Mass Exit by The TVC | LP Release
Photography by: Monako Davis / Big in Space at Ildefonso, Inc.
The TVC’s Mass Exit
Released on January 6, 2025, the fourth album by The TVC Mass Exit includes 10 original tracks and features: Mazzi Brave, UV Damage, Boosk, and Alpha Nancy.
Recorded at Ildefonso, Inc., the artist project called The TVC began as a collaboration between Spencer Riley Alfonso (Producer, Songwriter) and several frequent collaborators.
The TVC’s influences stretch over multiple albums and EPs released over the past 12 years. Inspired by artists like Gorillaz, Mark Ronson, and De La Soul, tracks like 2018’s viral hit “If You Wanna” proved The TVC’s infectious melodies, and genre mash ups could find an audience on Spotify and beyond.
From 2023 to 2024, Spencer Alfonso and Cam Carmichael would coordinate writing 7 tracks of Mass Exit together. Additional features include: Boosk, UV Damage and Alpha Nancy.
The Sonic Landscape
Through building the sonic landscape of Mass Exit, Alfonso’s influences included: the animated series Cyberpunk 2077: Edge Runners, Bladerunner, The Animatrix, and John Wick.
The Vocal Production Process Behind Mass Exit
Using the Shure SM7B to Record Rap Vocals
Producer and engineer Spencer Alfonso discusses his process of recording rap vocals with the SM7B. This episode of Mothership Gear is co-hosted by rapper/song-writer Cam Carmichael. The hosts cover Alfonso's process of demoing different microphones and pairing them with the right artist, using a pre-amp with the SM7, mixing rap vocals, and EQ.
Spencer Alfonso on Vocal Recording with Cam Carmichael [edited for clarity]:
“We’d done some mic demos on your voice when we were starting. Towards either the tail end of the Mazzi Brave record into The TVC record, I used a Telefunken, and what I believe is called an Altec or “Salt Shaker” on our track, “Green Curry”.
I'm using a blend of all of those microphones. I started at the beginning with this, I don't know if this is right word like “triage of microphones,” but that was cool because I got to shape how I want your voice to sound with all those microphones.
But there's this philosophy that I've heard Daniel Lanois talk about, which is: the print of an artist. He'll say some singers have a great microphone print, meaning when their voice comes out, it captures really well. And by the end of the record, I felt like that print was printing onto just the SM7, what we were using the multiple microphones for.
And I think that's because the SM7 for me is the base level microphone. Where I like for the co-writers, singers, and rappers that I work with to feel like they can do anything with the SM7. And I like it because it doesn't overhype your voice and it doesn't leave you wanting too much more. So I think it's a good in-between balance of, it's not going to make you sound magical, but it's also not going to hurt you.
So it forces you in a way, to develop your own relationship with the mic. And then once you have that relationship, all I have to do as the engineer is hand it to you. You can hold it in your hand, you can have it on the stand. It's works great in a non treated room. Even if you're in a home setting, it works great.
A lot of people love it is because it's a dynamic microphone that takes to aggressive dynamic vocals really well. So if you're giving it a lot of volume, it receives it really well.” - Spencer Riley Alfonso (Producer/Writer/Engineer)
Brandon Burr (aka Boosk) on the Recording Process of “Deep Cuts”
“I remember when you sent over “Deep Cuts”, you asked if I could make it sound more organic. In the early versions, the bass was in 808, so I started there. For a while I've wanted to split the signal and send you a direct and mic’d amp for bass so I tried it on this track. I have a Goodrich volume pedal with two outputs. I sent one direct into a Tree Audio branch with EQ for the low end. The other went into a five-watt Supro guitar amp with reverb, mic’d with a 57. The amp breaks up early, giving the grit and character. We blended in the low end and depth from the direct signal. Together, it made a cool bass sound.” - Brandon Burr (aka Boosk)
About The TVC
LA based producer and songwriter Spencer Riley Alfonso, has released 4 albums under the moniker The TVC. Inspired by acts like Gorillaz, De La Soul, and Mark Ronson, The TVC blends pop production with alternative rock sensibilities. Frequent collaborators include: rapper Mazzi Brave, singer Cass XQ, and songwriter/vocalists: Amir Girgis and Connor Foley Shambrook.
With four full length releases, including "Kiss", "Motel Lady Luck", "Skull Beach", and “Mass Exit,” the music of The TVC has been featured on hit TV shows such as "This Is Us" (“Feels Like Home”), "Vampire Diaries" (“Now You Know”, “Move Up” ft. Connor Foley), "Pretty Little Liars" (“Alright” ft. Amir Girgis), and "Nashville" (“Where I Wanna Be” ft. Jayme Dee), among others.
2018’s viral hit "If You Wanna", featuring Amir Girgis and Chamoi, has garnered over 2 million streams. Later that year, The TVC released “That Vibe (feat. Cass XQ) which went on to be a part of several major national ad campaigns starring Anna Kendrick.
Additionally, he has been featured on platforms like Indie Shuffle, Paste Magazine, and LA Music Blog.
Mass Exit Album Artwork by Spencer Riley Alfonso
Listen to the Album | Mass Exit by The TVC
Vibe Check with The TVC
Check out The TVC top picks playlist from the Ildefonso, Inc. catalog.
