Ian Michael Lindsay’s “Mexico” and EP, Idee Fixe

On February 1st, Portland, Oregon artist Ian Michael Lindsay released the first song off his upcoming EP, Idee Fixe. The track, entitled “Mexico,” is a beautiful and haunting portrait of identity within the context of a relationship. It explores the duality of love versus obsession, tenderness versus fixation and where a person finds oneself along those spectrums.

Lindsay started playing guitar when he was in the 5th grade. He eventually switched to bass in high school and now you will rarely see him without his signature salmon pink instrument. He’s played with groups like Greaterkind, Jelly Bread, and artists including Robert “Sput” Searlight of Snarky Puppy and Chali 2na. Lindsay’s collaborative nature and unassuming disposition make him an active up-and-coming component in the Pacific Northwest music scene. He describes Idee Fixe as a “regional record influenced by local musicians and friends that have either directly played on the record or have taught me something that’s stuck.”

Idee fixe is a French phrase that translates to “an idea or desire that dominates the mind.” Today, the phrase is most popularly used in psychology as a descriptor for one who fixates on an unhealthy, consuming belief or desire. However, the term was in fact appropriated from the musical description of a piece of music that had a traceable or recurring theme, popularized in the early 1800s by composer Hector Berlioz.

The concept of “Mexico” is a piece of Lindsay’s own idee fixe, both psychologically and musically. The song alludes to the two extreme sides of identity within a relationship. Lindsay describes “Mexico” as a song about “how fragile our identity is and the ability to find your place in the polarizing dichotomies of good and bad, ugly and sexy, selfish and pushover.”

As Lindsay explores his own identity within the relationship in the song, he conveys the feelings many of us have when we shift from being alone to a partnership. The lyric, “I’m the second son of Mary, I’m another son of Sam” characterizes the potential for purity or darkness that lives inside all of us.

In a relationship, our personal identities are mixed with another person. The song highlights a difficult challenge many of us face: we can flourish, or we can become consumed and lose ourselves. At times a difficult mental line to walk, the message is delivered with soft horns, delicate piano, and gentle vocal harmonies making “Mexico” beautifully accessible.

Lindsay describes the feeling of “Mexico’s” release as “a combination of thankfulness for his team and excitement.” He’s currently planning a handful of shows in the spring to further promote the single. Visit his website here for all the updates.