"The idea of having a two-part album release came from listening to records like "Today" by the Beach Boys, "Bringing It All Back Home" by Bob Dylan and "Rust Never Sleeps" by Neil Young. These three records can all be digested in two distinct parts, usually varying in types of moods or styles. I also still wanted the record to be a cohesive piece that forms an arc in terms of the writing style or tone. I wanted to illustrate the stages of grief and display the full spectrum of emotions that come with that period. I struggled to start writing again, following the release of Pocho. I knew I wanted to try something new but I was also going through a falling out with a close friend and ideas weren't coming through. However, late in July I wrote "July" which opens the second part of the album. Something struck me about the tone of the song. It was as if I was accepting what I was going through as a loss and was understanding that I would eventually move on. It was a cathartic song to write and wanted to keep diving deeper into that tone. I clearly remember recording a rough demo of "Stay In Bed" and I began layering tracks of dissonant fuzz guitar licks and it felt disturbing to me. It was unlike anything I had ever tried before. This opened the flood gates for having two separate styles within one project.  One side of raucous fuzzy guitar songs with angrier lyrics and the other side with a more reflective tone. This may not be so noticeable on first listen but it was deliberate. I decided to record these songs on my own again because I couldn't find the right musicians on such short notice. That was also something new for me with Eastern/Western Skyline: recording 10 songs in under 20 days. I spent long nights that lead to early mornings at Eastside Rehearsal. I would walk to the local bakery down the street for a torta or a coffee when I would call it a night. These sessions felt like one long marathon but I made the goal of finishing before Christmas because I didn't want to think about it during the holidays. I wanted to have that time to decompress and put the project away for a while. I mixed and mastered the record in one night which was also a tough experience but I was determined to finish the record by my deadline. These songs felt urgent when I wrote them and I would say they are a good representation of what I was feeling in the summer/fall of 2019. It's a strange place, I feel so divorced to those feelings now. I am at peace but I can listen to these songs and appreciate what I went through to get them out." - Sergio Meza