Ian had an incredible intuition in designing this fusion of words, sounds, music and images. The kind of investigative journalism showcased through the reporting of The Outlaw Ocean is of fundamental importance because it brings to light facts that would otherwise remain unknown to most. Music, as a language, is void of words but capable of a strong emotional impact and can give even more depth to these stories. 

The book and source material from Ian’s reporting provided an immense source of inspiration when it came to my tracks. The audio clip of the weeping widow who lost her husband to sea slavery was used in my song “Cry.” For “Into the depths of the sea,” I imagined the bodies belonging to victims of violence aboard fishing ships floating in the water, until they sink deep into the sea and are greeted by the melody of a piano slowly materializing among the whirlpools. The story that impacted me the most when composing my album, however, was the videotaped murder at sea featured in the chapter, “Armed and Dangerous.” It’s a jarring visual to see the blue sea suddenly tinged with the red blood of these men being shot at. This visual is one that moved me to tears as I wrote the music for “Bloody Ocean." It remains one of the most dramatic songs of my work.

Giovanni Renzo