Cardiff has built a community of musicians, songwriters, producers and engineers with whom he works closely. Many of them have worked with him on several albums over the years. Cardiff has said that he likes collaborating with people who "are challenging and not comfortable with just saying yes to things." He recorded with a band for the first time for his latest album, "Love Is Louder (Than All This Noise) Part 1 & 2". Recording live off the floor with musicians James Robertson, Paul Mathew, Sly Juhas, Mike Evin and Robbie Grunwald, Cardiff found himself far outside his comfort zone, intimidated and amazed. "It was funny to be intimidated while making this album, to come into the sessions and think, these guys are amazing players, I'd better remember my capo position," he says. "If there's anything I want to get better at, it's to push myself musically by creating those situations with other artists."