Diatonica

The song and the film

The making of Chains

Since 2018

The earliest saved file of Chains dates from 4 March 2018, when it was a sketch called Strings. It was first saved as Chains on 1 August 2019 and mastered on 1 November 2026.

The lyrics were written in Slovenian first and later translated into English. The numbers below come from the dates of the session files on the studio drive, not from memory.

Years from sketch to master: 8
Working days dated in the files, at least: 184
Mixes exported: 100+
Audio and instrument tracks in the final session: 55

2018
A sketch called Strings: strings, piano and bass. The first guitar and vocal takes follow within two weeks, sung in Slovenian.
2019
In March the lyrics are translated into English. On 1 August the sketch is saved under a new name: Chains.
2020
A bounce tagged Chains, Quadrophony, 2020.
2021
After Logic versions V1 to V7, the song moves to LUNA on 28 December.
2022
Seventeen exports in one year.
2023
Versions nine to eleven and a first cut of the film.
2024
Harmonies by Alessia T., an a cappella session and a new edit of the film.
2025
New lead vocals and a guitar solo.
2026
The final mix and master, finished on 1 November: 6:16, shortened from the 7:04 of the early versions.

Scroll to open the sleeve

Chains cover: a humpback whale’s tail above the words Diatonica, Quadrophony and Chains

DiatonicaChains

Chains

Quadrophony · Chapter one

You are holding the first chapter. Turn the pages, play the record and travel with us, one song at a time, until the album is complete.

“Be the one to break these chains in me”

Side A45 rpm

Chains

01Chains6:16

LyricsVerse

Looking to the future
Looking down the road
Where does it lead me
How it will unfold
Shadows all around me
Shadows growing long
Memories forgotten
Feelings are all gone

Everything is wasted
Everything is spent
All my aspirations
Fueling my dissent
Driving down the highway
Driving all alone
Fighting my possession
I’m still holding on

LyricsChorus · 2:20

Save me from this world of misery
Won’t you help me solve this mystery
Is there someone there to make a vow
Promise me that you will show me how
How to face the fears I come upon
How to rid of them and make them gone

Who will be the one to push me on
Help me through the night to meet the dawn
Give me hope and help me free my soul
Lend me strength again to make me whole
Be the one to break these chains in me
Liberate my mind and set me free

The soundSpecification

0:002:20 chorus6:16

Tempo: 135 BPM
Length: 6:16
Mixed: LUNA, Diatonica studio
Loudness: −11.6 LUFS · range 10.5 LU
True peak: −2.2 dBTP
Masters: 24-bit · 44.1 kHz stream · 48 kHz film

A film strip with four stills from the Chains film

The film38 shots · 4K

Graded to the look of Kodak 2383 print film. First cut in 2024, rebuilt shot by shot in 2026 for the new master.

Recorded & mixedDiatonica studio

DiatonicaQuadrophony

Side A

01Chains6:16

Written, performed and produced by: Mitja Železnikar
Lyrics translated by: Gregor Osovniker
Backing vocals: Alessia T.
Neja Železnikar
Production: Diatonica Studio

℗ & © 2026 Diatonica. All rights reserved.
www.diatonicamusic.com

Cover

Quadrophony

The Album

Chains is the first chapter. Quadrophony will hold eighteen songs, a wide and varied repertoire, released one at a time. The eighteenth closes the album.

Quadrophony is our own word for what we are after: a new dimension of mix, space and combinations, built on the music we know. It is made for audiophiles and for everyone who listens closely. Put on good headphones or sit between your speakers and let every layer open around you.

It is a journey we take together, one chapter at a time. Every new song adds to the story, and those who listen from the start will hear the whole album grow. Come along from the first song.

01ChainsComing soon
02Old LessonsIn the making
03The NeighborsIn the making
04Stone of MoldIn the making
05On the SofaIn the making
06Chains (A Cappella)In the making
07CornersIn the making
08TomorrowIn the making
09The EndIn the making
10LightningIn the making
11One WayIn the making
12In the making
13In the making
14In the making
15In the making
16In the making
17In the making
18Finale

Down here, sound is the only light.

“Be the one to break these chains in me”

Chains

The Song

Six minutes and sixteen seconds, and a film built around the song.

Versions

Album version6:16
A cappellaAlbum track 06

0:00 / 6:16

Listen on

Spotify
Apple Music
YouTube Music
Tidal
Deezer
Amazon Music

Release date to be announced. Streaming links open on release day.

Chains

The Film

Official video · 6:16 · 4K

Still from the Chains film: a whale seen from above

About

Diatonica is the music of Mitja Železnikar, a composer, producer and designer from Slovenia.

The music blends classic rock with the sophistication of classical music and orchestral film scores. Rich, multi-layered vocal harmonies, an array of instruments and a deep integration of effects build a spacious, immersive atmosphere.

It is made for audiophiles who want more than a listening experience: a journey in sound that moves across genres and engages the senses. The songs are written, produced and mixed in the Diatonica studio, layer by layer, until they feel like a room you can walk into.

Written, performed and produced by: Mitja Železnikar
Production: Diatonica Studio