Mid-Winter Reflections & A Big Thank You.
It’s just past the middle of winter, and I won’t go on about the cold, wet storms, foggy hillsides, misty roads, and all the other phenomena that define the season. Throw in a few colds and flus, and you’ve got a pretty accurate picture of what most of us — myself included — have been dealing with lately.
But despite the chill, one bright spot has been a solid month of mailouts promoting Fade Away, Lipcrack’s latest track from The Big Sniff EP. 🎧 Start listening here: https://www.lipcrack.com/catlog.htm
Surprisingly, the response was the biggest we’ve ever received for a release. It was encouraging — not just the bump in site traffic, but actual feedback from real listeners. It was refreshing to know we weren’t just being hit by bots or traffic-boosting tools. People are actually listening.
That said, I did receive my first not-so-polite “unsubscribe” message. It was a bit of an eye-opener. We’ve always been met with polite replies, even if people weren’t interested — so maybe the weather really is getting to people.
Aside from that, the hills are greener, water reserves are fuller, and life goes on. But I haven’t completed any further track development — and that’s how it’s going to stay. Honestly, I feel like I’ve reached the end of the road in terms of creating new music. Hard to believe, perhaps, especially considering how much I’ve enjoyed making music over the years. But the drive just isn’t there anymore.
It’s like painting — even famous artists stop producing eventually. I do still have a decent back catalogue of unreleased material from the past five EPs, and maybe, just maybe, I’ll share some of it down the line. But for now, there are no plans for new collaborations or releases. To put it simply: I think I’ve retired from the music industry.
The strange thing is, some of the world’s most recognized artists only become known after they’re gone — unearthed from some forgotten music journal or dusty archive. That’s part of the reason the Lipcrack site remains online. People should still be able to discover music, even if it isn’t all over the trending playlists or music blogs.
Email marketing, oddly enough, gave us a surprising level of exposure — far more than our usual social media presence. I’ve never really leaned into social media the way some artists do. The idea of constantly creating mini videos and staying “engaged” isn’t as simple as it seems. It takes time, energy, and a team to keep that engine running — something most independent artists just don’t have. After five EPs, I’ve poured in everything I had.
It’s a strange in-between feeling: not wanting it to be over, because the process has brought so much joy, but also knowing you’ve taken things as far as they can go within your environment. I’m far from the only artist who’s pushed through some tough circumstances just to keep creating. The internet was a lifeline — and it gave us the chance to breathe.
So for now, I’m just appreciating what’s been achieved. No big moves, no pushing. Just a quiet satisfaction.
Thanks again to everyone who made the release of Fade Away a success — your support meant the world. Some of your messages were incredibly heartfelt, and that emotional response made it all worthwhile.
See you next month.
— Lipcrack