Bird Gonna Fly, Fish Gonna Swim
Bird Gonna Fly, Fish Gonna Swim is a speculative work. It asks, like a bird who simply must fly or a fish who simply must swim: what must humans do to maintain their lives and livelihoods? In a world which insists so often that the worst outcome be the inevitable outcome, what must we do to resist that imposed foreclosure of multitudinous, variegated, and creative futures? Bird Gonna Fly, Fish Gonna Swim doesn't offer a pathway out of this cruel labyrinth; instead it serves as a steadfast reminder that other worlds are indeed possible. It chooses to keep a visionary candle lit, positing a world where humanity's "musts" include creativity, open-heartedness, and belonging.
“everything is broken” begins in stillness with an ambient Fender Rhodes introduction, developing toward an ecstatic climax and ending in a brash, distorted denouement. “are you a garden or a bird?” wallows in stasis, living in a pensive interiority that ultimately blooms into an anthemic ending. “alleluia” serves as a healing balm, with a chorus of voices soaring over and around each other before climaxing in a heavy rhythmic pattern. When taken as a whole, Bird Gonna Fly, Fish Gonna Swim seeks inspiration on the interior walls of a fraying world.
What are we to do
Sick’ning trauma every day
I can’t bear to be
Michael Malis - compositions, samples, synthesizers, piano, fender rhodes, accordion, etc.
Chris Koltay - producer, recording engineer, mixing
Recorded at High Bias Studios 2024-2025, and Michael Malis's home, 2024-2025