◊ EMERALD-LANE
EMERALD-LANE leader Orion “Sonny” Coates rises up; press photo courtesy of the artist.
Having arrived not a moment later than need, Los Angeles band, production crew, phenomenon in their own right—◊ EMERALD-LANE has just released the incredibly timely & exceedingly relevant double EP in C M C S. Founder & leader Orion “Sonny” Coates advocates for people to know themselves through receiving the inspiration-information streams and sound beams that Sonny says promote & provide beauty, insight, and cosmic-awareness. Released in the wakes of the unjust deaths of Alton B. Sterling and Philando Castile, the swells of racial injustice & the names of the people behind the #blacklivesmatter hashtag, and a world spinning off its axis of so-called civic stability—Coates & company are not here to feed the fear mongering or encourage apathy but provide something beneficial for the community that works to alleviate the hurt through proselytizing awakened audio experiences to help overcome any and all adverse situations.
Having previously pushed the creative conversation with fellow luminaries like SA-RA Creative Partners, Thundercat, Austin Peralta, Cody ChesnuTT, and more; Coates continues to redefine the creative approach to music with Wow Jones (keyboards for Bryson Tiller), Mike Moore (percussion for Kid Cudi), Joel Whitley (who has played with Stevie Wonder, Kimbra, etc), Thomas Drayton (bassist seen touring lately with Childish Gambino), along with percussionist Allakoi Peete. Together ◊ EMERALD-LANE create a double EP that is divided between C M C S (RED) & C M C S (BLUE), where Sonny explained the (RED) disc being the “grid” version, whereas (BLUE) reflects an “off-grid” approach. Sonny describes the RED EP as “reflecting the modern electronic production aesthetic, while [BLUE] embodies a more timeless aesthetic.” Orion described spreading the message of positivity in a way that affects as many folks as possible, through “varying the communicative expression. In the very least, we’ve pioneered a compelling approach that other artists can try,” Sonny explained, “It’s twice the work, but I can totally see this becoming a standard model of music-production in the future.”
C M C S (RED) begins the hard healing process with the “fuck your feelings” discarding of the “smashed up old regimes” toasted on the opening & introductory “Salutations From the Balcony”. The shifting of thoughts & turning of tables chants down the walls of oppression (both internal & external) on “Here Come The Change”, pondering questions of the heart’s truth on the mystic title track wonder “C M C S” that brings midday meditations for those in need of enlightenment or respite from the weariness that the world has wrought. Searches for love & sanctuary can be heard on the dub-steeped “Above / Below”, right before being treated to wah-wah pedal laden interlude that provides a reflective instrumental moment of head lifting-levity. The life pursuit of all the elusive items that extend outside the reaches of understanding, “Submarine-Tourmaline” dives down to the deepest of depths with a musical apparatus seeking semi-precious gemstones that bring the listener to the smoky timeless “(Postlude)” that combines orchestral items on a full bodied beat that slaps with much more than just your ordinary backing track. ◊ EMERALD-LANE’s “grid” version chooses to be switched on to the familiar electric-avenues and pop trope altitudes that is more modern canon conscious, while keeping the progressions and arrangements ever changing in nature like the impact seasons have on the inhabitants of earth.
◊ EMERALD-LANE’s “off-grid C M C S (BLUE) EP disc provides a complimentary alternate reading and view of the (BLUE) disc where the reins are thrown to the wind while Sonny & the gang run against the conventions of the breeze. “Salutations From The Balcony” becomes transformed into what is deserving of being the opening title score to an intense dystopian blockbuster. The take on “Here Come The Change” is heard as a more ambient number where the echoes of SA-RA and the Brainfeeder team resonate here—as well as on the following title track—like ghosts haunting all acoustic & electronic instruments involved in the mix. The (BLUE) version of “Above / Below” provides a more stripped-down version that brings PMA recitations of “keep following the signs, you know just how it goes, sometimes its right under your nose, it just takes a little bit of time for you to find that gift of love, don’t think of ever giving up,” certain to lift all downtrodden spirits. The interlude here provides a cosmic prayer that features Sonny sailing like a comet through the infinite sky, while “Submarine-Tourmaline” is even spacier and dressed in a more sparse arrangement that feels like a journey between dimensions of reality and alternate existence passageways, right before you have no choice but to be hurdled into the infinite chasms of galaxies on the closing “(POSTLUDE)”. Although this “off-grid” disc might have track titles that correlate to the “grid” edition, (BLUE) is a whole other world that exists on a whole other map of the mind. Join us now for a very candid, cool, & mind opening interview with none other than Orion “Sonny” Coates.
You have described music as being technology, “it’s ancient, and yet it’s futuristic. We’re not entertaining as much as we’re consciously initiating programs and applications.” Describe how you and the ◊ EMERALD-LANE group create these audio adventures that work in ways of cosmic-awareness, and highlight the beauty and natural insights that are all around us.
Yes, well, the main purpose of the ◊ EMERALD-LANE organization is to “help accelerate the realization of ’Biosphere Consciousness’ with the express purpose of catalyzing positive social change.” em-lane.com “Biosphere Consciousness” is basically the next phase of human awareness. It’s when all of humanity start to function as an integrative whole, as opposed to a divided nation-states. It’s a perspective of cosmic abundance and, in my opinion, it’s inevitable. I decided to contribute every bit of talent, effort, and vision I have toward the realization of that ideal because ultimately, it’s the only sustainable option for the planet. I think this will be the dominant worldview in the future. Right now, we’re still stuck in “what’s in it for me” mode.
That said, at ◊ EMERALD-LANE, anything we produce is geared toward helping people to wake up; to help people to know themselves and ascend the vibrational spectrums. How do we do this? We tap into the subtle realms for inspiration, and through an alchemical process, charge our sound recordings and live shows with that quintessence. Have you ever looked at sunlight pouring down on flowers early in the morning and watched them open up? That’s essentially what we want do. That’s how we can we can be of use to our fellow man. It’s like that Marvin Gaye quote: “Isn’t the artist’s true job to learn from nature? Instead of churning out pop hits, shouldn’t the truly talented among us be listening to the flutter of a butterfly’s wing?”
Describe how you and the entire collective go about composing and realizing your works.
Well, usually, I’ll receive the initial program in the form of a basic chord-progression and then I gather the group at a studio and run it down for them, on guitar usually. Everyone will gradually fall in and we’ll cycle through the different parts of the song until everyone is locked in. Once the synergy is flowing, I conduct the overall expression as the fundamental architecture of the song takes shape. That said, sometimes after I get home and listen back, I’ll realize that the entire song has to be redone, that the vibe wasn’t right somehow, which is frustrating [laughs]. At that point, the initial version becomes a prototype and we try again. It’s super hard work, but it’s rewarding and I’m very happy to do it.
Can you break down for us the making of the debut double EP C M C S, and the differences in the RED ‘grid’ version versus the BLUE ‘off-grid’ edition?
Oh, man…he entire process was so epic I could literally write a book: triumph, despair, self-discovery; I’ll spare your readers, though [laughs].
But, to answer your question, the difference between the RED and the BLUE EPs are the production aesthetic. With the (RED) C M C S, we’re designing the sound on the “grid”—which is how most, if not all music is produced today—definitely all electronic music. There’s a certain precision to the sound since every element is cut to a click track. In my opinion, I think that’s why most modern music lacks a timeless quality. It’s because the music is literally trapped in time on the grid, which is a synthetic, mathematically-perfect structure. The problem is that human beings aren’t perfect. You can even go a step further up and say that the widespread dependence on the grid, as far as pop music goes, is a reflection of the synthetic, psychologically disconnected quality of our times. That’s how I see it anyway. It’s not all negative, however. I grew up on hip-hop and electronic music and so, at times, I like expressing myself using the grid.
In comparison, the approach we took on the (BLUE) C M C S was to play together live without using any click tracks. When a group of souls is unified on one accord—without a click—the result is charmingly imperfect; much more organic and human. Recording “off-grid” allows for a transcendent quality to emerge in the sound. When I say transcendent, I mean a contemplative, otherworldly, ultra-beauty; a magical, celestial-quality. That happens most effectively off–grid, because a spirit that is timeless or eternal, by it’s very nature, can never be trapped in time…it is beyond time.
When we initially started recording, I had it in my head that I was going to hybridize all of the songs using live instrumentation but recording to click tracks (the grid). We did a bunch of stuff like that, but in the end, it wasn’t satisfying so I scrapped it. One day it hit me: Why am I compromising? Why can’t we just do a ‘grid’ version and an ‘off-grid’ version? It’s twice the effort, but that idea seemed much more interesting to me and I wanted to see if we could actualize it.
How do you feel that the differences through these different production aesthetics impacted the overall outcome of both the RED & BLUE versions?
I think both versions are innovative in their own ways. I was kind shocked at how different identical songs came out when filtered through the opposing aesthetics. How the same song on the RED EP sounds almost unrecognizable on the BLUE, and even had completely different lyrics! That said, if I had to sum it up, I’d say that the (RED) C M C S feels more aggressive. There’s definitely more of an electronic influence throughout, although we tracked together live on a lot of the songs. The (BLUE) C M C S, to me, is more unearthly and has more of a water quality. But, yeah, I think at the end of the day, there’s more of a timeless quality to the (BLUE) C M C S because it was tracked 100% off-grid like the old days. I have this theory: I think the reason why there are no modern equivalents of a Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, or Bob Marley is because most producers today conceive, create, and record solely on the grid. That, and the fact that not a lot of people are playing musical instruments as much. I’d say that those two reasons alone kill about 80% of that transcendent potential I was talking about.
Apart from your work with the ◊ EMERALD-LANE personnel, how has your collaborative work with Thundercat, SA-RA Creative Partners, Austin Peralta, and Cody ChesnuTT further enlightened your own approaches and visions?
Working with Thundercat was amazing. I met him before he was on Brainfeeder back when he was a young studio-musician recording bass parts for SA-RA Creative. A lot of people don’t realize this because he sings more now, but his bass playing is Jaco Pastorius-level, maybe even higher now, actually. You’ll hear him a lot more on the next couple of ◊ EM-LANE releases, actually. There’s a track out there that I produced called “mjrhe∆vy !!!!!!!!!!!!_!”, which features Thundercat and SA-RA.
I’m very proud of that one. We tracked it live in one-take, using the off-grid approach I described before. Definitely check that out…we get very psychedelic at the end. Obviously, Austin (R.I.P) is a sore spot. I met him down in Leimert Park back when he was 16 years old. He was playing this really intense jazz piano, and I thought, “If I sit this kid in front of synthesizer, it’ll be a wrap”! After that, we started doing sessions at my place in West Adams. Austin plays synthesizer all over the (BLUE) C M C S. That’s his beautiful, wizard-polysynth on the beginning on the song “C M C S”. Cody ChesnuTT has been a mentor of mine for many years. He had the most profound influence on me as a young man back when I lived in Brooklyn. He was an idol of mine—still is, in a lot of ways. I’ve always said that Cody was probably the closest thing we had to Hendrix or Marvin Gaye. He had that kind of luminosity during The Headphone Masterpiece era—and those who have ever seen him live know just what I’m talking about! Over the years, we’ve had these epic conversations about art and approaching things from a conscious angle. I really credit Cody with teaching me how to think, and how to have the courage to be an original.
◊ EMERALD-LANE’s iconic artist, auteur & more, Orion “Sonny” Coates; press photo.
Greatest things you have read, seen, or heard lately?
Great question. Not a lot of people ask this question these days!
Right now I’m listening the Walt Disney biography, Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination by Neal Gabler. It’s essentially the story of a man pioneering new creative and business paths and bringing this monumental, unprecedented vision to the planet through hard work and innovation. The more I listen, the more I see the comparisons between Disney and Steve Jobs. Highly recommended.
I just got back from Morocco and Spain. When I was in Barcelona I visited a lot of the buildings that Antoni Gaudi’s designed, which was vivid and completely genius. I saw masterpieces like the Sagrada Familia, and…let’s just say, there’s a very obvious reason why people in Barcelona referred to him as God’s Architect. There’s a really weird, beautiful documentary by a Japanese filmmaker from 1984 about Gaudi’s work. It’s basically just a floating, first-person perspective of all Gaudi’s architecture set to minimal ambient music.
Lastly, I came across this group of artists here in L.A. that put together a really cool little zine called Silient. It focuses on the metaphysical and philosophical aspects behind the artistic process. They interview artists from different media and ask them all types of really meaningful questions—kind of like Impose! Anaka the artist that curates it- is on Instagram. Definitely check her out.
Advice, wisdom, hopes, prayers, & dreams that you care to impart?
This is easy: Besides music, the other thing we produce at ◊ EMERALD-LANE is a podcast. It’s kind of hard to describe, but it’s part talk-radio, part surrealistic musical odyssey. Philosophy, futurism, metaphysics, politics… clips of Elon Musk, clips of crypto-currency anarchists, spiritual teachers, authors, pretty much everything pops up. I think it’s rather unique, actually; and like the music, the purpose of the podcast is to “help accelerate the realization of Biosphere Consciousness with the express purpose of catalyzing positive social change.”
You can find it at iTunes or Soundcloud.
Emerald-Lane’s C M C S (Red) is available here, while C M C S (Blue) is available here.
