The way I approach writing music or lyrics today is very different from past years. I’ve opted for a more refined, less aggressive method—acting in the moment with firm intention and clear will. If I feel blocked or apprehensive, I know from experience that forcing it won’t lead to anything worthwhile. It’s not about being a workhorse to create something memorable—at least, memorable to me. The initial idea for the first album of this new project has faded; I’d say it has diminished and transformed. I’ve always written in response to the world I live in, evolving with it and considering all the parameters that come into play.

Now, in 2024 and soon 2025, we’re in a unique period, and within this writing process, it’s challenging to make everything stoic. For me, sensitivity isn’t a weakness; it’s an awareness of many things. This requires a degree of spontaneity and a concrete vision of what can be achieved. There’s always that tension between past, present, and future—the mind, emotions, and even the soul—which can hinder or nourish the genuine desire to create.

Musically, the adjustments I’m making to fuse the guitar with my modular system are evolving and taking shape. While the settings remain somewhat consistent from session to session, subtle variations emerge. What’s remarkable is being able to control a modular system with the guitar. Although an envelope follower is convenient for modulating a filter, adding a limiter and waveshaper allows the guitar to truly come alive within the modular system. This unique approach generates warmth and variation in parameters, especially when using a multiplier module. The result is a near-perfect fusion. Real-time adjustments will always be necessary, but the foundation is solid, and this process will take time—a challenge I embrace. Patience is one of the essential qualities in this new project, this new identity.

I won’t be returning to my previous musical persona anytime soon because it represents a different period. Reinvention is an incredible experience and, more than a sign of maturity, it’s a way to cleanse something that no longer resonates. Falling into an automatic mode of creation holds no interest for me. Staying rooted in the present with Zi iacchos, the themes and writing methods are difficult to grasp, as they can’t always be controlled. Still, just as I’ve learned to manage a modular system with my guitar and have a clear vision of how it will sound in concert, why not aim for the same clarity in writing? That’s where the difficulty lies—it’s not a seamless process. Even so, the result will be authentic and impactful in the long run.

My lifestyle today is vastly different from 10 years ago. The mistakes and achievements of the past inevitably shape the present, influencing my habits. The beauty of renewal lies in avoiding past errors, achieving simplicity while innovating. I may carry forward a few elements from before, but not many.

The Golden Flower meditation and learning Italian are central to my life now. I’ve chosen a rhythm that prioritizes understanding, allowing me to integrate things properly while maintaining patience and consistency. What I’ve also realized is that rigid, military-style discipline doesn’t work in 2024, especially when living in Paris, as I do. It’s important to avoid self-blame while striving for rigor.

I have a list of venues and spaces I plan to contact, which will be exciting as I refine the audience this project—though I dislike the word “project”—is meant to reach. Zi iacchos and the music I create are more than just music; they’re a form of art, encompassing a way of life, creativity, and the fusion of sound with words. It’s a deliberate, pragmatic approach, all while casting aside fear.