The Tacoma experimental musician’s latest LP blends synth punk & noise rock in hypnotic fashion
Time to head to the northwest and watch the summer in its final moments. An ideal pairing in this regard is the music by Tacoma artist J.R.C.G. With the release of his new album, Grim Iconic…(Sadistic Mantra) via Sub Pop, the experimental musician presents a well-rounded volume of songs worthy of its name. The journey required by listeners is guided by catchy sounds that cause pause, yet hypnotized appreciation. The vocal attention to the craft is clear and loud, with joy smuggled in for an opportune listening experience.
“Dogear” is a rambling canine of a track with all the texture of something captivating. Its groove sticks the landing as listeners are then drawn into the scratchy vocals, which are equally attractive to the ears. It is a rather strange trip, yet worth the enlightenment to follow. The album does not follow a strict path, but wanders almost like jazz, but of its own accord. Genre does not matter here, though elements of synth punk and noise rock are sprinkled in. A new nature is formed with this sound evolution. Whether you are peeking in from The Upside Down, or just here in reality, this taste of J.R.C.G. truly encapsulates the soundscape. And he took the time to take us through his latest sonic endeavor, which you can also plunge into below.
How was it working with Seth Manchester on these fresh new tracks? Any memorable moments to share?
It ended up being incredible. I took a real risk going all the way out there. I live in Washington state, and the studio, Machines With Magnets, is in Rhode Island. I didn’t really have any money, I didn’t have a label sorted out for this record at that point, I had never worked with another person in a co-producer role, let alone producer role and had only really emailed back and forth with Seth. I did, however, feel really confident in our conversations and mutual goals around working together, so I really was going off that, hoping it worked out. I really owe a lot to our collaboration on this record. I went into this having achieved a certain musical aesthetic with my last record but felt like, in a way, it was also me at a ceiling of what I was capable of working from home, he really opened up what was sonically possible for this music. I distinctly remember us putting together what is the drum section in the song “Liv” and feeling how massive sounding it was and both of us being so excited and somewhat reassured that this was going to work. From there it felt like everything was at ease.
Were there any new elements that you played around with this time? Can you elaborate?
One that comes to mind is the vocal performance. I had a tendency to bury, distort, and overall camouflage my vocal mixes, making them more textural than traditional vocal takes. It’s become a bit of a habit and maybe a crutch in some instances. I really made an effort to take more risk vocally on this record, not just with the performance but how they are stylized on the record, whereas in the past, I might have distorted them or thrown a bunch of delay on them, Seth really pushed me to present them more clearly and use those more stylized effects in small, more intentional moments rather than just thrown all over the record.
When you write, what vibes send you down a rabbit hole? Can you share the ideal process?
Pretty much every J.R.C.G. song either originates from drums or synthesizers, probably more so drums and percussion. Whether I like it or not, I am, at my core, a drummer. If the rhythm is bumpin’, I am bumpin’, and that sends me on my way. A lot of times, I pull from sessions I have of recorded drums, essentially sampling myself. From there, ideally, new rhythms and patterns present themselves just based on how the puzzle is pieced together.
What kind of venue is your favorite to play and why?
Very simply, one that sounds good. Literally, all I care about. Could be a complete shithole, but if it sounds good and has capable PA for what I want to do, I’m all set.
What advice do you have for musicians eager to enter the space in 2024?
I feel extremely inadequate to offer any advice, though I guess if I had to say anything, it would be to focus more on building community than building your personal brand, streaming numbers, social media, sales, etc. The most important relationships I have in the “music industry” stem from people I met while playing in basements and warehouses, making the worst but also best music. We all grow up and hopefully find where we want to be within music – sure, people drop off and go down other paths – but when it comes to the ones that don’t, you tend to seek those people out and prioritize working with them because of that shared foundation. Those relationships, to me, are priceless.
