Junaco on DIY recording, Sonic Ranch, and the subtle power of RX

Junaco’s new album In Motion feels alive in every sense of the word. Written in a yurt on the banks of Northern California’s Smith River and later recorded at Sonic Ranch in Texas, it’s an album built on movement, connection, and honesty. Each song carries the air of that setting – the creak of wood, the hum of amps, and the feeling of friends playing together.

For a group like Junaco, that kind of freedom comes with its own challenges. When you’re powering sessions off a battery or recording beside an open fire, you can’t expect perfection. That’s where iZotope RX became an essential part of the process and acted as a safety net. It allowed the band to stay focused on performance instead of technical flaws.

RX helped them clean up guitar buzz, tame noisy tape machines, and preserve the intimacy of live takes without stripping away any warmth. The result is a record that sounds unfiltered and human, yet still polished enough to hold its own next to major-studio releases.

Jump to these sections:

• Cleaning noisy sessions with RX
• Using RX in conjunction with analog sounds
• Choosing the right moments to use a tool like RX
• When to leave imperfections unedited
• RX as a tool for creative momentum
• Recording anywhere with professional quality

So let’s dive into the chat and see how Junaco uses RX in both surgical and creative ways to achieve an intimate album that’s laced with detailed precision.

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In Motion feels personal yet polished. At what point in the process did RX become part of your workflow for this project?

RX was part of the process from the very beginning of the project.

We made some demos of songs on a cassette machine in an off-grid structure and powered everything with a battery. I was using RX from the start to clean up guitar buzz and background noise in those first demos.

Later on in the project, we used it pretty frequently on some old pianos and guitar amps – specifically some overdubs that we did in that same battery-powered configuration.

We also re-amped some of the piano we recorded at Sonic Ranch through my Kalamazoo amp. That sounds mostly great, but there’s absolutely something wrong with it, and it automatically gets RX at this point.

Pro tip from Junaco: If something sounds interesting to you out in the world, record it on your phone, clean it up with RX, and turn it into an instrument.

Can you give some examples of moments on a track where RX helped you out?

We used a delay unit on a lot of the vocals on this record, and I used RX basically every time I used that delay. We also used it to help clean up the reverb we were using on most of the vocals on this record.

We recorded a lot live and used mostly analog effects units on this whole record. The reality is that most of them aren’t in perfect shape, so it was great to be able to print the audio and know that we could clean the recordings up if we needed to.

Pro tip from Junaco: Record things as soon as they sound exciting to you, don’t wait for the perfect sound.

What’s your philosophy when using RX? Do you use it surgically, or as part of a broader workflow across every track?

I always listen to the sounds in context and then use RX when things jump out at me or are distracting in the mix. That said, I think it ended up being used on almost every song on this record in some way.

Pro tip from Junaco: If something is driving you insane during the recording process, the solution could be as simple as RX.

Do you ever find yourself choosing to leave imperfections in the recordings for emotional authenticity?

Yes absolutely.

We tracked almost all of In Motion playing together in the same room with very little separation. That results in lots of little things being there that aren’t “intended” and lots of bleed in the mics. I don’t think we did much to clean up those kinds of things.

I love hearing people moving around, breathing, and being alive in recordings. What I don’t love is broken, or buzzy gear sounds most of the time. That’s where I think the software is most useful.

Pro tip from Junaco: Be patient with yourself if it’s not happening. Remember: it’s not a question of your ability, but maybe it’s not the right moment.

How does RX fit alongside other tools you use regularly in shaping the sound of this record?

It’s a great tool for using a variety of unique gear and sounds, as it still produces an immaculate representation of those sounds.

We prefer to work quickly and make decisions as we go. We really try to move on right away when something sounds good. We don’t do more takes than are needed or take extra DI recordings “for safety.”

I think what you hear while you’re recording is wholly tied to how you’re going to play, and that humanity is what we’re trying to capture.

The downside of recording quickly is that the sound isn’t always pristine. I could spend another 30 minutes fixing that amp buzz, but by then the band would be bored. So I usually just say, “Let’s play, we’ll fix it later in RX.”

I think there’s something really special about being able to move fast and confidently while also knowing that you’ve got backup if something needs a little help in the end.

Pro tip from Junaco: Sometimes taking a moment away is better than doing more takes.

If a younger artist asked you how to balance DIY intimacy with professional-level quality, what role would you say RX plays in that conversation?

We were fortunate to be able to make the most of In Motion at Sonic Ranch with Mario Ramirez, who is a world-class engineer. That said, parts of this record and almost all of our previous music were recorded in our houses or friends’ houses.

Again, some of the sounds on this record were recorded using a battery-powered setup in the woods rather than waiting to get back into a studio. I think with what’s available now, as far as portable gear and plugins like RX, you can make an excellent record almost anywhere.

I really think whatever setting you’re recording in, being comfortable and fun is way more important than anything else. I’ve RX’d dogs, air conditioners, neighbors, traffic, wind, and pots and pans out of songs that I’m really proud of.

Wrapping it all up

Talking with Junaco about In Motion shows how much care went into every sound on the record. RX played a quiet but essential role, keeping the sessions clean while letting the performances stay alive. The record feels immediate, human, and deeply personal, carrying the warmth of real rooms and real moments.

Thanks to Junaco for opening up about their process and the making of In Motion. It’s a reminder that music connects best when the tools serve the feeling, and that precision and emotion can coexist when the focus stays on the song.

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