Q+A with Slow Salvation
Slow Salvation is a dream pop project of Travis Trevisan and Christina Hernandez. Travis, a Nashville transplant, writes and records other work under the name Tape Deck Mountain, which blank mood followers might also appreciate. Travis and Christina as Slow Salvation recently released what could become a new Christmas shoegaze classic, “The Ghost of Last Christmas”. I’d listen to this song anytime of year for its soft and sparkly spookiness. The song feels comforting, yet open to interpretation in terms of mood, which is very much like the season itself. Are you wrapped in sadness or nostalgia—or both? I asked Travis why he wrote a Christmas song. If you live far away from home, I’m sure you’ll be able to relate to his answer.
"The Ghost of Last Christmas" - what was the inspiration behind writing a Christmas song? It's absolutely lovely.
"The Ghost of Last Christmas" is a very personal song for me. I left California over 10 years ago, moving to New York and then eventually wound up in Nashville, Tennessee. Every year until she passed, my grandmother would call me and ask, 'Are you coming home for Christmas?' That simple phrase stuck with me, and it became the inspiration for the chorus. I wanted to capture that bittersweet feeling of longing and nostalgia that often surrounds the holidays with family.
There aren’t a lot of options for Christmas songs that avoid the typical cheesiness, so I set out to make something that could contribute to the Christmas canon—something with depth and a dreamy atmosphere for the dream pop and shoegaze fans who celebrate the season.
Can you tell us something about the cover art / photo of the single?
The cover art for the single was originally a photo taken by Juliane Monari, a photographer based in São Paulo, Brazil. I actually discovered it on a stock photography site, and as soon as I saw it, I knew it perfectly captured the vibe and theme of the song. There was something about its mood and composition that felt just right. I did add a few subtle touches—like snowflakes and some winter elements—to give it that nostalgic, wintry feel and tie it more closely to the holiday spirit of the track.
Do you and Christina work together miles apart?
Yes, the distance from New Jersey to Tennessee is almost 900 miles. The pandemic really opened the door for mobile recording to become more accessible and commonplace, and in a way, that was a blessing for us. It allowed this project to come to life, even with the distance.
Who or what are your current inspirations or motivators of your creative process?
It's hard to pinpoint exactly—I've always had this innate drive to create music; it feels natural and organic. Growing up, my parents would often sing songs about chores or everyday life experiences. Sometimes they were covers, and other times they were family originals, though I didn’t always realize it at the time. That gave me the sense that anything could be turned into a song and became sort of a mechanism for addressing the human experience.
You released two other singles in 2024, "Japan" and "Call A Friend" Will these tracks and the Christmas tune be included on an upcoming album and/or physical release?
“Japan” and “Call a Friend” will most likely be part of a future, yet-to-be-titled album slated for release in 2025. The Christmas tune, however, will probably remain a standalone single—it’s a bit too festive to sneak onto a full album. I think it’s best left to live in its own little holiday world.
What kind of rabbit was pulled from a hat by J.Cloud?!
Cloud runs the label Velvet Blue Music which releases our music, he is constantly performing magic tricks.
What was it like to work with Simon Scott on the mastering of your album "Here We Lie"?
The process was really smooth—Simon immediately understood the vibe we were going for and nailed the mastering right out of the gate. As longtime Slowdive fans, it was an absolute honor to have his feedback and personal touch on the record.
Are you working on anything for 2025 that you'd like to mention?
At the moment, I’m deep into mixing the follow-up to Here We Lie. This new batch of songs pushes our sound further and explores new sonic territory—it feels like some of our strongest material yet. If all goes to plan, the record should see the light of day in 2025.