Ian Janco’s “Long Way Down” Is an Acoustic Masterpiece

Ian Janco’s “Long Way Down” Is an Acoustic Masterpiece

Multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and producer Ian Janco‘s passion and dedication to music has taken him on quite the journey. Born and raised in the remote wilderness of Idaho’s Rocky Mountains, Janco began making music at a young age. A move to California in his teenage years solidified his calling as a collaborative musician and launched him as a solo artist. Janco played drums, keys, guitar and bass for a handful of local bands, while honing his skills as a songwriter and recording artist. A busking trip across Europe at age 18 landed him in Liverpool, where he then attended Paul McCartney‘s Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. And rather than returning to America after completing schooling, he moved to London, where he currently resides and writes numerous compositions that can be heard in film and television programs alike.

Janco’s new music is a culmination of his journey. The forthcoming Rapture EP is a body of work stemming from heartbreak, but glowing with the warmth and richness of an artist finding his sound after a whirlwind of societal upheaval, cultural inspiration and personal tumult. The upcoming EP is a sonic retelling of Janco’s journey through isolation and the major life events he endured that clashed and thrashed together all at once.

This is a body of work I composed at the lowest point in my life, and the lowest point in many of our lives. In the thick of the pandemic, I was broke and stuck in London, across the ocean from my family. My career was in standstill and I was questioning if I had any path forward in music. My relationship and my parents’ marriage ended at the same time. I was struggling with physical and mental health issues alone in a dark flat in London, but towards the end of 2020 I was lucky to be offered a friend’s seaside flat in Brighton for a short escape. I wrote and recorded the tracks for what eventually became the foundation of the Rapture EP. Getting this music out of me allowed me to begin to heal, and the reason I stuck with these often painful songs is that I hoped they could help other people feel, heal and grow after a traumatic time for everyone.

~ Ian Janco

This single in particular, “Long Way Down,” follows the release of singles “Something New” and “Castaway,” which drew in critical acclaim. It is the focal point of the entire EP, chosen because as it walks the line between melancholia and hope, they transition and ebb and flow from the two feelings to signify the process and change as a whole, teasing fans into what’s to come with the release. This warm, analog single incorporates intricately plucked acoustic guitar and layered vocals, conveying a lighthearted nostalgia and acceptance that things are ultimately meant to end. 

Listen to “Long Way Down,” now available on all major streaming platforms!