ETA
The self-proclaimed “sincere provocateur of double entendre, music & metanarratives”—ETA; photographed by Eddington Again.
You more likely than not already know LA artist ETA from his plethora of video work made with an eclectic cross section of west coast talents. The Vietnamese-American artist has made video for Eddington Again, Friendzone, Post Life, Seaweed Salad and more; and today presents a look at his musical side with the premiere of the sparse, echo-laden lo-fi singles, “Swoon” & “Exuberant Demise”. Once denied admission to USC’s Cinematic Arts program, ETA got his BA in communication that lead him to find a multitude of creative channels from film, poetry, to music. His works are sparse but hold meaning as electric guitar engraved love notes that are penned from the heart’s instruction.
ETA’s “Swoon” begins with watery chords that slowly fade into the frame that are followed by choral howling overdubs that emerge from the background. Lessons and messages of “only time will tell” are uttered as the song’s principle chorus as the recitations of “only” begin to resemble “lonely” which fits the song’s claustrophobic closet recorded quality that feels very isolated, yet warm, but exhibits the cold aspects that loneliness brings. But even still, “swoon” is preoccupied with a striking experience where vintage riffs are ruffled all around the heart of the matter like a hazier, minimalist take on 50s rock & roll.
On “Exuberant Demise”, this trajectory on experiences with heavy impacts continues. ETA applies a subtle echo on his vocals, with sparse rhythm guitar guiding the entire movement of the song outside of the atmospheric resonances that shape the song. Songs about people who wanted it all, and tape recorded samples that speak of subjective perceptions of reality allude to created alternate realms of interest. The spoken tapes that speak of memory find ETA reaching toward recollections of first dates that are described as being cinematic experiences. All this too provides some insight into ETA’s own cinematographic process, as the chords begin to cascade around the cassette sampled cuts. Read our following interview with ETA.
How have your video direction projects and opps impacted your entire creative sensibilities?
Being around all that musical talent probably at least subconsciously reinvigorated a desire to make music. It’s also helped me exorcise a lot of ideas outta my system and experiment with different styles and technique. That probably helped give me a more crystallized vision of what my own aesthetic is, what works for me, what doesn’t—which also made me wanna start pursuing my own work again. When I conceptualize and direct a vid for someone, it’s me adapting and adhering to their vibe, to the beat of another drummer or whatever. It’s finite in that way. This project enables me to be more visceral, start tabula rasa, and create more freely.
Tell us about what sorts of faint worthy sentiments inspired “Swoon”.
I’ve been going through a lot of things lately—a difficult breakup, being jobless, my mom and a close friend getting in major car crashes, my dog almost getting killed—all in a short span of time too. It forced me to become more enlightened. Basically, I died and was just reborn not too long ago. Even in a single lifetime, we continually change and transform because of circumstances. Sometimes, you feel nostalgic or too ironic, or defeated by the things you can’t change. It can feel overwhelming in the smallest moment and also infinitely beautiful and romantic in the long run. That’s how a swoon feels.
Describe the exquisite discontinuities behind “Exuberant Demise”.
I never feel satisfied, man. Especially with my work. I think I’m always fighting this fear of failure, or inevitable uncertainty, and I’m always dissatisfied that I haven’t stepped into this ideal version of my self I see. So I’ll get stuck in the past or the future, and kinda feel disembodied because of that. Sometimes we want too much, or everything at once, and it’s a recipe for unhappiness. We live, we try to embody something greater, then our bodies give and we fade away. This song’s about feeling the weight of that.
Tell us about how Tomemitsu and Jazzbo contributions impacted the album.
Tomemitsu and I have kinda come full circle. The Discover music vid for his band “Seaweed Salad” was my first music vid just over a year ago, and now he’s been generous enough to give me an assist on this project. It’s probably the water sign connection, but it’s been a seamless collabo. He’s got so much music in the works—prepping his sophomore Tomemitsu release, rounding out Crown Plaza and So Many Wizards albums, a tape label—I’m thankful he’s found time for this thing.
Jazzbo and I had a band called Buffaloes. We stumbled through the dark together with that band and this was the aesthetic that came out intuitively from our nascent collabos. He’s my artistic yin / yang kindred spirit. “Swoon” and “Exuberant Demise” were his original productions, which I used for my first feature, Stockton 2 Malone, and another short I did. He’s focusing on novels now, but I definitely hope he revisits making music again soon.
What else are you working on?
I directed a few vids last year for Joey Dosik, Pegasus Warning, and Tomemitsu that I’m really encouraged by. Each one has a distinct vibe. Hopefully they’ll be coming out soon. Other than that, been riffing with So Many Wizards, Eddington Again, and some other friends about possible vid concepts, but nothing concrete. I’d like to scale back on doing music vids though… unless Drake or Frank Ocean hollers at me with something from Views From The 6 or Boys Don’t Cry. Or Kobe comes outta hip hop retirement. Otherwise, narrative’s calling me back. I’d like to refocus my energies on my next feature soon.
Further thoughts on the LA scenes?
It’s happening man. I truly see LA being on the cusp of something special. There’s this stigma that surrounds the LA music scene, that it’s full of artifice or pastiche, but I think there’s a renaissance in progress. Real sincere, emotive, soul-enriching music. That hedonistic, nihilistic pomo vibe is so passe to me, so I’m ready for it.
Listen to more from ETA via Soundcloud & check out his other works via his website.
