About
Nine years, one chain at a time
I started Above, Below in 2015 with three friends and a bedroom. Nobody told us what a metalcore record was supposed to sound like.
In 2017 we made an EP called The Sowers of Discord. I co-produced it with Nicholas Page, and Brian Hood mixed and mastered it at 456 Recordings in Nashville. In 2019 we made The Lotus Chapters, a concept album across three chapters, co-produced with Nicholas again, who engineered, mixed and mastered it. I learned both records by sitting in on them.
That's where I started noticing that the problems I was trying to solve at the mastering stage traced back to the arrangement.
In February 2026 we released I Guess It Was Nowhere. Thirteen tracks, two interludes, one piece. I produced, engineered, mixed and mastered all of it, and we put it out ourselves. It reached number 35 on the ARIA Albums Chart, number 5 on the Australian Artist Albums Chart and number 6 on the vinyl chart. Nine years of taking over one more link of the chain at a time.
If you want a reference point for what my band sounds like, triple j Unearthed files us somewhere near Reflections, The Contortionist, Silent Planet, Make Them Suffer, Counterparts and Polaris.
Trained in composition, not just recording
I studied Composition and Music Production at the Australian Institute of Music in Sydney, after playing piano since I was five, mostly jazz. Composition training teaches you to think in whole pieces rather than eight-bar loops, which is why I spend more time on arrangement than on gear.
Bachelor of Music · Composition and Music Production · Australian Institute of Music, Sydney
What I'm like to work with
I'm easy-going right up until a song isn't working, and then I'll say so. I'd rather have an awkward conversation in week two than a polite one in week ten.
I've been the artist on the other side of this: parts cut, choruses knocked back, forty takes on one line. That's why I try to be quick and clear about it rather than precious.
Making a record takes months, so you should like the person you're doing it with. If it isn't a fit on the first call, I'll say so and point you at someone better suited.
- Plays
- Piano, guitar, bass, drums, vocals · Piano since age five · Trained in jazz
- Toured
- Australia
- Teaches
- Beginners to advanced
The chain
Nine years, one link at a time
| Role | 2017The Sowers of Discord | 2019The Lotus Chapters | 2021Melting Amber | 2026I Guess It Was Nowhere |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Produced | The Sowers of Discord, produced by Jacob Wilkes with Nicholas Page. | The Lotus Chapters, produced by Jacob Wilkes with Nicholas Page. | Melting Amber, produced by Jacob Wilkes. | I Guess It Was Nowhere, produced by Jacob Wilkes. |
| Engineered | The Sowers of Discord, engineered by Nicholas Page. | The Lotus Chapters, engineered by Nicholas Page. | Melting Amber, engineered by Jacob Wilkes. | I Guess It Was Nowhere, engineered by Jacob Wilkes. |
| Mixed | The Sowers of Discord, mixed by Brian Hood. | The Lotus Chapters, mixed by Nicholas Page. | Melting Amber, mixed by Randy Leboeuf. | I Guess It Was Nowhere, mixed by Jacob Wilkes. |
| Mastered | The Sowers of Discord, mastered by Brian Hood. | The Lotus Chapters, mastered by Nicholas Page. | Melting Amber, mastered by Randy Leboeuf. | I Guess It Was Nowhere, mastered by Jacob Wilkes. |
| Produced | The Sowers of Discord, produced by Jacob Wilkes with Nicholas Page. |
|---|---|
| Engineered | The Sowers of Discord, engineered by Nicholas Page. |
| Mixed | The Sowers of Discord, mixed by Brian Hood. |
| Mastered | The Sowers of Discord, mastered by Brian Hood. |
| Produced | The Lotus Chapters, produced by Jacob Wilkes with Nicholas Page. |
|---|---|
| Engineered | The Lotus Chapters, engineered by Nicholas Page. |
| Mixed | The Lotus Chapters, mixed by Nicholas Page. |
| Mastered | The Lotus Chapters, mastered by Nicholas Page. |
| Produced | Melting Amber, produced by Jacob Wilkes. |
|---|---|
| Engineered | Melting Amber, engineered by Jacob Wilkes. |
| Mixed | Melting Amber, mixed by Randy Leboeuf. |
| Mastered | Melting Amber, mastered by Randy Leboeuf. |
| Produced | I Guess It Was Nowhere, produced by Jacob Wilkes. |
|---|---|
| Engineered | I Guess It Was Nowhere, engineered by Jacob Wilkes. |
| Mixed | I Guess It Was Nowhere, mixed by Jacob Wilkes. |
| Mastered | I Guess It Was Nowhere, mastered by Jacob Wilkes. |
- Jacob did this
- Shared with another producer
- Someone else did this
I learned this chain alongside two very good engineers, then took it over. The last column is why the record sounds like one idea instead of four.
Timeline
2015
Formed
2017
The Sowers of Discord
2019
The Lotus Chapters
2021
Melting Amber
2022
Scorpion
2026
I Guess It Was Nowhere · ARIA Albums #35 · #5 Australian · #6 Vinyl
Toured with Polaris · Silent Planet · Currents
Live photography: Above, Below
Shared stages
Northlane·Polaris·Chelsea Grin·Born Of Osiris·Silent Planet·Currents·Alpha Wolf·Thornhill·Void Of Vision·Justice For The Damned·Deez Nuts·Gravemind·Deadlights
Toured with Polaris, Silent Planet and Currents.
The band
I still sing in the band. That is not a side project, it's the research.
Work with me
Send me three reference tracks and the roughest demo you have. I'll tell you what I think the record wants to be.