ALL SONGS PRODUCED, PERFORMED, ARRANGED, ENGINEERED, AND MASTERED BY BEN ELDER.

ALL ART EDITED AND CREATED BY BEN ELDER.

THE COVER OF RITZ MIX IS A COLLAGE OF THINGS THAT INSPIRED ME. ALL CREDIT GOES TO THE ORIGINAL ARTISTS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS.

JOAN MIRO – CAROTA, c.1978
WOMAN BEFORE AN ECLIPSE WITH HER HAIR DISHEVELED BY THE WIND, c.1967
AALIYAH
BOB MARLEY
HARUKI MURAKAMI
CALVIN AND HOBBES
BOB SAGET // FULL HOUSE
BEHRINGER PROPHET-5
ZIG ZAG PAPERS
AKAI MPC 3000
GHETTO BLASTER
ATLANTA, GEORGIA

————————————————————SAMPLE CREDITS———————————————————-

SAY YEAH!

“SAY YEAH” BY COMMODORES
“STAKES IS HIGH” BY DE LA SOUL
“GETTIN’ HIGH” BY GINO VANNELLI
“1NCE AGAIN” BY A TRIBE CALLED QUEST
“NORTH COUNTRY” BY JUDEE SILL

AND AN EXCERPT FROM MONDO KEYHOLE, DIRECTED BY JACK HILL AND JOHN LAMB

WE DO IT

“WE DO IT” BY DISCO ORCHESTRAL

ALL OTHER SAMPLES CONSIST OF EXCERPTS FROM VARIOUS UNKNOWN 1970’S COMMERICALS

MAGNIFICENCE

“MAKE UP FOR LOST TIME” BY THE MONTCLAIRS

ALL OTHER SAMPLES ARE EXCERPTS FROM A CONVERSATION THAT MY FRIENDS AND I HAD IN 2018 WHILE AT THE WEST END MCDONALDS IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. THIS MAN APPROACHED US AND BEGAN TO SPEAK ABOUT HIS FORGIVENESS FOR RACIAL IGNORANCE (A HUGE PROBLEM IN THE SOUTH,) AND THE PRACTICE OF REMAINING STEADFASTLY POSITIVE WHEN CONFRONTING DARKNESS IN YOUR LIFE. LOVE U MR. Q <3

+ SPECIAL SHOUTOUT TO JAKE FIELDS, JOHN CONRADI, AND KIRK TEGTMEIER. MISS YOUR COMPANY FR

HUMAN NATURE

“IF BY CHANCE” BY WINDY CITY
“22 TWO’S” BY JAY-Z

FUNKY TUNNEL

“WOMAN” BY BEENIE MAN

ALL OTHER SAMPLES UNKNOWN

SET MY FEET

“THE UPPER WAY” BY THE VIOLINAIRES

LIVE ON

“LIVE ON” BY THE FLYING STARS OF BROOKLYN NY
“THE LINE” BY D’ANGELO

+ AN AMOUNT OF UNCREDITED/UNIDENTIFIABLE DRUM BREAKS, AND A LOT OF MPC EXPANSION PACKS 😉

                                                                              ~

NOT TO GET CORNY BUT THIS IS THE FIRST PROJECT I’VE RELEASED IN ALMOST A YEAR, AND IT HAPPENS TO BE THE ONLY PROJECT I HAVE FELT FULL CONFIDENCE IN. I WENT THROUGH A PERIOD OF TIME WHERE I DIDN’T KNOW IF MUSIC WAS FOR ME OR NOT. I WAS PLACING A LOT OF PRESSURE ON ASPECTS OF MY LIFE THAT DIDN’T NECESSARILY DESERVE MY ANXIETY, RENDERING ME COMPLETELY UNABLE TO CREATE.

I WAS REALLY FUCKED, LIKE SPENDING ALL DAY IN BED, NOT SHOWERING FUCKED. I FOUGHT AGAINST CONSTANT NEGATIVE SELF-CHATTER CIRCLING IN MY HEAD, AND IT TOOK ME MONTHS TO FEEL LIKE I STILL HAD THE ABILITY TO CONNECT WITH ANOTHER PERSON. I KNOW THAT SOUNDS DRAMATIC AND I COULDN’T EVEN IMAGINE FEELING THAT WAY THESE DAYS, BUT A LOT OF THIS NEGATIVITY THAT PEOPLE FEEL HAS DEEPER ROOTS THAN JUST “WAKING UP AND FEELING BLUE.” MENTAL ILLNESS ISN’T A TREND OF OUR GENERATION, IT IS A MOVEMENT FOR THE RECOGNITION OF KEEPING A HEALTHY MIND ALONG WITH A HEALTHY BODY. I JUST TRY TO REMEMBER THAT EVERY HUMAN BEING THAT HAS EVER EXISTED HAS HAD THEIR OWN SET OF ANXIETIES, DEPRESSIVE EPISODES, AND TRAUMA.

ANYWAY, I’M WRITING THIS ON MARCH 1ST, 2020, AND I JUST FINISHED RITZ MIX. I’M TRYING TO EAT HEALTHIER THIS YEAR AND EXERCISE REGULARLY. I’M ALSO TRYING TO BE A MORE ACTIVE LISTENER AND BE MORE COMPASSIONATE. I HAVEN’T FELT WEIGHT LIKE LAST YEAR WHICH IS HONESTLY A NEW RECORD. I’VE SINCE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT LOVE, SPIRITUALITY, AND FORGIVENESS. I’VE REDISCOVERED MY PASSION FOR MUSIC THROUGH EXPLORING VARIOUS GENRES AT A DEEPER LEVEL. I WOULD SAY THAT J DILLA, D’ANGELO, AND OUTKAST ALL SAVED MY LIFE AND MUSIC. LOVE

I AM SO PROUD OF THIS PROJECT, AND EVEN IF I’M THE ONLY PERSON WHO BUMPS THIS, I’LL STILL FEEL THE SAME. THERE WAS NEVER ANY POINT OF FRUSTRATION DURING THE PROCESS, NOR ANY ORIGINAL PLAN FOR A RELEASE. I CRIED REAL MAN TEARS WHILE LISTENING TO THE FINAL VERSION BECAUSE I WAS SO HAPPY TO HAVE MADE MUSIC THAT FINALLY FELT LIKE AN EXTENSION OF WHO I AM. I’D HOPE THAT DILLA WOULD BE JUST AS PROUD OF THIS SHIT. MUSIC PULLED ME OUT OF A DARK HOLE AND GAVE ME COURAGE WHEN I NEEDED IT MOST. HAVE TO GIVE CREDIT WHERE IT’S DUE…

                                                  ~ SNACKTIME A.K.A. BEN ELDER