Esteban Obando’s “Montreal (Feeling it All)” Turns Nostalgia into an Intimate Lo-Fi Portrait of Memory.

“Montreal (Feeling it All)” serves as a heartfelt introduction to Esteban Obando's Tiny Pieces of Tape vol.1, revealing an artist who has chosen authenticity over perfection in every aspect of his creative process. Released as the debut single from the Waterfall album project, the song is deeply rooted in Obando's personal history, tracing the emotional connection between his Colombian origins, his formative years in Montreal, and his present life in Los Angeles. The result is a reflective piece that honours memory without becoming trapped by it.

The song functions as a love letter to Montreal, yet its emotional reach extends well beyond geography. Obando explores the way places remain alive through sensory memory, where familiar streets, relationships, and passing moments continue to shape a person's identity long after they have moved on. Rather than presenting nostalgia as regret, he embraces it as an enduring part of human experience, allowing listeners to recognise their own cherished places within his story.

That sincerity is reinforced by an intentionally minimalist recording philosophy. Working entirely alone, Obando wrote, performed, recorded, and produced every element of the track using a 1990s Tascam Portastudio 424mk1. His decision to reject unlimited digital editing in favour of four-track cassette recording is not an exercise in retro aesthetics but a conscious effort to overcome perfectionism. Every limitation becomes part of the music's emotional language, preserving spontaneity and vulnerability that excessive refinement could easily erase.

Recorded in a single afternoon with one Shure Beta 57 microphone, a Fender Telecaster, and a Nord Electro keyboard, the performance carries remarkable intimacy. The double-tracked vocals sit naturally within the arrangement, while the warm spring reverb from a Moog Grandmother gives the recording a welcoming sense of depth. Even the faint drum machine metronome bleeding into the tape becomes part of the song's identity, reminding listeners that genuine expression often lives within imperfections instead of polished surfaces.

Obando's songwriting never depends on elaborate production to create emotional impact. The gentle interplay between electric guitar, piano, and understated vocal melodies allows the atmosphere to emerge organically. Every musical choice supports the reflective narrative, producing a listening experience that feels personal and immediate from beginning to end.

The song also reflects the realities of Obando's current life as a new father balancing family responsibilities with artistic ambition. His self-imposed recording limitations become a practical and artistic solution, proving that creativity can flourish within boundaries when the focus remains on honest storytelling.

“Montreal (Feeling it All)” succeeds because it trusts emotion more than perfection. It captures the warmth of remembered places, the acceptance of life's changing seasons, and the quiet beauty found in preserving genuine moments exactly as they happen. As the opening chapter of Tiny Pieces of Tape vol.1, Esteban Obando delivers a deeply personal recording that transforms simplicity into lasting emotional resonance.

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