Joss Jaffe Interview.

Diving into and exploring different kinds of music is one of my favorite things to do. I’m not gonna lie, I do have certain genres I listen to more than others, but I have learned as a music lover the importance of respecting all genres and giving everything a chance. A genre I don’t normally listen to is reggae, but my boyfriend will occasionally put it on blast during long car rides and I have grown to really appreciate it. Honestly, whenever I hear reggae, or “beachy” electronic rides I always tend to thing of the Netflix hit show, Outerbanks. I recently had the honor of interviewing an especially good vibe artist named, Joss Jaffe. He released his new album, Sun Mountain Sea, not too long ago now and it is as I just mentioned, GOOD VIBES. He is quite the mixture of reggae and dream pop to my ears and I am all about it. I am really excited to share with you Myze readers our discussion about who he is as an artist and also I picked his brain about Sun Mountain Sea.

1. Hi Joss! First, I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to chat with me a little bit about your new album, Sun Mountain Sea. I must admit, listening to the album it had MAD good vibes, so I am really excited to ask you some questions revolving around it. As I am sitting here writing out this interview, my boyfriend and I are actually listening to your album now and he is a fan with me now too. However, before we get to Sun Mountain Sea, would you be able to tell Myze readers a little bit about yourself?

Thanks so much! I love the thought of you two listening while asking me these questions and I appreciate the MAD good vibes! I spent a lot of time cramming all those good vibes in the record in every conceivable way. I am a musician from California, originally from Santa Barbara, and this album speaks to that, even in the album title and some of the songs (‘Between the Mountains and the Sea’ was written about my home town of Santa Barbara). I have a background in different styles of music: from Electronic music, Reggae, World Music, and acoustic music of India where I am a classically trained tabla player and have studied the melodies and rhythms of India for over 20 years. 

For me music is this incredible journey and experiment. It is as fun to make people dance and enjoy life as it is for me to have my own inner journey with it and go through the process of creating art.  

2. So you just recently released your new full length album titled, Sun Mountain Sea. That’s so exciting. Releasing new music is one of the best feelings. Again, this album is FULL of good vibes. What has the feedback been like so far? 

Yes! It feels great. There have been lots of cool responses. The overarching feedback has been that it’s hopeful, uplifting, and has a sunny, positive vibe. I created this music to give people that fun experience of a brand new day and appreciate moments like a sunset, the beauty of nature, relationships, memories, and overcoming challenges… all with that nice beat to keep you going. 

Some people have compared it to the Postal Service (who I love) for the blend of acoustic guitar and vocals with electronic production. The live trumpet adds lots of rich emotion (shout out to my friend Phil Rodriguez of the band Beirut). Cutting up the songs for clips on social media has let people focus on the choruses and they are pretty catchy.

3. What are you hoping for fans old or new, to get out of this album?

I love when people have their own experiences with the album and to make it “theirs.” One woman said ‘Reminisce’ made her feel love for her mother who passed away and that actually brought a tear to my eye. The interesting thing about music is the artist creates it with their own vision in mind, but then it goes out into the world and (hopefully) it takes on a life of its own. 

One way to really experience the album is to watch the music videos! There are 10 music videos for all 10 of the songs. It’s the first time I have ever released an album in this way and each one has something amazing to offer. They range from animation, to dancing, to surfing, even roller skating! It’s on. 

4. I’m kind of new to this genre… Reggae, dream pop, total zen and yoga vibes. I really enjoy indulging in music as a whole and find it important to be open to all genres as a music lover. What has inspired you to create the sound you have created? What kind of music fan are you?

Wow thanks so much! I never realized I had a “genre.” I sort of just break the mold every time. Right now is a unique time in terms of “mashup” culture in that you can sort of put things together in new and interesting ways. My Dub Mantra albums mixed reggae with Sanskrit yoga chants.  This album plays with chillwave, dream-pop, electronic music, and yes there are a few reggae inspired cuts in there!

I don’t really go out to make music in a particular genre but certainly genres of music have inspired me. I was born in 1980, so I am a child of the 80’s. Quirky 80’s pop like Talking Heads, The Cure, or The Tom Tom Club play a big influence in my sonic palette and can be heard on this album. I’m a huge reggae fan so there are lots of echo, dreamy effects, and shimmering trumpet that wouldn’t sound out of place on a reggae record. I also love traditional world music. That doesn’t play much of a role on this album as it’s pretty modern but the spiritual philosophy of Yoga comes into play on a number of songs such as ‘Sun To Shine’ ‘Reverie’ and ‘Energy Field’. 

5. Can you tell me what the recording process was like for this album? Especially, what was it like working with DJ Taz Rashid and GRAMMY nominated Dave Stringer?

Absolutely. Dave and I go way back. He even hired me as his tabla player when I was only 19 years old and it was my first official paid gig. We have since toured the world together from Sydney to Shanghai and back playing countless live shows. It was great to come full circle and have him offer his powerful vocals and vocal production on this album. It definitely took it to a higher place. 

DJ Taz Rashid is an uber successful yoga music DJ. He has produced music and played at festivals all around the world and we have worked together since 2017. He did some remixes for me on my 2018 Remix album and they were standout tracks. We were both excited to work together on this album. I can’t think of a better producer for this album (well, Quincy Jones or Rick Ruben would’ve been cool!)

6. I definitely have some personal favorites from this album. I have to tell you it has to be between “Want You” and “Weather.” I feel like as this album moves forward, the more reggae-esque it gets. Maybe it’s just me, but I love that the feel of it changes as you start from track 1 and listen to 10. Personally, what is your favorite track on the album and why?

Wow, that’s so cool. I love the reggae vibe as well. I think a straight up reggae album may be in the cards in the future. One never knows. But yes we put a lot of thought into the sequencing of the songs and I think taken as a whole the album tells a compelling story. There are a lot of love songs on the album and love is a complex thing. It can make you feel like you are over the moon or it can break your heart. So there are lots of shades of light and color to experience there. 

I’m also digging those tracks you mentioned. I think those tracks turned out well and have a light hearted, bouncy energy and they aren’t taking themselves too seriously. “Want You” has had some of the best play so far and it was picked up by a number of reggae playlists. It has a Sublime, No Doubt, Cali-Reggae sort of vibe to it that just works. I also like Reminisce, the final song on the album. It has a dreamy chilled-out vibe. 

7. Speaking of my favorite two songs off the album, I don’t know if you know of this television show… but both of those songs 110% belong in the hit Netflix show called, Outerbanks. I am a huge fan of the show and if you ever searched for a playlist for that show on Spotify, you will find it has a lot of music like yours. In fact, it was the first thing I thought of when I listened to your music for the first time. Have you ever heard of the television show Outerbanks? Where do you see your music playing to the public most, other than a live setting?

Love that! I have been hearing more and more about Outerbanks lately so I think I’ll have to check it out. I certainly hear these songs on screen. The choruses are such sweet little nuggets and the whole thing really works. Plus a lot of the songs tell stories which could fit into on screen storytelling. It’s certainly a dream to have my music placed in film or tv. 

I think the music also works well for fitness and yoga flows. A number of successful yoga teachers have made reels using my songs and I try to post them all on my instagram page. I’ve been told they work quite well in that context and both Taz and I have a history of working closely with the world of yoga events and festivals. 

8. If you had to pick, what would be your favorite track off the album and why?

Right now I like ‘Reminisce’. The lyrics and the video have a fantasy element, the way Led Zeppelin would quote Lord of the Rings in songs like ‘Over the Hills and Far Away’. I like that it is both modern but also has a feel to it like a troubadour could sing in times long past. The beat propels it, the trumpet really draws you in, and the vocals are not overstated. I’d like to do more songs like that. 

9. I specifically read in your Spotify bio that you enjoy when artists are creating their own genres… Who are some artists you know of personally who have done that? Who would you recommend listening to?

Wow great question. Miles Davis was famous for saying he redirected the course of music several times over his lifespan. I think there are many big artists who have made their mark that way. Santana for instance blended Latin music with Rock and Popular music in a way that was unique at the time. He has many interviews where he describes “Creating his own sound.” That actually had a huge influence on me as a kid. I thought a lot about what he meant by that and how someone could do that. You would have to know enough about music that you could take two or several styles and put them together in a way that hadn’t been done before. It also meant that the way you play would sound different to people than anyone that came before you. It’s actually a pretty deep concept to think about. 

In all honesty I don’t think I go out to create something new. I create from what’s in my heart. In lots of ways the concept of “genre” comes afterwards. After the artist has created something and people look back at what they’ve done. I think that’s similar for me. I put reggae and yoga chanting together because it felt like something fun and energizing for me to do and it worked well in a live setting. I loved reggae and I had been chanting mantras since I was a young child and my mom was a yoga teacher. So the 3 Dub Mantra albums came out of that. 

10. Any smaller scale bands or musicians you’d like to give a shout out to?

I’ve really been digging the electronic producer named Oliwa. He’s based in Ojai California and has been making a name for himself as a producer and a DJ. He collaborated on a remix for my song Energy Field which is really very good. Also have to give a huge shout out to the collaborator on the song “Purrfection 44” which blended the purring of a cat (yes really!) with ambient world instruments. Sudama Mark Kennedy and Montino Bourbon have some amazing music you should definitely listen to if you like chill, relaxing music. 

11. Where can Myze readers find Sun Mountain Sea?

Wherever you listen to music it’s there! If you are one of the awesome people who still like physical music, you can get the CD with a CD only bonus track (Energy Field Remix!) here!

You can stream Sun Mountain Sea on all major streaming platforms here!

Highwind Interview.

The local music scene in New Jersey has been becoming a melting pot for all kinds of genres. It is safe to say the scene has never thrived more than it has now, especially since the world has gotten back on its feet since 2019. Bands that were beginning to make names for themselves in the scene back in 2019, are now coming back hungry to make something of themselves and are better than ever. One of those bands would be Asbury Park natives of the pop rock band called, Highwind. As of Friday, March 11, 2022 Highwind announced their debut album, Something Right in Between, will be hitting all music streaming platforms on Friday, May 6, 2022. Along with their major debut album announcement, they dropped a brand new single off of the album called, “Sugar,” and released a music video along with it. I was really excited to able to ask Chris Russo (frontman, singer-songwriter) and Dan Smith (drummer) all about “Sugar” and their debut album, Something Right in Between.

1. First, thank you guys so much for taking the time to chat with me about your BRAND NEW single and music video, “Sugar.” Tell me and the Myze Readers a little bit about yourselves.

Dan: Chris will probably have way more eloquent answers for most of these but we are a little pop rock duo from Asbury Park. Officially, I am the most recent addition to Highwind, but Chris and I have been working together since fall 2019 and have been friends even longer.

Chris: Highwind is a pop-rock duo based out of Asbury Park, New Jersey! Highwind started as my solo project back in 2018. I started working with Dan in Fall of 2019, and he officially joined the band somewhere in the middle of 2021. 

2.  I have been really, really vibing “Sugar.” I’m loving this new sound for you guys compared to your older music. It’s catchy, it’s rocky and poppy, but it also has that neon pop punk edge to it too. It’s modernized pop rock music in a way. What has inspired this newer sound for you guys?

Dan: Chris can speak more specifically about the song, but this whole genre is new to me. I haven’t played original music in anything that wasn’t a metalcore or hardcore band until now. My change was largely unintentional because I was basically done “being in bands” after my last project folded without getting off the ground, but Chris and I worked so well together on the production of our upcoming release it felt foolish to not come together and put everything we have into this.

Chris: I was heavily inspired by artists like The Band Camino, K. Flay, Small Talks/Cayley Spivey, Pale Waves, CHVRCHES, and all of these artists that carry some form of a pop, indie, alternative, or pop-rock sound. I wanted to try adding synths, keys, and all of these things I hadn’t used before in my songwriting. The progression just felt natural from there on. I owe our producer, Connor Hanson, a lot too. I don’t think I would have been able to shift into a new style this well without his hand in the process.

3. What is “Sugar” about? How do you hope listeners are going to relate to it?

Dan: “Sugar” is simply a pop-rock banger, and that’s all I have to say about that.

Chris: Sugar is so interesting, in the sense that it’s this big sugar-coated pop anthem that’s really about trying to get out of an abusive relationship. It’s about being the candy that someone craves; they only want you when they need you for something. But YOU know you deserve more than that. You are trying to fight these things that are keeping you trapped in this toxic situation. All of this story is wrapped in colorful synths, layers of harmonies, and all of these sounds that encapsulate a pop song. So it’s really a double-edged sword of a song.

4. What was the recording process for this song like?

Dan: Recording with Connor Hanson is always a dream. He is so open to the artist’s ideas but also brings a plethora of his own to the session. This song came together with particular ease because Chris had a great blueprint, Connor had a great vision and is a synth master, and all I had to do was lay it down. It couldn’t get much easier.

Chris : Dan said it perfectly. Recording this track, as well as the rest of the album, was such an easy, fun, painless process. Recording every part was so much fun. Connor knew exactly what was missing every time. Easily some of the most fun I’ve had in the studio.

5. I LOVE that the new music video for “Sugar” takes place at a candy shop. What a perfect concept for this song in particular. Can you tell us where exactly this video took place and who filmed it?

Dan: I think it started as a joke while we were recording it. It might’ve even been Connor who suggested it. But, I mean, how could we not?

Chris: I owe SugarPop Candy Bar and the people that run the store so much for letting us shoot the video there. They let ourselves and Kris Khunachak come in, set up however we wanted, and watched us do our thing. It was so much fun and I’m so happy it’s finally out for people to see.

6. How did you guys come up with the concept for the “Sugar” music video? 

Dan: I think we essentially went through two drafts of the video. The initial location fell through, but we were going to have more participants originally – make it look more like a party. After we looked at the second location and had a creative meeting we opted for something a little more cinematic.

Chris: Yeah, I mean, there isn’t much more to it than that. It’s a fun pop song, so a fun pop song needs a fun video. And what better way to make a fun video about a song called, “Sugar,” than to make music in a candy store?

7. Additionally with this single release, you guys also announced your first debut LP titled, Something Right In Between. How exciting. When does this LP come out and what can you tell us about it?

Dan: Something Right in Between hits all of your favorite music platforms on May 6th. I can tell you that this iteration of Highwind is not the one you have come to know over the past few years. We have been touting this as our “Pop Duo Arc,” and there is really so much truth to that. You’re getting the most polished version of us yet and the album includes “Fine For You,” “Will You Please (Stay),” “Sugar,” and five other really diverse tracks.

Chris: I don’t think I’ve ever been more proud of any sort of work I’ve ever done. Something Right in Between paints a perfect picture of almost everything that I am musically inspired by, and conveys so many of the thoughts and emotions I have as a person. Dan and I really put our hearts and souls into making this album everything we wanted it to be.

8. Do the other songs on the LP sound similar to the sound “Sugar?” What can listeners expect?

Dan: I don’t want to give too much away, but there is a variety of different sounds for our listeners to dive in on.

Chris: Yes and no. While pop-rock is the general genre and theme of the record, every song has its own unique feel. “Fine For You,” and, “Sugar,” are just the tip of the iceberg. There are some really cool features on the album too that really add some extra texture that I don’t think people will expect.

9. What is your favorite memory behind the recording process for Something Right In Between?

Dan: It’s hard to target one thing specifically, but I think when we had our final listen at the end of the last day of tracking and we heard all of the roughs for the songs I was so floored at wonderful everything sounded and I couldn’t believe that I got to be a part of it. That memory and that feeling will hang with me forever. 

Chris: While I have a lot of favorite memories from the album, one of them is definitely when we had a violin player come in and track strings for the record. I remember sitting there in disbelief like, “Wow, this is really going on my album, huh? 16 year-old me would have NEVER seen this coming.” It was really a moment of realization for me, realization that I really am progressing and moving forward as both an artist and a person.

10. Where can Myze readers find your new single “Sugar” and the rest of your discography?

Chris: Spotify, Apple, Amazon, TIDAL, Bandcamp, YouTube, anywhere that you can find music, it is there! There’s a bunch of videos on our YouTube channel too that pair with a lot of what we have released as well.

11. Last, are there any bands in your local music scene you’d like to give a shout out to?

Dan: Shouts out to Marigold (NY), Idle Wave, Flight Club (VA), The Fairview (MA/RI), Poeta, With Sails Ahead, Nights of Malice, Another One Down (RI), and you, Kelli, you rule.

Chris: Everything Dan said. Also want to shout out Shallow Pools from Massachusetts, penny bored from Texas, Was & When from Connecticut, The Merrier from Ohio, Arrows in Action from Tennessee, American Stereo from NJ, 5ever from Mass, the list literally goes on forever.