CROSSFADE
Each piece on Crossfade explores a different contour of remembrance. Photogenic Memory questions how nostalgia can soften and distort the edges of truth, casting painful chapters in a strangely beautiful light. In contrast, compositions like Waterfall celebrate transformation itself. Inspired by the flowing cascades of my hometown in Ithaca, New York, this track mimics nature’s ability to reshape over time, using rhythmic elasticity and harmonic motion to reflect that fluidity. There’s a constant push and pull, a dialogue between grounding and release, presence and echo.
We recorded the album on January 20, 2025—Inauguration Day—a date that carried the heavy
weight of déjà vu as a notorious and destabilizing figure returned to power. There was a quiet unease in the air, a sense of history circling back on itself. In that atmosphere, the recording became a kind of sanctuary—an opportunity to step outside the noise, to reflect, and to create something rooted in care and clarity while the world beyond the studio tilted once again toward uncertainty.
OUT NOVEMBER 24th, 2025 on CONTAGIOUS MUSIC
available on all platforms
PDFs of songs are available for purchase - email rafaelencisomusic@gmail.com
Throughout the album, I’ve been lucky to share this journey with a band whose sensitivity and daring elevate every moment: Gabriel Chakarji, Miguel Russell, and Nicola Caminiti. Their interplay is both grounded and spontaneous - what you hear is a result of deep listening and mutual trust. I’m so deeply grateful to my producer Dayna Stephens, whose wisdom and support have helped me shape this vision into something tangible. Crossfade is not just a debut; it’s a statement of intent - to search, to remember, and to evolve.
Crossfade is a meditation on time - how sound, memory, and meaning blur as they pass from one moment to the next. The title reflects the way musical and societal trends don’t vanish; they dissolve and reappear, often transformed in unexpected places. Opening with The High Priestess, an homage to the great Wayne Shorter, the album nods to a master who was always several steps ahead, offering visions of the future cloaked in mystery and lyricism. His influence courses through the record - not as imitation, but as a spirit of fearless exploration.