Cruza could also be primarily based in Florida, however they make music that sounds prefer it might happen in one other dimension. By means of otherworldly soul, R&B, and psych, the unclassifiable quartet — made up of vocalist Adam Kain, guitarist Charity Pleasure Brown, bassist AJ Roth, and producer Sago — create a gooey soften that’s optimum for holing up with a cherished one, kicking it along with your greatest good friend, or smoking indica at 2 a.m. That’s deeply felt on their brand-new album, Cruzafied, out at present, which strikes by way of these nocturnal realms with a extra distinct method. They clearly occupy comparable areas as Gorillaz or Yves Tumor, two artists whose distinctive types influenced their new songs, however additionally they experience their very own wave that’s onerous to outline. It’s in the end no matter you want it to be. Beneath, Cruza unraveled the touchstones that formed their bleary, forward-thinking new album, Cruzafied.
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Nick Hakim – “WHOO”
I found this tune whereas on a visit to San Fran within the fall of 2022. Round this time, we had been touring a bit to completely different locations that we had by no means been searching for new experiences and new inspiration, and I believe there was simply one thing in regards to the vulnerability within the lyrics of this tune that basically simply spoke to me and gave me the braveness to be extra susceptible when writing “Cosmic Plea,” the final tune on our album. —Adam Kain
Damaged Social Scene – “Gonna Get Higher”
As a band and as people, I’d say we went by way of loads in the course of the two years of engaged on our album — all the things about this course of was stuffed with new challenges and fixed changes that basically pushed us out of our consolation zones. This tune has a line in it that claims “Issues will get higher ’trigger they will’t get a lot worse.” These easy phrases actually carried me by way of. —Adam Kain
Gorillaz – “Souk Eye”
Gorillaz is well one among our greatest inspirations, so it’s solely pure that their music serves as a relentless supply of inspiration for us. Damon Albarn is one among my private favourite lyricists as a result of he simply has a method of creating essentially the most random ideas come collectively in such a poetic method — I actually admire that. —Adam Kain
HOMESHAKE – “Give It To Me”
HOMESHAKE usually actually influenced my guitar-playing type and use of pedals. I actually dig the concept of making a easy melody on the guitar and utilizing that as the bottom to construct a tune, then utilizing results and pedals to actually convey the melody to life. We adopted that formulation loads on this venture. —Charity Pleasure Brown
Unknown Mortal Orchestra – “From the Solar”
The blending on this primary venture from UMO was in contrast to any I’d ever heard earlier than. The ambiance and spacey, heat use of reverb/delay actually impressed me to think about mixing in a artistic method. I stored it within the entrance of my thoughts whereas we labored on our venture. —Charity Pleasure Brown
Cocteau Twins and Harold Budd – “Sea, Swallow Me”
The shimmery, dulled guitars impressed my enjoying on a number of of the songs on the album. I really like how verbed put all the things is – I really like that the tune is extra in regards to the feeling it brings extra so than what’s being mentioned. Then once you truly do hear to what’s mentioned, you understand how lovely this tune actually is. We attempt to catch that essence in our personal method on our album, Cruzafied. —Charity Pleasure Brown
Yves Tumor – “Romanticist”
This tune impressed me to make use of heavier drum textures in songs like “Such Is Love.” —AJ Roth
Jon Bap – “Let It Occur”
The free format and emotion of this tune influenced us to be extra feeling-driven in our artistic course of. —AJ Roth
Khruangbin and Leon Bridges – “Chocolate Hills”
Was sort of obsessive about this tune and the combination, particularly whereas we engaged on making this album. The vocal tone had me utilizing slapback on vocals for months after listening to it. When had been mixing “First Time,” this tune was all I might take into consideration. —Sago
Alabama Shakes – “Dunes”
Each sound, from the instrument to the vocals to the drums, is emotional on this tune. They immediately make you’re feeling one thing, but it surely’s onerous to pinpoint what feeling that’s precisely…at the very least instantly. I believe our music is like that quite a lot of occasions, and it leaves room for the listener to see the tune from their POV. —Sago
