Junip | Don't Let it Pass
Junip's "Don't Let It Pass" - how José González's Swedish folk-rock trio created their meditation on breaking free from routines for The Secret Life of Walter Mitty soundtrack in 2010.
Story Behind “Don’t Let It Pass”
From Rehearsal Space to Himalayan Peaks
“Don’t Let It Pass” emerged from Junip’s Gothenburg rehearsal space in 2010 during the sessions for their debut album Fields. The Swedish trio - José González on vocals and guitar, Tobias Winterkorn on organ and Moog synthesizer, and Elias Araya on drums - had reunited after years apart, with González’s solo career having taken off while Winterkorn taught and Araya studied art. The track became the eighth song on Fields, a meditation on breaking free from daily routines and living with intention. Its hypnotic repetition and González’s characteristically understated vocals created something that felt both intimate and expansive, perfectly capturing the band’s ability to transform simple elements into atmospheric soundscapes.
The Song That Found Its Perfect Film
Three years after Fields, “Don’t Let It Pass” found renewed life when it was selected for Ben Stiller’s 2013 film The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. The track’s themes of escaping mundane routines and seizing life’s opportunities aligned perfectly with the film’s story of a daydreamer embarking on a real-world adventure. The song appeared in one of the film’s most iconic sequences, soundtracking Walter Mitty’s journey through the Himalayas. This placement introduced Junip to a wider audience and gave the track a second cultural moment, transforming it from an album deep cut into a soundtrack essential that embodied the film’s message about not letting life pass you by.
“Don’t Let It Pass” Recording and Production Details
Stampen Sessions and Collaborative Chemistry
Junip recorded “Don’t Let It Pass” at their rehearsal space in Gothenburg called Stampen, working with producer Don Alsterberg, a childhood friend of González from their hometown of Vänersborg. Alsterberg’s production approach focused on capturing the band’s natural chemistry while reining in their tendency to over-layer sounds. The track features González’s nylon-string acoustic guitar, Winterkorn’s organ and Moog synthesizer creating atmospheric textures, and Araya’s understated drumming providing the rhythmic foundation. The recording was mixed at Don Pierre Studio, with Hans Olsson Brookes handling mastering at Svenska Grammofon Studion.
Minimalist Approach, Maximum Impact
The production embraced the band’s folk-rock aesthetic while incorporating their experimental tendencies. González’s vocals remain characteristically soft and intimate, delivered in his distinctive hollow tenor that made his solo work notable. Winterkorn’s Moog synthesizer adds undulating waves beneath the surface, while the organ provides melodic counterpoint to González’s guitar patterns. The track builds through repetition rather than dramatic crescendos, with the title phrase repeated eight times in the closing section to drive home its urgent message. This minimalist approach creates a hypnotic quality that draws listeners into the song’s meditative space.
Notes About “Don’t Let It Pass” by Junip
Release Date: October 9, 2010 (album), December 17, 2013 (soundtrack)
Duration: 3:57
Genre: Indie Folk / Folk Rock / Psychedelic Folk
Album: Fields (debut studio album, track 8)
Producer: Don Alsterberg, Junip
Label: Mute Records, City Slang
Film Usage: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)
Writers: José González, Tobias Winterkorn, Elias Araya
Junip “Don’t Let It Pass” Era Band Details
Album Details
Album: Fields
Release Date: September 10, 2010 (Europe), October 9, 2010 (North America)
Label: Mute Records, City Slang
Recording Location: Stampen (rehearsal space), Gothenburg, Sweden
Producer: Don Alsterberg, Junip
Mixing: Don Pierre Studio (Don Alsterberg), Svenska Grammofon Studion (Hans Olsson Brookes)
Mastering: Svenska Grammofon Studion (Hans Olsson Brookes)
Album Context: First full-length album after 12 years as a band
Critical Reception: Metacritic score of 75 based on 17 reviews
Band Members/Personnel
José González - Vocals, Guitar, Songwriter
Tobias Winterkorn - Organ, Moog Synthesizer, Songwriter
Elias Araya - Drums, Songwriter
Don Alsterberg - Producer, Recording Engineer, Mixing (most tracks), Bass (select tracks)
Hans Olsson Brookes - Mixing (tracks 3, 8, 9), Mastering
Erik Bodin - Tambourine (select tracks)
Joel Westberg - Percussion (select tracks)
Production Notes
Recorded over approximately one year in band’s rehearsal space
Self-produced by band with assistance from Don Alsterberg
Deluxe edition included previous EPs Black Refuge and Rope & Summit
Album reached #420 in best albums of 2010 on Rate Your Music
Features motorik rhythms, psychedelic atmosphere, and dense synth textures
Nearly a decade in the making from band’s formation in 1998
Marked the reunion of the trio after pursuing separate careers
Interesting Facts About “Don’t Let It Pass”
The Walter Mitty Connection
“Don’t Let It Pass” gained its most iconic usage when it was featured in Ben Stiller’s 2013 film The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, appearing on the official soundtrack alongside other José González solo tracks. The film’s narrative about a man breaking free from his mundane existence to embark on a global adventure perfectly mirrored the song’s message about not letting life pass you by while stuck in routines. The track soundtracked one of the film’s most visually stunning sequences, set in the Himalayas, creating an indelible association between the song and the act of stepping beyond comfort zones into authentic living. This placement introduced Junip to audiences who knew González primarily from his solo work, demonstrating how the band context expanded his artistic palette beyond the stark folk aesthetic of his individual albums.
The Evolution from Solo Artist to Band Identity
“Don’t Let It Pass” represents a crucial moment in Junip’s identity as more than just José González’s side project. The band formed in 1998 among childhood friends but didn’t release their first full album until 2010, largely because González’s solo career took off in 2003 with Veneer and 2007’s In Our Nature, which together sold over a million albums worldwide. During Junip’s hiatus, Winterkorn worked as a teacher while studying philosophy, and Araya studied art in Norway and Finland. When they finally reunited to record Fields, the chemistry between the three musicians was immediate, with Winterkorn later noting they could press record during jamming sessions and end up with nearly complete song structures. The track exemplifies how Junip’s sound differs from González’s solo work, incorporating Winterkorn’s dark synthesizers and Araya’s understated percussion to create something simultaneously intimate and atmospheric, proving the band was a distinct creative entity rather than simply a backing ensemble for González’s songs.
Common Questions
Q: Who sings “Don’t Let It Pass” by Junip? A: José González sings lead vocals on “Don’t Let It Pass.” González is the Swedish-Argentine singer-songwriter who formed Junip in 1998 with childhood friends Tobias Winterkorn and Elias Araya in Gothenburg, Sweden. His distinctive hollow tenor and understated vocal delivery are central to both Junip’s sound and his successful solo career.
Q: What movie is “Don’t Let It Pass” by Junip in? A: “Don’t Let It Pass” appears in Ben Stiller’s 2013 film The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. The song was included on the official soundtrack album, which featured multiple tracks by both Junip and José González’s solo work. The film’s themes of breaking free from routine and embracing adventure aligned perfectly with the song’s message.
Q: What is “Don’t Let It Pass” about? A: The song addresses breaking free from daily routines and technology’s distractions to live with greater awareness and intention. The opening lines reference being “pinned down to routines” and the “flickering screen,” urging listeners to elevate themselves and start change from within. The repeated refrain warns against letting life’s opportunities pass by while locked into mundane patterns.
Q: When was “Don’t Let It Pass” released? A: “Don’t Let It Pass” was originally released on October 9, 2010, as track 8 on Junip’s debut album Fields. The song gained renewed attention when it was included on The Secret Life of Walter Mitty soundtrack, released on December 17, 2013, three years after the original album release.
Q: What genre is Junip’s “Don’t Let It Pass”? A: “Don’t Let It Pass” blends indie folk and folk rock with psychedelic and experimental elements. The track features José González’s acoustic guitar and vocals combined with Tobias Winterkorn’s Moog synthesizer and organ, creating Junip’s characteristic sound that expands beyond González’s stark solo folk aesthetic into more atmospheric and textured territory.