Next to "Angels," "Tick Tock" has seniority on the record. It was actually the first song I recorded in the Santa Cruz sessions, and the process ended up bearing the first piece of recorded work I came to be proud of. Producing the original version of this song helped define my approach and identity as an artist, and even now when I listen to it, the song still grips me with its sedating charm.

     There was no chorus in the song initially. A strange descending bass line separated the verses instead, highlighted by wandering guitar counterparts. The middle section of "Tock's" original version was a dreamy instrumental voyage expanding this movement with peaks, caverns, and a return to the final verse that felt like déjà vu.

Chris and I ended up taking that section and turning it into an extended vamp for the version on the record. I had played around with different ideas for a chorus, and it took multiple attempts to get something to stick. Together, we gave the song a generous helping of edge in its development, adding the contrast needed for the hypnotic flow in the verses.