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What inspired you to first start making music? And how did you come to be in your current incarnation? Or if you prefer, a brief bio about you.

R- The cathartic power behind the music and lyrics I was introduced to as a kid like Bob Marley, the mythology and inventive nature of bands like The Beatles and Iron Maiden were the things that really pulled me in to music making. During my academic studies in music I got introduced to the art of classical and jazz music making, its inner workings, harmony and structure that have shaped my writing since. Being a conceptual creator and also being part of its transmutation into this realm is still one of the most intriguing aspects of this art. Before I could record my own ideas it was exciting to coordinate a group of musicians to bring life into my ideas as well as experience how it would change according to their taste and mind. Collaboration and the extra-communication between writers is fascinating to me.

G – I was obsessed with listening to music, playing music, and singing from an early age. I loved melody and the intricacies of the classical music I was learning on piano and the felt elements of modern music. I have always appreciated the ways that music can speak to the abstract, non-logical, and deep emotional spaces within myself. Writing music began to just happen, and I kept it to myself for a long time before sharing my creations with others. Rho and I met as I was beginning to feel confident and ready to share my creativity with the outside world. Our collaboration began in a playful environment with no ideas on where it might be going.

Provide us with some info about your latest release…

Our upcoming release “Pythia” is a very strong yet short and sweet dose of the kind of aural art we create together. We combine all of the aspects of a composition, from the nebulous whisper of an idea into crafting and dissecting its path and energy it holds, as well as handling its mechanical audio and digital form in the studio. “Pythia” is our offering to the muse that brought our sounds and modes of creating together. It represents an externalized form of our bond and story within its lyrical, structural and formulaic layers as well as representing the honing and crafting of our musical talents in terms of singing, composing and producing our own work. Pythia was an ancient Greek oracle, a strong and intellectually respected woman who channeled strong intuition through the fabric of her consciousness, the same fabric or essence that gives birth to our creation.

Which ones would you consider your main influences both music-wise & non-music-wise?

Buddhist literature, ideas of form and emptiness, fashion, aesthetic, texture, topology, metaphysics, ontology, existential philosophy such as Sartre, personal experience and reflections, being in nature, observing the sky and wide open spaces. Musically we are influenced by ambient, pop, r&b, electronic, classical, new-age, shoegaze genres.

In what way does your sound differ from the rest genre-related artists/bands and why should we listen to your music? In other words, how would you describe your sound?

Our music acts as a two way magnet pulling the listener outside and inside themselves at the same time. Our intention is for it to have a cycle and breath of its own allowing you to enter a different realm of being where time and clutter of mind are evaporated, and where you find yourself having positive existential and internal experiences. People have mentioned that during live performances our music will put them into an almost meditative state losing track of time, having imaginative and heady thoughts. Stylistically, our music has a sincerity to it and you can tell we really like what we are making and are not following empty trends. There are elements of ambient nature, open space, contrapuntal structure, improvisation, pop forms, minimalism, maximalism, dance music energy and philosophy delivered in our lyrical content. It’s music with depth to its meaning and layers of creation. The more you listen the more clear and vast the message.

Please name your 3 desert islands albums, movies & books…

Steven Halpern – Starborn Suite (1978)

Complete Wilderness Survival Guide™

The Beach

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Do you prefer studio or performing live and why?

R-To perform live we need to conceive and write, so in this case I’ll say the studio since that is where it all starts.

G- Performing live is an act of letting go. Being in the studio is the refuge, the place where the creation is fully birthed.

Is there any funny-unique story you would like to share with us, always in relation to your music ‘career’?

We’ve been collaborating for a year and half and have made a lot of memories together. Probably one of our favorite moments was opening up for synth legends Xeno and Oaklander in Detroit. Our first show was at a pool party for some close friends, it was very carefree.

Which track of your own would you point out as the most unique and why?

R- I would say Mist of Serenity because of the way we created it and the intricate collaboration that went into it. I wrote and sent to Gwendolyn most of what came to be the final lyrics not knowing what would come of them and then a week later she sent me an email saying “Hey, here’s what I wrote to your lyrics” and it was an audio file of her singing and playing the chords to what is now Mist of Serenity which blew my mind. Then we started writing together and I added the drum beat, lead parts and bass and finally Gwendolyn produced and wrote some additional star dusted parts that completed the composition. This is the kind of layering that goes into our work and I love it.

G- Headroom Divinity has found sounds and noise inspirations. The person singing in the beginning of the track I recorded while in Target. I’m from Indianapolis which has a core scene of noise and soundscape/ambient music. I really love sonic texture and I find that noise has a welcome place in structured pop music as well.

Would you like to share with our readers your future plans?

We have a release show in Detroit for the release of our EP October 18, followed by a week long tour from Chicago to Pittsburg, Brooklyn, and Philadelphia. After tour, we intend to focus primarily on writing and recording for our next release.

Free question!!! (Ask yourself a question) you wish to answer and haven’t been given the opportunity…

What are your thoughts on collaboration?

R- Writing with a partner asks for many angles of attention, focus, openness and acceptance as one of the most stimulating ways to create. Collaboration is the sum of two or more unique perspectives, it’s a path to true experience outside of the personal bubble we all experience. It requires presence and a vulnerability in order to let the other in, so it resembles a state of fluidity and an adaptable space.

G- I come up with ideas I wouldn’t have on my own, and I find writing with R in particular is a great challenge in the best ways, pushing my own writing abilities and production in a safe environment. I’m evolving and pushing my creative boundaries honestly and with freedom. Having a writing partner is not only being able to make music with someone but also being able to communicate intricately about music and our creative intention.

Photo credits: Jeronimo Lopera (1st one), Carrie Pitzer (2nd one)

Curated by: Christos Doukakis

Recommended listening:

Connect with Torus Eyes:

IG: @toruseyes

Bandcamp: https://toruseyes.bandcamp.com

FB: https://www.facebook.com/toruseyesmusic/