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Trace Marx’s “Angels All About Me (For Pops)” arrives as a record shaped by timing, reflection, and personal history. Rather than approaching the song as a memorial alone, Marx frames it as a living connection between past and present, belief and experience. The track captures a moment when life felt unstable on the surface, yet consistently guided beneath it.
Writing Through Uncertainty
The song began with a feeling rather than a plan. When Marx first heard the instrumental, it carried an energy that immediately pulled him in. He often imagines himself inside the world of a song while writing, and this one placed him in a space of movement and release. At the time, he had been navigating a stretch of life filled with close calls and unexpected outcomes. A serious accident left him physically untouched. Financial strain resolved itself before causing lasting damage. Decisions that felt risky in the moment eventually revealed themselves as necessary steps forward.
That sense of being protected, even when things felt unclear, became the emotional center of the record.
Recording on a Day That Changed Everything
Only weeks after writing the song, Marx’s grandfather, “Pops,” passed away after living with Parkinson’s disease. The funeral, unfortunately, was scheduled for the same day Marx had already booked studio time. He attended the service in the morning and recorded the song later that evening at Criteria Studio in Miami. What followed was an eight-hour recording session, then an additional twelve hours spent mixing and mastering.
Trace Marx describes the session as focused and emotionally charged. He felt his grandfather’s presence throughout the process, which gave the song a weight that could not have been planned.
A Sound Shaped by Place and Culture
Musically, “Angels All About Me (For Pops)” brings together the many influences that have shaped Trace Marx over time. Born in London, raised in Miami, and growing up in a Jamaican household, his exposure to different sounds came early and naturally. The UK Garage and drum and bass feel of the production connects directly to his time in London, while hip hop and Afrobeat influences reflect both heritage and environment.
Producer RXLLIN, based in Ukraine, created the instrumental, and engineer Mike Banger helped guide the session. Together, they focused on keeping the song open and spacious, allowing emotion to lead rather than crowding the mix. Certain elements were intentionally left untouched to represent what could not be seen or heard.
Growth Through Trust and Vulnerability
Trace Marx sees this record as a turning point. Recent influences, including Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act and insights from songwriter Theron Thomas, helped him shift his approach to writing and structure. More importantly, the process reinforced his belief that honesty produces stronger music. The more open he became, the clearer the songs felt.
For listeners, Marx hopes the track offers a sense of reassurance. He wants people to feel supported, to reflect on their own experiences with loss or resilience, and to recognize that difficult moments often carry unseen purpose. “Angels All About Me (For Pops)” stands as both a tribute and a statement of direction for where Trace Marx is headed next.
Check out Marx’s “Angels All About Me (For Pops)” on YouTube:
