Friends…

Our latest single, Paradise, is also the final track on the Passing Lanes of Fate album. More on that VERY soon…

Credits
Written by Mackenzie Kristjon. 
Produced by Mackenzie Kristjon and Chris Birkett (producer of Nothing Compares 2 U as performed by Sinead O'Connor and written by Prince)
Vocals by Mackenzie Kristjon and Jessica Magoch
Banjo and background vocals by Sarah Tolle
Flute by Jaye Marsh
Drums by Dan Konopka (on loan from OK Go who are up for TWO Grammy Awards this year!) 
Art by Mische Christie.
© 2025 Mackenzie Kristjon Jenkyns

This was another one I wrote on a film set. We were in a beautiful  park with evergreen trees like in British Columbia and I had about an hour between my responsibilities so I thought I’d sketch out some ideas.

One day I was talking to Sarah Tolle, a great singer-songwriter and musician in Vancouver and I thought it might be fun to have some banjo on this song. Minutes later, my friend Dan Konopka was like, “Hey man. Shoot the track to me now and I can get the session done immediately as I have to …” [fly to Hungary to shoot a music video, make a sandwich, insert some exciting stuff, lol…]

Not long after, I met Jaye Marsh aka The WildFlute through our mutual friends at DIT, which is a music networking and education platform that our friend Darryl Hurs runs in Toronto. We wound up talking and she was happy to provide the flutes -which really took the song to another level. It’s an unusual sound these days in pop music but definitely gives a classic feel harkening back to some of those great songs from the 1960s and 1970s, which were much more likely to use classical instruments.

Fast-forward to September 2025, and I was on a Zoom call with Chris Birkett and a few others through DIT/Indie Week for a Demo Listening Session. Chris took an interest in the track and I said we should get together and tweak some of the production and just see what happens. 

Chris suggested that I get my friend Jessica Magoch (who had done some backing vocals already) to double my part so I called Jessica and she sent me three lead vocals remotely from Philadelphia in a couple of days. She was impressed that Chris had produced Sinead O’Connor’s #1 global hit Nothing Compares 2 U and plus loves the song!

I wound up at Chris Birkett’s home studio in Toronto and we finished the mix after I sang my final lead vocal parts. We had a great time working on this and afterwards, we rocked out at a concert with Judas Priest and Alice Cooper. As our friend Darryl laughed, “How great! First you do the work. Then you see a show!” 

You can stream or purchase the song. Also we have T-shirts in any color you choose (and these are very comfortable high-quality shirts), clear tote bags with the cover image, and canvas prints sized 6" x 6" or 12" x 12" depending on if you want that 45 or full-size feel for your kitchen/bedroom/living room/dorm. Whatever. We got you!

Hope you enjoy the track and let me know what you think! :)

IMPORTANT LINKS

STREAM: http:/ffm.to/this-mad-desire-paradise
PURCHASE: http://thismaddesire.net/music
MERCHANDISE: http://thismaddesire.net/store

-Mack