Producer Factor Chandelier and emcee Ceschi have a working relationship that extends something like two decades, with both artists being integral figures to the label Fake Four Inc. which the latter formed with his brother David Ramos in 2008. Most recently, Ceschi appeared across Factor’s Time Invested II LP in 2022, while Factor returned the favor by dropping in on the recording sessions for Ceschi’s debut album for alongside Sam King (as well as ringleader/collaborator/instigator Fat Mike of NOFX) as Codefendants around the same time. Well, as it turns out, that session yielded more than just Factor’s contributions to a pair of This Is Crime Wave’s tracks—the folk-punk/rap-rock project also lent their talents to the first single for Factor’s newly announced Cold, Cold World LP.
“This song was finished during a surreal time in my life when a punk rock legend named Fat Mike suggested that Sam King and I move into a mansion in Vegas with him to make music,” Ceschi shares of the track’s backstory, noting that it was originally conceived as a freestyle at an Airbnb in LA. “It felt like a childhood dream come true, but turned out to be quite a bit of pressure all while I was fighting some personal demons. My dear friend Factor Chandelier came to Vegas from Canada for a visit and pushed me, in the gentle way he does, to finish this joint. I love it because it represents a combo of minds and different eras of our music lives.”
The track is a woozy, reflective joint pairing Factor’s sentimental lo-fi beat with Ceschi and King’s cutting lyrics, with the result falling directly in line with Fake Four’s long-running canon of rousing yet deeply personal anthems. “It was one of those surreal moments that is just frozen in time,” Factor shares of his memory of laying the groundwork for “Without a Trace.” “The song ended up being worked on throughout a few different sessions: we recorded in LA, Las Vegas, and Saskatoon.”
“This was about as natural as it gets as far as collaborations go,” King chimes in. “Factor and Ceschi have both put out such a vast body of work over the years together that Factor's productions come perfectly tailored so writing is effortless. Factor’s that guy, the truth.”
The track lands with a music video shot by Nik Hampshire at a performance at Alex’s Bar in Long Beach. “Nik was able to capture some great candid moments and really put together something special for the project,” Factor concludes. Check it out below, and revisit our profile on Codefendants here.
