The Laconic-Amor Fati
The Laconic brings a fine selection of prog rock from the studio to your ears. Here is an artist who has expanded his palette to something he might not be able to identify at this point. All we know, is that it has elements that are constantly evolving and growing to make an epic story that is made of dreams. This is his second full length album, Amor Fati. The bold themes of The Laconic What are the visuals you aim to conjure with an album like Amor Fati? I don't aim to conjure visuals, but emotions. The idea is that if you're constructed like me, a human who has come, over time, to associate certain kinds of melodies, harmonies, and timbres with certain moods or emotions, then by writing music that evokes in me an emotional story, it may have the same effect on you. In a sense, I don't play the music, I play how you feel. But it's only going to work if we share some musical context. The emotions I aim to conjure with Amor Fati are: joy, acceptance and defiance, courage, wonder, and excitement. There's not a lot of anger or sadness; there is some anguish though. Now, if I could conjure visuals with Amor Fati, a few would be: a dancer leaping in the sunshine; Ozymandias, king of kings; a swashbuckler engaged in a swordfight on a tightrope; a bullfighter swirling his cape; a man screaming at the heavens; winter turning to spring. Series of sounds Opening with Fate, the collection of instruments and their desired effects is incredible. Like an Opeth alternate, there is a confluence of guitars, drums, pianos and cocoon ambiances that make it heaven to experience. It is like listening to an experience of nature study, observation of its glory. As a song, this is more than perfect for the kind of opening that an album that is spreading its wings would want. Marvelously strong start. While creating a narrative through rock in a broader spectrum, on what basis do you switch from one kind of rock to another? There is a story that develops in my head as I write music, and as I hear the music, the story develops. Now, I don't use lyrics, so I can't tell you what story I have in my head--not through the music, anyway. But the story has an emotional content to me, and I can write the music in order to evoke that sequence of emotions in myself, and if you hear it, it will (hopefully) evoke the same sequence, to which then you can fit your own narrative. And that's the magic of music. It's always personalized, even if the writer doesn’t know you at all, and that's why we get so passionate about it. So to the original question: I switch when doing so supports the emotional narrative. This was an important part of writing Amor Fati. Understanding the narrative Nona explains itself as a brilliantly written interlude. With polyrhythmic beats and synth sheets claiming the silence, it creates a bed of sound that is surreal to imbibe yourself into. Saber is introduced next. As far as instrumental prog rock goes, it even dips its toes into the kind of melodies Genesis liked to study. The metaphor for the blade it carries is felt in how it is forged, reached the fertile grounds of war and discord. Decima boards itself to be some of the best rhythm plays heard till now on the album. The play constant dynamic change between the instruments, flooded in instances by deeper, sustained notes. While writing these melodies, how is it that you maintain a cohesive oneness to the compositions? Something has to carry over from one section to the next, and preferably later sections will reference earlier ones in some way. Often it's a phrase that's altered, or appears in a different context, so that it might sound quite different but it is recognizable as the same thing if you pay attention. But it might be an instrument with a distinctive timbre that glues different sections together. Or, obviously, the key or the tempo, if unchanged, will give you some cohesion. As Dust comes on, it explodes into notes and leads that point somewhere. I was reminded of scenes from Peaky Blinders, especially the arpeggios. It is one of the fullest, unique tracks that I have heard textures being combined and spliced into each other for. The country essence is retained, with the chords and notes as well. The chugging of the Westerns is established by the percussion, the power swerving within the composition. Distance between projects How far do you think you've traversed since Integrals? Many leagues. I love Integrals still. I'm always surprised when I listen to it, because I expect it to sound immature or naïve to me, and it just doesn't. But the compositions on Amor Fati are a level up; generally longer and more complex, with more parts. For example, "Refuge" is nearly 20 minutes long, with around a hundred tracks. Another feature that sets it apart from Integrals is the extensive use of guest musicians, all of whom made astonishing contributions. Integrals had all programmed drums, while Amor Fati has nearly all real drums, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Juan Dahmen's drumming, Gary Husband's keyboards, Aralee Dorough's flute, Tim Gardner's and Erik Emil Eskildsen's touch guitars, Christina Ruf's cellos, Colin Gatwood's English horn, and my brother Scott's guitar, all combine to produce something well beyond what I could have done alone, or even imagined. The Laconic then proceeds to create an illusion of time through music. One of the most popular ones has been Pink Floyd’s depiction, which is most commonly used. Here, creating the hourglass and ticking hour effect draws something unique and preserved, in its own light. It lays the foundation to what will become Mirror. The result is a digital paradise, the dynamic dissonance almost discombobulating. It unfolds with incredible creativity, having an industrial touch to it. You would almost imagine Trent Reznor having a touch of his composition in this. Remnant memory and what it does What vision do you have for The Laconic's future music? What aspect do you think people instantly connect to? I think people instantly connect to the melodies. If you're anything like me--and I know a decent-sized sample of people who are anything like me--the melodies will take up residence in your brain. It's not unpleasant. As for future music, I started a third album while the second was being mixed. I'm planning fewer but longer pieces, something not unlike Tales from Topographic Oceans or Incantations. Four songs, each around 15-20 minutes. More cinematic, and more orchestral. I wrote Amor Fati at a breakneck pace -- nearly everything was written and recorded in about nine months, and I am not a full-time musician, but a data scientist, so it was like having two careers. I'll take more time with the next one, maybe twice as much, and take more responsibility for every note. However, none get you the experience that The Laconic brings with Refuge. An 18+ minute epic, it is a story that has its many twists, turns and straights. All expressed through the miracle that is the instrumental approach. The kind of solos that express themselves as protagonists will blow your mind to bits. It would have been enough to end the album with that. Equinox comes in to do that service. A soothing, beautiful melody is what cuts the silence. The delectable choice of notes will make you wonder, what kind of energy might a composition like this take out of you? Protagonist and plight-The Laconic If his 2022 album Integrals was level 3, we jump to a 9, progressively. The quality and expounding effect the music has on you is miraculous. Many of these songs would be great in the BBC documentary, HyperNormalisation (2016). I would prefer if a movie of this prog rock album could be made, as nothing could be more accurate in terms of scene transition. Follow The Laconic and listen to these incredible tracks here: https://thelaconic.bandcamp.com/album/amor-fati
her voice box-teenage jaws
There is a sanctuary in the music her voice box creates. It is the raw, replenishing nature of indie music, something that is easy speak of the soul. Bringing a touch of grunge with the chaotic outbreaks of lyrical sharpness, Kaisei is the voice of this project. This latest single is called teenage jaws. There is a grunge flavoured tone in your music that makes it so catchy. How does your song develop, different from that genre in the resultant song? It develops a mindset of not trying to be perfect. In fact I was purposely trying to make it sound low quality. This gave me a a sense of freedom which made me enjoy making the song. Who would you say your biggest musical inspirations are? The more unlikely, the better. I like the vocal chop work in EDM music and so I used chopped vocals in the background. Other than that my inspiration mainly comes from Now, now and Petal. The dreams to weave through What welcomes you is the ambient texture of the soothing synths and a voice message. You’re in this state of mind now, being a youngster at this time and age. Bringing this social elastic is something ecstatic and fresh that her teenage box creates. The song has a chord progression you might have heard several times, but has a whole other pocket within. Raw and with gusto, the vocals are delivered more like a train of thought than a lyrical stream. You have a distinct vocal style that makes people strain to hear your voice. Is that purposely done to shine more light on the lyrics? Not for that reason. It was more of a stylistic choice by me to add to the low-quality sound I was going for. When I recorded I never liked how my voice sounded unless I whispered and sang which is what I did. Percussions and drums come in just to aid. It is the way grunge stars remembered recording their first demo, on an 8-track that brought all the mustered energy straight to that magnet strip. The arpeggio notes of the guitar are like a guide to the voice, as it plays in the background like an accompanying friend. A personal touch, understood Tell us about your debut song, and how you thought about your style to put out for the world to see. What would be the most unique element that you make sure is heard from the songs? I like to not worry too much about the audio quality and focus more on the emotions I try to convey with the music. So I want people to feel with their what I am trying to convey with the music. How do you see this project develop? Do you have more songs in line to release or perhaps an EP or album? I was planning on releasing some stripped versions of the track like acoustic, and instrumental. I may bring these into and EP form. What would you like to say to musicians who are doubtful of releasing their music? I would say don't look for problems in the music. And if nothing stands out then release it. It's never going to be perfect. Are there any indie musicians you'd like to collaborate with? Someone who would complement your sound well? I met a musician Tess Anderson, who's music style might compliment mine. I have yet to approach her about it though. This song would be a perfect fit in The Doom Generation (1995). Though this movie was released almost three decades ago, there is a soul in her teenage jaws that makes the music so relatable to an outcast adolescent. Listen to the single above and follow this artist for more like this.
Cloud Ray-We Need
Cloud Ray explores music the way it is meant to be. It is an extension of personality, something you connect with as a missing puzzle. This is one artist who has pushed the envelope on what he loved, creating something we all do. With his latest single, he ensures you’re grooving and moving to his words. This one is called We Need. Finding a personal space in music Your music shares a certain vulnerability, no matter what genre you pick. Is that an instant connect that came while composing? Thank you for noticing this! I truly take the time to delve into myself and see how my life might reflect outward into the world. I would say that the intention to be vulnerable is an instantaneous habit but composing takes more time and careful observation. Being open on any song is a scary adventure for me to embark on and sometimes I even find myself second guessing what I write about. There is a feeling of fear that creeps in and joins me in the creative process because I’m unsure of what the world may think or how the music might be received. ‘We Need’ is the most vulnerable that I have been on any record to date and I have been so thankful to receive such an influx of positive reception. So many people have shared with me how they either relate to the song or just needed something like this to listen to. It’s comforting and validating to know how much positivity came from releasing this record by allowing my vulnerability to step into the spotlight. Cloud Ray and his influences The mix of genres you use is beyond boundaries. Tell us about your wide range of influences, even the unlikely ones. There are so many great artists that have inspired me and influenced me in some way or another. Growing up, my mom would play Pop radio, Hip Hop radio, and even the R&B stations. I would hear all ranges of artists from The Black Eyed Peas and Michael Jackson to Kanye West and Eminem. Artists like Mariah Carey and Luther Vandross were also often played in my household so I obtained a great sense of what amazing vocalists sounded like. When MTV used to play music videos on their TV channel, I remember watching bands like The All American Rejects, Maroon 5, and Paramore which all opened me up to finding a love for punk rock. Today, I try to incorporate elements of the music I truly enjoyed growing up with but I utilize more of a modern sound as well. It is an incredible premise he puts forth. We all do need things to move on with and live for. Here, he is in conversation with someone he once loved to know what is needed to progress. It is the healing, the moving past a story that makes this track so cinematic and moving. You can practically imagine the whole scene play out in front of you, courtesy Cloud Ray. He does float on top with his incredible lyricism, making it personal yet, to a degree, universal. You will connect with several parts of this track for the power and moving feeling that he encapsulates so well. Listen to the song, and you’ll know. Genres that heal Is there a genre you want to try as an experiment, just to see the output? What is your go to genre when you're stressed out? Hmm.. If I were to try out a genre as an experiment, I would probably try out Country music. There is something so pure about the storytelling in Country music that really only works for its genre. I would be interested to see how Cloud Ray would maneuver a Country song or maybe even a Country project. Beyonce´ recently announced that she is releasing a Country inspired album and it’s amazing to see that caliber of an artist pave a way for others to do the same. My go-to genre when I am stressed out is R&B music. I have fallen so far in love with the catalogue of songs that musical artist Tems has released in the past couple years. Her songs take me to a much calmer place when I really need to go there. Of course, I also listen to some of my own songs in times when I need to de-stress, even the unreleased songs. Composing with Cloud Ray While creating a lyrical gauntlet, how do you go about composing? : I go about composing by first acknowledging how I am feeling. It’s usually the emotion that drives me to want to write or create something new. From there, I begin to hum melodies that coincide with how I am feeling and usually a melody gets stuck in my head long enough for me to start writing something catchy to it. When I have a solid foundation on the lyrics in that melody, I begin to fortify the lyrics around that and complete my story telling. There is such a noticeable difference when I write from my heart as opposed to my brain so I began to trust my emotions and feelings a lot more when songwriting. Some of the challenges I face in this creative process develop from overthinking, the fear of judgment, and the fear of success. I could end up writing something super vulnerable like ‘We Need’ that could be a major hit and then start thinking too much about if the song would make sense for the brand, for the business, and if it would even be acceptable for radio. Working past the noise The fear of judgment and success comes in when I start thinking about how much negative reception I might receive or if the songbecomes a success, I ask myself questions like “How do I navigate that?” “Am I really ready to share that much of myself on this level of exposure?” Only when I remind myself that there is no rush to putting out the music is when I can sit with these thoughts and sort through all that might be irrational or just build more confidence around what I’ve created. Having overcome this battle a few times now, I’ve realized how important it can be to sit with what you’ve created and just truly appreciate it. Future collaborations Are there artists in the indie game right now that you'd want to collaborate with? Yes! I have been listening to a super talented musical artist by the name Superlative Sain. His music is a fun mixture of Afrobeats, Dancehall, Soca, Pop, Hip Hop, R&B and even some House music. I’ve been lucky enough to see him perform live several times now. What I’ve noticed about him is the level of stardom that he holds and how it really encapsulates his audience in any setting. His performances include crowd participation where you can see the explosive energy that he brings out of people and I also really enjoy the more intimate performances where you can see him carefully curate his emotions through his voice. Recently, he released a single called “Love and Affection” which is a precursor to his upcoming EP. I highly-highly recommend checking it out, it’s now available to listen to on all streaming platforms. I would love to work with him on a record and witness more of his creative process as well so hopefully in the near future, a collaboration from Cloud Ray and Superlative Sain might be possible. Cloud Ray; Advice for playing the game What would you like to say to other indie artists that are trying to make it in the scene like you? Any process you find to be a thumb rule? My advice to artists who are in the scene with me would be to prioritize organizing your brand and work on creating a familiarity with your audience. I find that having consistency with who you are initially as a person makes it so much easier to be able to present yourself as an artist. For example, anytime I perform, my audience knows to expect a high energy show with great stage presence. This can really help people to connect with you more and I think there is so much benefit from better connection to one another. Meeting people in this industry is also so important. Build a community with people that you can help and grow with by supporting your other artist friends at their shows. At shows or even industry mixer events, you really never know who you’ll end up meeting or standing next to that could offer you a life changing opportunity! As a rule of thumb, I try my best to stay organized in everything I am doing so that I don’t develop habits that might break down everything I am working towards. I create schedules, deadlines, and frequently meet with my team to make sure that things are running smoothly. That all would be the best advice I could give based on where I am at now. Movie for the song! I especially loved the production quality on this number. Cloud Ray has always ensured constant improvement and quality build in his music. This one is no different. This song would be perfect in the movie You People (2023), especially given the scenarios he has painted so well. Listen to the song above and feel out the music!
Elleodin-Cadmus
From her background in punk rock, you would be assuming what Elleodin creates now. Her sonic journeys can’t be compared, both are expressions of her soul. In this particular format however, there are other aspects that chisel her songs. Her latest single is a post rock gem called Cadmus. Your particular sub-genre comes from various art forms. How has this impacted your approach to composition? I think what I look for in music and composition is anything that feels emotionally intense in some way, and that can manifest in various genres. Something can be intense in a quiet, unsuspecting way, or in a way that’s overwhelming and energetic. I’m not really paying attention to genre so much as trying to find the feeling I’m after, which often leads to drawing inspiration from a variety of places. For Cadmus, I knew I wanted it to feel dark and fiery, so when I approached the sound design, I leaned into the kind of warm, gritty, dark sounds that I knew I could get from guitar pedals and tape. Overall the way I approach composition and genre changes quit bit depending on the needs of the song. Opening with some ambient winds, you’re still in the middle of dark water. This is the best way to experience her music, not knowing the source of light. The aural frames come in, making clear a silhouette within sound. Elleodin is setting a theme of this fantastical city from mythology. Exploring synth textures with Elleodin A song like Wing Commander Angel has a whole other pulse compared to your latest, Cadmus. How do you test the waters for the structure of these songs? For Wing Commander Angel, I was trying to depict a very different scene than what is presented in Cadmus. The picture I had in mind for it was one of isolation and freedom, kind of like a quiet ecstasy. Cadmus is pretty much the complete opposite - the aim was to depict the feeling of being surrounded by people whilst in the midst of an inner turmoil, or chaotic mindset - and an inability to escape. Because of that, the way I approached making Cadmus vs. Wing Commander Angel was very different, both in what I wanted for them melodically and instrumentally. It tends to be a process of slowly piecing it together while keeping the images I’m aiming for in mind and making sure what I’m doing matches. Themes of an album-Iridiscent The central theme in Iridescent, is it something that comes from a dream? Or experimenting in the studio while thinking out loud? The central theme of Iridescent, for me, was colour. I strongly associate sound with colour, and Iridescent was a bit like putting together five impressionist paintings that depict different, worlds, scenes and characters. There was a lot of experimenting in the studio and going with the flow with that EP and I felt a lot of freedom making it - maybe that’s why it feels dream-like. If you don’t know the premise of this divinity, her single is a good way to get acquainted. The percussion sneaks up, within sight. It resonates with an incredible energy before finally crashing, as though you have arrived. Haunting synth tunes, overlaid like temperature of water with this drumming, makes this song unlike any other you will hear. Even in concept, it sounds strange. Once it hits your eardrums, it is the very sonic escape you needed away from reality. Cadmus-The making of Cadmus has a post rock energy that you have contained with several instrumental interactions. How did you go about creating this song? I made the first draft of Cadmus on my OP-1 during a trip to the south of Spain. I didn’t have a laptop or any other equipment with me, so for a while I worked on it solely within the OP-1. The OP-1 works a bit like a tape machine; you only have four tracks to record on, and although you have various arpeggiators, you don’t have midi. Because of that, It always comes out slightly imperfect, but I think that’s what gives OP-1 songs their character. Once I came home, the idea was to keep the song I had created intact, while expanding it as much as possible. There was a quiet darkness to the original that I wanted to bring through, I knew I wanted it to feel both gritty and ethereal, so I processed the tracks in ways that are somewhat similar to what might be used in post-rock and shoegaze. As it started to transform I started to hear some of the more cinematic qualities like the heavy drums, the choir chants, and what would eventually become my vocals, so I added those in later on. I experimented quite a bit with it before ended up with the form it’s in now. Elleodin-Routes and inspiration Which would you define as your most ambitious project? Is it something you have completed or is still in the pipeline? It’s a concept album that’s very much still in the pipeline - I’ve spent years on it at this point, but hopefully not many more. It’s been fun to take my time and slowly build it into what I want it to be, but it’s also challenged me a lot more than previous projects. If you were to draw inspirations from certain artists and musicians, who would you say are some of the big ones? Kate Bush certainly inspired me early on, I’m not sure I would have ended up making music if not for her. Bat For Lashes is another artist who I still go back to listen to for inspiration. Otherwise, in terms of process and sound design I find KOAN Sound really inspiring - their music is really innovative. For Cadmus, I drew a lot of inspiration from Lorn, and the way he processes sound through tape and re-recording sounds until they feel both dark and organic. You must check out singles from Elleodin like Black Bird and Below Waves among others. The 2019 EP Iridescent is definitely worth checking out, so make sure you head to her Spotify and listen to this number. This song would be perfect in Divergent (2014). The whole film series needs songs like this that dive into the fiction. Follow her for more and listen to the single above!