22-year-old GRAMMY Nominated producer, ford. shares his newest piece of music today, ‘In Motion (feat. A Beacon School)’. The new single is taken off of ford’s upcoming third studio album ‘Guiding Hand’ set for release on July 21st via Foreign Family Collective.
The sole collaboration off the album, ‘In Motion’ features shoegaze vocals from Brooklyn-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Patrick J. Smith (p/k/a A Beacon School) complemented by an amalgamation of high-paced indie drums and intricate organic production from ford.. The result is an authentic collaboration between both artists:
“I’ve been a big fan of Patrick from A Beacon School’s music for a long time. Patrick and I had a call at first and traded ideas, then we met at a show to talk about the writing process some more. We were in a similar headspace of how we were feeling with some disillusionment with music and wanting to create things that were exciting again. Taking ideas that were conventional but infusing it with new life and sounds. We just wanted to make a really good song together that was aligned with both of our tastes and influences. It’s my favorite song on the album and I had a lot of fun making it,” ford. says.
“Working on “In Motion” with Luc was really special. A lot of our conversations would veer away from the specifics of the song and instead be about the creative process in general. Both being solo artists, we’d discuss the uncertainty that can creep in when you’re working on something alone for so long, and that at some point you have to just trust your instincts. We rewrote and reworked the lyrics several times, but ultimately, and perhaps fittingly, ended up using the first thing I wrote. To me the lyrics speak to the idea of calling yourself on your own bullshit and getting on with things.” - A Beacon School
Recording for ‘Guiding Hand’ began in late 2020 isolated within the mountains & valleys of Utah. The album came together slowly over the following months with different ideas emerging from life on the road, late nights with friends, and a close passing. As Luc likes to note, “the album was developed through rooms, between phases”, a phrase which represents the transient nature of Luc’s life, a theme explored throughout the record.
The title of the album, 'Guiding Hand,' is a symbolic representation of the unseen force that propels us forward, particularly during the most challenging moments; the intangible energy that gives us the motivation to take our first steps, the courage to speak our truth, and the creative inspiration to trust in our ideas. For the past two years, this positive force has played a crucial role in helping ford. overcome the most challenging obstacles, both in his album writing process and personal life.
The hands on the album's cover art are a depiction of an actual sculpture that is of personal significance to Luc and his family, a mold of his mother and older brother’s hands which were taken before his passing in 2007. He has been and continues to be an unwavering inspiration to Luc in his music. If you look closely at the artwork you will also notice an overlaid floor plan. The “rooms” represent each track on the record and also the different chapters ford. has experienced over the last few years:
“While finishing the album I was working on the artwork with Leo Horton and we kept coming back to this idea of the “Guiding Hand” pushing you through these various phases and points in time. We visually thought there was something really nice about that.”
Overall, 'Guiding Hand' is a powerful testament to Luc's artistic vision and his journey to create music that is true to himself. While the album’s themes are deeply intimate, Luc’s creative intention is for listeners to form their own meanings and connection from the songs. He is excited to see how fans will receive this new chapter and hopes that they will be moved by its emotional depth and authenticity.
“In Motion (feat. A Beacon School)” is available now, with the full studio album ‘Guiding Hand’ available July 21st on Foreign Family Collective.
More info on ford.
Luc Bradford p/k/a “ford.” is entering his 5th year of being a professional musician. At the age of 23, he has released two full-length albums: ‘(The) Evening’ (2018) & ‘The Color of Nothing’ (2020) (albums which have amassed over 100 million+ streams + thousands of physical vinyl sold), sold out headline shows, and received a coveted GRAMMY nomination in 2020 for his remix of label mate Mild Minds’ single SWIM.
Born in Paris to American parents, raised in Frankfurt, Switzerland, and Singapore, and now residing in Utah, ford.’s global upbringing has been instrumental in shaping his musical perspective. Although still young, these eclectic life experiences can be felt deeply through ford.’s music -- a sound that is undoubtedly unique while simultaneously universal.
More info on A Beacon School:
Patrick Smith began making music as A Beacon School in 2009. A home-recorded demo single was released in 2011, and a self-titled EP by a full-band lineup appeared near the end of 2012. The group played several shows in New York City and Connecticut and worked on a full-length. Smith played with bands such as Modern Rivals and Bluffing, additionally working with Parquet Courts' Max Savage as part of Maxband. In 2018, A Beacon School's Cola was released by Grind Select. After receiving positive press and slowly gaining a worldwide following, an
expanded vinyl edition of Cola was released in 2019.