at this point?

I am terribly anxious to update but the wait will be worth it. Actually, i think we'll be able to announce stuff pretty soon...it's a loaded thing, it's a big effort. And it's not easy because it is new.

I've seen you 6 times now and you have fucking killed it every time. Manners is hands down my favorite collection of music of all time and I think you are an unbelievably talented lyricist. Thank you so much for doing what you do.

Is there a particular reason that you never play Seaweed Song? Some of the older songs never seem to get any love anymore, as I don't think I've ever heard you play Cuddle Fuddle and I would LOVE to hear more from Chunk of Change in a live setting. Do you not enjoy playing your older music anymore? Is it not as meaningful as what you have written more recently?

Lastly, I must have read the Pitchfork piece on you about a dozen times. It was incredibly powerful and really made me appreciate your music even more. Was it difficult to initially open up about that? I think that was the first interview where you started discussing the context of how your music and I loved the honesty. It was really inspiring.

it's a really hard song to play live but that's not a good excuse. also it's kind of slow... hard to really get the audience into. so maybe that. we'll work on the older material, trust me. THANK YOU

Omg I love ur songs take a walk and sleepy head. <3

Do u like Britney Spears? Would you ever collaborate with her? And what is ur favorite Britney song?

Thanks so much for doing this AMA

i actually tried writing a song for her. and failed. because i cannot really write sexy music. or something. i think the tone of this answer should explain everything

How did you come up with the name Passion Pit?

was in a fashion class, studying the 50's, was the name used, in slang, referring to drive-in movie theaters. i passed a note to my friend, and was like, "band name?" and she wrote back "no."

hahaha

Hey Michael,

I don't really have a question other than to say thank you for one of the best nights of my life. I got tickets for my birthday to see Passion Pit and Matt & Kim at MSG back during that snowstorm in 2013. It was an amazing show and my friends and I spent the night walking around the empty city in the middle of the snowstorm, seeing places like Times Square completely barren. How close were you guys to cancelling that show?

So close. That was insane. sold 12k+ tickets, 10,500 people still showed up. They shut down the damn city! That moment was absolutely staggering.

Hi Michael!

I love your music so, so much. Kindred was my most played album last year. I realized I was in love/gay while my friend and I were listening to Constant Conversations, and whenever I play that song, or Where The Sky Hangs (his favourite), I can't help but smile. We're about 6000 miles apart and I don't feel that way but listening to your music reminds me of him, and makes me think of love.

Questions:

• Do you think you'll be playing in Korea in the future?

• How does Dancing On The Graves make you feel?

• Will TSOL see a tour release?

• Are you single? If not, wanna go on a date in Seoul?

(PS, /r/popheads LOVES you. You're basically the only non-top 40 artist that gets played)

Hopefully Korea, yes! DOTG makes me feel, well, it's a really important song, i think it was when i stopped feeling like I NEED TO PUT DANCE BEATS IN EVERY SONG TO IDENTIFY AS PASSION PIT. It's just pop music, really. It's all melody, that's my focal point.

Is a hotdog a sandwich?

Basically. We're really into classifying stuff, aren't we?

What's more dangerous: getting caught in a Temper Trap or falling into a Passion Pit?

booooo

Will we ever get a full song out of this snippet? https://soundcloud.com/mangelakos/but-will-he-love-me-like-calvin-loves-alice-1

i think that's... wait that's actually an early demo of i'll be alright. believe it or not.

Hey Micheal, this is a bit of a presumptive question, but do you ever feel constrained by Passion Pit's deeply personal focus as a project, and if so, how do you distance yourself from your work in its creation? I say this as an artsy-fartsy writer liberal arts type trying to jumpstart her career - I've seen a lot of my academic and creative work become celebrated in the circles that I run in, but so far that work has been coming from a deeply personal place, basically exploring and re-exploring my experiences as a bipolar trans girl, and I'm worried that "soul-bearing" will become a part of how I'm seen to the point where that's all I can be (or be seen) as an artist.

P.S. I'm a huge fan of your work - TSOL has brought me a lot of joy in these last couple weeks.

oh of course. yeah, i mean, it's a defining thing. it's very defining as much as it is, you know, whatever i want it to be. but it isn't, because a lot of it is defined by what people expect. i let people down, i exceed expectations, etc -- this is the language most people use when listening to new material. so a lot of it is this weird thing trying to understand what people want and also doing what you want, and then combined with being so personal, you know, it gets mentally draining, but there's more of a reason to do then "just do it" or "make money." i've been doing this all of my life, honestly. the recording at the beginning of better things was me when i was 5. this is very important but it's also very fun to me -- you have to be okay living in a paradox.

What is to kingdom come about?

That's a loaded one. I'll try to get back to this. I also don't know who to really... talk through songs, they're really emotional time capsules. Sometimes I can, sometimes I can't. I've got you though, I'll try to get back to you. xo

Advice to aspiring producers?

Make a ton of music, that's your business card. Share fearlessly. Flip other songs. Don't just go with what's working now, you're supposed to be developing what's next.

Hello Michael! Thanks for doing the AMA. I have only recently discovered your music through a friend of mine and i have been enjoying it a lot. I really love your fast paced songs like "I'm Perfect" and was wondering if we would see more of that on TSOL?

Also, come to DALLAS. There are a lot of Passion Pit fans here wanting to meet you.

yeah was thinking i'd push some faster stuff, actually. but it's amazing to see that like, at the end of the day, these songs can be arranged in so many ways, tempo, pace, all of that stuff i just packaging. but yeah, i hear you, i actually thought similarly.

Hey dude. What would be on your version of the best burrito ever?

I go carnitas. And I go pretty simple.

Michael, i owe you one. I discovered your music back in 2009 or 2010 and it changed my life. Not only that, but you have inspired me as an advocate of mental health awareness, and an example of someone who fights similar struggles. I have depression and anxiety, so not quite as severe, but it has certainly been one of the greatest challenges in my life.

That being said, what is the best advice you can give to someone with mental illness? How have you been able to rise above the demons that haunt you?

first i don't think you should call them demons. i don't like a lot of the language we're using in this discussion. i think that serves as a reminder that there's something "wrong." maybe we need to stop thinking about it being something wrong and it just being a setback that can be harnessed correctly, that it's something everyone deals with just more of it, that maybe we're just talking about it the wrong way. i always think about how it's not really what someone's saying, it's how they say it, and i think this, and many other issues today, stem from communication breakdowns. this is a very binary, human issue, to deny it is insanity, but that means that there's just something wrong with how we're talking about it. it started off the wrong way, so we have to find a way to make sense of it now, or rethink our approach altogether. but it's going to get better very soon, we're going to start to see that procedure-based therapies that are in fact holistic are so much better than medicines -- and anyone, even someone who is just sad, can access them someday. that's going to be on of the main shifts.

best of luck!

You liked one of my tweets abt your music being a reason to live (I stand by that statement) but thanks for acknowledging it!

Is there any musician you really want to collaborate with at the moment?

Also, what's some of your favorite TV shows / movies?

(PS, come check out /r/popheads if you ever have the time, we love your music!)

WEST WING and currently obsessed with Schitt's Creek. Too many films. I just... I don't know where to begin. But, seriously, seasons 1-4 of West Wing. And Twin Peaks. And A Bit of Fry and Laurie.

Is TSOL being released to streaming services at some point? I fucking adore pretty much all of it so I'm hoping it isn't just a Youtube experiment

Well, let's just consider that usually, yes, a service like that will have it. But if something isn't an experiment, I get kind of bored. Also, at the end of the day, I have very specific plans for it, and I don't think it's what you're thinking. But i think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Hello! Do you find that curating knowledge and inspiration from practices outside of your own is important to your creative process? If so, what other art forms and/or trades do you like to observe and use to inform your work? How do you feel about the fact that you've become one of those sources for other creators?

it is absolutely everything. that is theory. and theory is important.

"Somewhere Up There" is your best, most unexpected track to date. If you don't mind sharing, how did this track come about?

i wrote the music to, quite literally, walk in the city too. i have a few songs like this. my brain just craves certain kinds of songs, and i can't always get them from other artists, which is a gift because, as you said, the unexpected is the best. but i'm particular so i literally just...started soundtracking my walks, i walked faster/became more punctual actually. it sounds insane but i swear, it kind of works. interesting exercise.

anyway so i had the first part of this song done for a little bit but it needed work.

it's a panic attack in three movements. i listen to a lot of classical music, particularly opera, and i decided to just completely rip the rug out from underneath listeners and not be so obsessed with making songs make sense to people from a structural standpoint. in fact, i think my music was so obsessed with doing that, it eventually cancelled itself out. it became so predictable, people probably stopped listening, or just could assume almost correctly what would happen. that's... really depressing, because that's not how i think in general.

so then someone that i go to who's a mentor to me, i record conversations with him because he says a lot and it's not worth him writing it down, it's part of the process. and one of those moments we talked through my childhood. and it became clear what was the main issue in a lot of my current problems / transitional situations.

so i sampled him. with his permission. that's the bowlby theory portion, the part about three different attachments.

and then it became this piece that... explored a panic attack in three movements. that's what my pain sounds like. that's what my horror sounds like. it's pretty, that's what's weird and creepy about it to me.

and then maybe the most honest thing about it is that it starts as a song about my divorce, about my insecurities in it, about blaming myself for everything after a lot of really bad communication, etc. And that's the vocal portion at the beginning.

but it turned out i just wasn't listening. i wasn't listening to people, i wasn't listening to music the right way, and classical music taught me that. classical music taught me to listen.

and if you listen, truly listen, you understand people, but you understand yourself.

and at the end, there wasn't much more i needed to sing -- that's the irony in all of this. i don't need to speak so much. i'm learning this still, this is a process. i need to listen.

like finally listening to a voicemail from my mother that i had ignored until that moment -- and making that literally the finale of the song.

this is 100% real, and whether or not it makes sense to people at first doesn't matter. it makes sense to me.

You responded to my retweet about you not getting paid for a concert you held in Manila a while back. I just lazily typed "awkward" and you responded "¯_(ツ)_/¯ tell me about it." I just had to let you know, that had me feeling pretty cool.

Besides not getting paid to play in Manila (which is terrible and inexcusable), what did you like about the Philippines? Did you get to travel around at all? The magic lies outside the city for sure! Hope you got paid man, your music is the common ground between mine and my girlfriend's taste in music, so thanks for being the glue that keeps us together on road trips!

everyone was very nice. the crowd was amazing. sometimes stuff happens. my point was, the people who haven't paid me could have just been kind about it. but then, all of this happened, and this was ABSOLUTELY INSANE TO WATCH. but people lie, and most people immediately assume an artist lies, but what's really frightening is when an artist is spot-on and telling the truth. it scares the hell out of people. as to why, that is the main point of all of that. i'm probably not going to get paid. but in a way, i don't even have to. money is a stupid energy. i am just a guy. underestimation is a weapon.

What is your favorite dessert?

i'm the guy that says he doesn't like dessert and demolishes dessert if its put in front of him. therefore i refuse to answer this question, just to remain in character

Just a thought - Swimming in the Flood, It's Not My Fault I'm Happy, Where We Belong, Sleepyhead, in that order.

Do you have any combinations or songs that you listen to in any certain order?

nah, and i don't really listen to them like, all of the time. i do for context but... i'd rather just make new stuff.

It says you're weird so what's your weirdest quality?

"it" being me? i mean, i'm a a little strange. that's okay. i tried my whole life to not be strange. that made me look stranger. we're all strange. just some of us are, you know, louder.

Hey Michael,

Huge fan of your music! I listened to it a ton in high school and rediscovered it college. It's really meaningful to me as someone who's slowly working through lifelong anxiety and depression. Can't wait for the new album!

How does it feel doing the falsetto? And how do you decide to incorporate it into a song?

it's actually not REALLY my falsetto, it's kind of called supervoice? like if i sang in falsetto all of the time, which is breathier, i'd lose my voice everyday. but actually i strengthened my voice at a time when it would've continued to change and deepen, as i was singing really really high for years at a time. and something happened. and now i have...a higher voice than i did in high school. nature is weird.

I never really listened to much music until a friend sent me a link to some of your music and I fell in love with it.

Just one question, dogs or cats?

Cats. Dogs are cool. Cats are just...emotionally way more tapped in then ANYONE gives them credit for.

How do you think you've grown from album to your new material?

You are hearing me grow! I think that's pretty wonderful. I don't think it's embarrassing. I don't think I'm perfect. I think the fun thing is to watch people just be themselves and attempt to be fearless. I'm not fearless, but I can make myself vulnerable, because I like when other people do and that's a powerful thing. If everyone stopped hiding and starting being more of themselves, just imagine how amazing things would be?

Hey Michael,

What is this mystery song and where/when is it from? I've had it on my computer for over 5 years and I'm not sure where I got it. But it was listed under 'Chunk of Change'. I listen to it constantly.

Thanks for being here and your music has changed my life, luv ya bud.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Il_dkweaGy0

Oh, that was a theme song for my friends who had this comedy troupe called Zebro. That was pre-Ableton!

Hey Michael,

Are there still plans to repress old records like gossamer and manners?

Thanks for the sweet jams, Noah

Yes! This is a grueling process, i promise you that vinyl is very important to me and I think the price points on this stuff is just criminal. I am working really hard with some people to do this right.

Hi Michael, long time fan of your music. I listen to it when I write poetry (and dance in my room by myself), so thank you for all that you do. What is your creative process like? You've cultivated quite a distinct style, and I was wondering what your approach is to creating a song from beginning to end, including the lyric writing too.

i'm basically a tornado, and when i kind of am in a controlled environment, sometimes i finish stuff and it works. no one has any idea what the hell i'm talking about or getting at until it's done. and that's why i love the hell out of anyone that helps me, because it's not easy, but it can be really fun. for the most part, there's no set way of starting anything. it just... it's a chaos, and i'd prefer to keep it that way, because in the end it's just... a thing. it renders something. it's funny.

Was carried away based on your life?

all of my songs in some way are, yes. or interactions with people in it.

What's the hardest song that you have to play live? Hard in the sense that it means a lot to you and it makes you feel all kinds of stuff that you may actually tear up while playing that song.

P.s. Manila misses you a lot!!!! Come back, alright?

They're actually all pretty hard. I mean, it's way more athletic of a show than I ever want to admit, and I realize it about, I don't know, 3 minutes in. But then it gets fun again.

How do you go from a 4 bar loop to a full song ? How do you develop ideas for your songs ?

I have no idea ! it's pretty easy to me, everything just unfolds. I mean everything kind of starts with a little loop, you know? and you just... quit allowing it to be a loop and start unraveling it.

How do you keep going when you have no motivation?

I have no idea. It's very, very, hard. It is for everyone. There is nothing that isn't renewable energy, basically. What you see as a hindrance can actually be a tool for advancement. Start considering your perception of things as the main culprit.

[deleted]

MCMF was the single most important project of my life. And it's only just begun. It is a long-term project. It has my heart. Completely.

Hey, Micheal.. wanna ask what's your favorite song to perform live??

man, we did cuddle fuddle, all live, in nyc... that was really fun. and we never do it. ever. i think that's essentially the model. deprive yourself of joy. hahahaha. ridiculous, we should really play it more.

Going off of this, do you tend to prefer slower paced songs or the more upbeat, fast ones (both when making them and when playing live)?

no preference.

What keyboard/instruments/effects processors do you use for live shows?

wooof, this is SUCH A LONG ANSWER... i'll do this later. is that cool?

What inspired "Take a Walk". I love that song, but could never really understood what it meant. Something about selling flowers in front of Penn station? Regardless, whenever I hear it now I get hungry for Taco Bell...thanks for that.

it's just a weird character study that went almost too far, i have no idea. but i like that it's so uncharacteristic of me. each verse, well, including the bridge, is about a male figure in my family, and the common thread is immense financial and familial pressure, and how money seems to have always ruined everything. you need it, but it's very clearly the corruptive element.

I was very heavily attracted to a woman, we have sex and then she stopped talking to me

Her favorite band was Passion pit

What song do I blast via boombox outside her window to get her back?

you know exactly which one.

Listening to your music on shrooms is the best, are you aware of this?

;)

Which DAW do you use?

ABLETON! and we mix in pro tools sometimes. or a lot of times. but these songs brad, my studio partner, just jumps in to make sure what i do in ableton isn't INSANELY noisy, etc. we both agreed TSOL should feel like chunk of change in this sense. just straight from the source, not matter if it's noisy or whatever. imperfect. etc

Who do you want to collaborate with next?

i don't know, who do you think?

CHVRCHES x Passion Pit would be a dream. I could also see you and Ezra Koenig making amazing music together. You and Grimes could also make an amazing song. Or maybe a Pay No Mind part 2 with Porter Robinson and Madeon this time?

ugh, chvrches. so good. all of these names -- yes, all amazing.

Hey! Saw you on tour with Muse in 2011 at the staples center. first concert ever and y'all inspired my love for live shows. any good memories from that tour?

edit: word

they are super nice guys but their chef would test out recipes on me. i was like the medieval foot-taster, the guy that would taste the royalty's food before they ate in case it was poisoned. it was definitely not poisoned, and it definitely helped me stay healthy, actually. was a weird but fun tour. fascinating to see such a crazy production from that perspective.

Hey Michael! "My Brother Taught Me How to Swim" means the absolute world to me because my brother has gotten me through a lot with depression, aspergers, bipolar, etc. So I just wanted to know more about how he's helped you, and what he's done to inspire you to write the song. Also how do you/did you repay him? I often question this because my brother is my world, and I wouldn't be alive today without him and with that being said, I feel like he needs something in return.

my brother is a message. he is an enormously important person. like many people, he doesn't feel important. and so i wrote a song about him. it doesn't really mean much, but it does to me, and maybe it did to him. he's a wonderful guy, i love him very much.

Hey Michael. You're my favorite band. I love your music. My question is: How are you doing? Since Gossamer (one of my favorite albums by the way) you've seemed to be doing much better.

somedays great, somedays not so great. just like anyone else. the harder i work the happier i am.

Hello there! One of my favorite lyrics in any song ever came from Eyes as Candles: "Never have I ever been clutching at your hair to cure you of some sin, but that's the kind of state I'm in: swimming in a pool of Godly medicine." I have always wondered where that line came from. What was your inspiration to write that? Additionally, what made you decide to sing mostly in falsetto as opposed to your natural range? Was it a result of your composition and arrangement choices in your music? Or has that always been your preference outside of Passion Pit?

to be honest with you, i'd have to go and read all the lyrics together. because manners is some dense stuff, and context is anything. but i'll tell you that i actually really like the lyrics to that song. i think that song is pretty interesting in terms of what i've put out.

What's the most insane thing you have ever seen a fan do?

i actually... don't know the answer to this.

Hey! Thanks so much for doing this!

Do you have any advice related to the creative process (such as writing songs or doing anything else creative)?

Also: If you go on tour be sure to stop by Dallas, your show in 2015 was amazing! --- Also wanted to say that your most recent song, To The Otherside, I really, really, loved. It hit me harder than any song has before. Thanks for being such a cool dude and making awesome music!

Make stuff all of the time. Even when you don't feel like it. Don't force it, but practice. Not everything you make is going to be amazing, but that's how you're going to know when something is amazing -- making a lot of stuff. Your brain is incredible, use it.

Hey Michael, just have a two for you.

1. What is your favorite line that you wrote in a song.
2. Was the tweet about "upcoming viral videos" you made in December 2015 about something still to come?

Thanks for all the dope music!

I think I was kidding about the upcoming viral videos. I think i was making fun of a conversation I had. How the hell am i going to make a viral video, really? What does that even mean? Ha.

Oh, I don't know... there's one Im writing now that I think might be the answer to this question.

Hey K has some stuff in it that's pretty on point for me. It's hard to favorite what you do.

I didn't buy the Christmas album because I was hoping a CD/DVD release would happen. I should have just bought it and then done the videos after idk I kinda wanted the first experience to be with the video. Anyway, my question is will there be a physical CD/DVD release of Merry Christmas Mr. Fields?

watch the video album on youtube!

When can we expect to see your new music on Google Play?

that will happen, i'm sure. just enjoy it, you know? and rip the music, whatever. it's not like i'm not going to write and release many more songs! in the meantime, this is a moment, and look what it's doing? this isn't a one-shot -- it's a volley! thanks for supporting me

I'm sure you hear this from a lot of people, but I just want to start by saying how much your music means to me. I've been struggling with anxiety and depression for years now, and your music really spoke to me more than any other artists. What you do is very inspiring, the way you can portray how you--and so many other people--feel through music, and the way you can push on and remain positive, it's just inspiring. People like you keep people like me going, so thank you for that.

Apologies for the long intro, on to my question: How do you take all your feelings/thoughts and use them to create coherent lyrics and music? I've always tried writing songs but I always have so many thoughts and feelings popping into my head at once that it's impossible to create anything meaningful or understandable. Additionally, what is your writing process?You seem to do a great job of creating vibrant instrumentals which contrast somewhat darker lyrics, is that always the intent or does it just seem to happen?

Thank you so much for doing this ama! It really means a lot to me and everyone else, I'm excited to read your responses!

How do you take all your feelings/thoughts and use them to create coherent lyrics and music? I have no idea, I think it's from working a lot. It takes practice. It takes a long time to make sense of what you're doing. And in the process, you sometimes don't know what you're doing. Actually, most of the time. And that's because you're in it. And that's kind of what it's all about.

My writing process is insane. No one understands it until they're around me for awhile. It's a very weird thing, it evolves, and it's just... it's like your personality -- you accept it, and you take constructive criticism because people who believe in what you're doing they're just trying to help. But in the end you just do whatever you have to do.

The dichotomy you're talking about is literally the point of passion pit. Feelings are complex, they are not happy or sad, etc. They don't sound or look like what they are. It's basically, to me, ideology.

Michael,

Have you ever considered to try and make a different genre of music?

have you heard merry christmas mr fields? the album i released in december?

Michael! Hey huge fan. Love what you've made and what you're making with sea of love. Which of your albums would you say was the most emotional one to put together?

honestly, they have all been... so intense, so dramatic hahahaha. but this one, actually. this one is the product of years and years of work and pain and... not understanding what was really happening. I'm just trying to say that if you stay at it, you're going to be heard. Just keep working at it. You're never really done if it's still so cathartic, you know?

also, i am making the songs the night before i release them. so if that tells you anything...

Hey, In 2015, the Big Guava Music Festival had a little thing on Instagram where if someone commented why they wanted to go to the fest, they would pick one person's comment to get free tix to the show/fest. At the time (more then/still a bit now) i was going through a rough patch and at the time your music had a pretty profound and helpful impact on me, so i wrote a pretty long thing about this and they gave me the tickets, so thanks for giving me that opportunity to see my favorite show to this day. I don't really have a great question on mind but here's one to fill in the space.

• As a sound guy/designer in musical theatre, what is the oddest interaction you've had with a sound guy/girl at one of your shows? (if you've had any)

Thanks for making them funky ass tunes!

ha i feel like MY LIFE has been, actually, learning to admire and love sound guys/girls. really, there is the band, then there's the crew. the crew is the band too. really, love your crew. take care of your crew. sometimes i didn't, sometimes i did. there was never a real personal reason if i didn't, but i can tell you right now, a pp show is super hard, and we are nothing without hardworking, super-talented crew members.

Would you consider doing a Fleetwood Mac cover? Alternatively (and oppositely), what new song in the last six months has captivated you?

actually one of the first covers we did was "dreams' by fleetwood mac. 2007/8...something like that.

Michael! Youre amazing. Boston loves you! My dad just discovered Manners and is completely obsessed. He tells me what he loves about every song on the album.

Do you have a specific album(s) (of any time any genre any band) that you put on repeat and never get sick of?

Nat King Cole's collection The Nat King Cole Story in Stereo has been hitting me hard.

What was it like working with Benny Blanco?

fun dude.

Do you have a special someone right now?

nah, but i'm meeting lots of fun people. i'm focusing on work. i think, for anyone, like my friends, anyone in particular that's around me, that's for the best. as rupaul would say, if you can't love yourself, how the hell you gonna love anybody else?

Huge fan, currently in my last semester of college and have been listening since freshman year of highschool! Music is one of (if not the) most important thing in my life. Who are the bands/artists you listened to that made you realize your passion for music? Thank you for everything you've done and given us

damon albarn from blur is a hero, that's for sure.