Weed and artistry go hand in hand. The plant sparks creativity, letting you think outside the box and create something unique. As a result, many creators are also legalization proponents, while cannabis art thrives in every form.
Would you like to explore marijuana-inspired wonders of painting, sculpture, and mixed media? Start with these nine revolutionary artists. Buy feminized cannabis seeds, cultivate a bud batch, and get lost in their stunning works.
1. Bentley Meeker
Bentley Meeker is a Harlem-based artist and designer exploring how light can affect perception. His Bongoliers are chandeliers designed from repurposed glass bongs. When placed correctly, the sculptures generate a trippy display, making you see your surroundings in a new light.
The Bongoliers seek to normalize paraphernalia, but Meeker’s other works are even more direct in messaging. For instance, the Weed World exposition centers on the seven-tipped leaf.
2. Pierre Schmidt
Pierre Schmidt is a German digital collage artist whose psychedelic projects result from getting high. These thought-provoking pieces represent pot as a part of nature; consumption is seen as a method of analyzing your psyche.
Schmidt’s stoner paintings represent men and women under the influence. Marijuana leaves, flowers, butterflies, and other naturalistic motifs spring from their heads and body parts. In other pieces, a universe lies behind a face, and the brain melts in a beautiful blue. Call that a powerful high!
3. Ricardo Cortés
Ricardo Cortés is a writer, illustrator, and legalization advocate whose work seeks to represent new ideas and normalize differences. The author is unapologetically political, but his text offers a wholesome and inclusive medium for learning the facts of life.
A prime example of this approach is It’s Just a Plant, Cortés’ book about marijuana for children. The text is instructive, suitable for younglings, and full of beautiful pictures. Adults could benefit from its information and attitudes, too.
4. Fred Tomaselli
Fred Tomaselli is a contemporary artist who primarily paints on wood panels. He employs many unorthodox materials coated in sticky resin and featuring colorful psychedelia. The natural themes of his work paved the road to his crowning achievement of marijuana art, Super Plant.
This piece shows a cannabis plant from root to bud against a black background. The minimalist style directs the attention to herbal intricacies; each detail is magnified and striking. Tomaselli’s marijuana resembles the tree of life of ancient cultures, suggesting a spiritual purpose.
5. Vincent Gordon
Vincent Gordon is an artist and weed grower. Besides taking advantage of Cali’s cannabis seed banks, he creates pro-legalization posters with quintessential pop culture icons. His blotter prints earned him a feature in High Times.
Gordon’s works are eye-catching and hilarious, displaying well-known characters in a haze. You’ll find Morty munching, Donald Duck toking, and Yoshi melting after a blunt. Each drawing boasts incredible attention to detail and plenty for the eye to behold.
6. Dan Colen
Dan Colen is a New York-based artist who turns low-culture elements into high-culture compositions. He also used to be a party boy, and his mixed-media marijuana-inspired installation is a tribute to that.
Life Marijuana is a piece of weed artwork inspired by the iconic Life Magazine cover from 1969. Colen’s take on the cover comes in a large digital print displaying a joint and a pair of lips. The four accompanying pictures and CD pay further homage to the herb.
7. Alexandra Caprice
Alexandra Caprice is an illustrator and printmaker who started her career on Instagram. Catering to younger generations’ aesthetic preferences, she produces fun, vivid and picturesque art with a strong feminist streak.
Beside drawings of ladies lighting up, you’ll find numerous gorgeous weed illustrations. The dreamy shapes, discrete lining, and pink bongs awaken your inner diva. These pieces seek to redefine how women fit into 420 spaces, playing with the typically masculine imagery.
8. Fernando de la Rocque
Ferdinando de la Rocque is no stranger to controversy. His shock art opus includes gold cockroaches and a thinly-veiled orgy. This artist’s attitude about weed became apparent after his Blow Job series.
This instance of cannabis art contains images of political and religious leaders, but there’s a twist. De la Rocque created the portraits by blowing pot smoke through a stencil. The series popularized the technique and added revolutionary implications to his representations of well-respected historical figures.
9. Melanie Bernier
Melanie Bernier is an artist, writer, performer, and activist. Her most vocal work is called Joints, a series of texture-based bud and spliff sculptures. She uses wood, wool, thread, and vinyl to produce pieces of hyper-realism and send a strong political message.
These pieces combine 80s stoner culture motifs with commercial elements, reflecting Bernier’s opinion about the plant’s future. She discussed the current status of cannabis in society and predicted that corporations would soon jump on the bandwagon. The pastel boxes are how we might acquire the plant in corporate America.
Get High on Art
From pothead drawings to trippy sculptures, art inspired by the herb is limitless. The nine names above are the perfect starting point for exploring this thematic niche.
The works we listed are guaranteed to delight your senses and start conversations. Explore them to deepen your ganja appreciation and get motivated to buy seeds and grow creativity boosters at home.
Jennifer Gallagher
Jennifer Gallagher, an experienced cannabis grower at SeedSupreme Seedbank. During a 7-year career in the marijuana growing business, Jennifer has gained a high competence in this field. As far as weed is concerned, she knows it all inside out. Jennifer is an expert in pot-growing, as well as cannabis types and their effects. She’s also familiar with all legislation nuances.
Even though businesses may have different objectives and services, there are universal truths about creating a successful business. The best way to ensure your business thrives is by creating an employee training program that sets you up for success and also using a time management and scheduling app. Making employees feel like they’re part of the team, not just hired hands, is essential to creating a successful business. This means they need more than just a job description; they need support and encouragement to feel comfortable with their new responsibilities without feeling that they’re being left alone at the first sign of trouble. Moreover, you can also try getting your employees NEBOSH Certificate to improve their skillet. Forming trust between all team members is vital so that every employee feels safe sharing ideas or concerns. They should all understand how their actions affect others and how their performance will be reflected in future raises or job security. If this sounds like a lot to hammer home, it is. Here are some suggestions for ensuring that your employee training program covers all these bases.
Communicate the Company’s Vision
Every business has a vision. What’s important is that employees understand that vision, how it impacts their daily activities, and how they fit into the overall plan. If you’re starting, try to define the company’s vision as precisely as possible. This might include sharing the company’s mission statement, any core values driving the business or the specific type of client or clientele you hope to attract. It might also entail discussing your long-term goals for the company and how each employee’s job will be an essential part of achieving those objectives. Regardless of your business size or structure, employees need to understand their role in the bigger picture. This will help them know what’s expected of them and how their daily activities fit into the company’s future success.
Create a Checklist of Must-Know Skills
Business success isn’t just about being able to complete tasks. It’s also about working on a team, communicating effectively with supervisors and co-workers, and handling difficult situations as they arise. Depending on the position, employees may need to know how to use certain software or equipment, follow specific safety protocols, or understand legal regulations that affect their work. Even if an employee doesn’t need to know how to do a particular task, they still need to be able to communicate with supervisors, co-workers, and clients in a way that builds trust and encourages repeat business. For example, customer service representatives need to know how to navigate difficult situations without offending or losing the customer. They also need to be able to use the company’s computer systems to research solutions for customer issues and have a basic understanding of accounting to identify and record revenue during a transaction.
Develop an onboarding process for new hires
New employees need time to adjust to their new environment, meet the people they’ll be working with, and understand their daily responsibilities. The best way to handle this is through an onboarding process that covers the following:
The types of clients you serve and how they use your services
The overall mission and vision of the business and how each employee fits into that plan
The company’s core values and how they impact the work done by each department
The hierarchy of supervisors and how employees can access them
Specific job duties and how employees can use their skills to complete the work successfully
How the company records revenue, calculates profit, and monitors expenses
What employees can expect in terms of compensation and benefits
The locations of important company documents and how they can access them
The names of people they’ll be working with daily
The names of important people outside of the company they may need to interact with
Establish Clear Roles and Responsibilities for All Employees
Every employee needs to be aware of their role and how it meshes with the functions of others. This may include a job description in larger companies that spells out responsibilities, qualifications, and the chain of command for problem-solving. By knowing the role of the people working with or below them, employees can communicate better and avoid stepping on toes. They can also recognize when they need help and know who to ask without disrupting the entire office or causing frustration among higher-ups. Consider creating a “Rolodex” of crucial information for every employee, client, and company department. This could be stored electronically or on index cards, including names and titles, departments, and specific tasks or projects.
Define Specific Objectives and Milestones to Hit Monthly and Quarterly
Every employee needs to understand their objectives and how they fit into the company’s overall goals. This includes knowing key milestones and when they need to be hit. Without these benchmarks, it can be challenging to determine whether an employee is thriving or struggling in their position. For example, a sales manager may need to hit $50,000 in sales during a specific time frame. A customer service representative’s objective may be to reduce the number of support tickets from five per day to three per day. Employees need to know these objectives and how they can achieve them. They also need to be held accountable for their performance so that the company can grow and continue providing quality services.
Show Employees How Their Actions Impact the Team
Employees must understand how their actions affect the team, company culture, and overall success. This can be done with various exercises, including difficult role-playing situations, creating a “wall of excellence” to recognize positive behaviours, and conducting a 360-degree review. This also includes showing employees how their daily activities contribute to the company’s bottom line. Helping employees understand how their work impacts the company’s profitability will make them feel like their efforts are appreciated and essential.
Provide Ongoing and Repetitive Training Opportunities
New employees may have the skills and knowledge needed for their job but may also have gaps in their experience or knowledge base. Make it a priority to provide ongoing and repetitive training opportunities, so everyone feels comfortable in their role. This includes offering training in the following areas:
First aid and CPR training
Legal and regulatory training
Conflict resolution training
Computer training and skill development
Customer service training
Professional development
Team-building exercises
Other areas that affect the daily operations of the company
Institutes often offer a wide selection of employee training through programs, so you can usually pick one provider to have all your employees use to gain their training. For example, if your workers require LMS corporate training, Learningbank is the perfect avenue for that.
Establish Clear Communication Protocols
Businesses constantly communicate with customers, clients, other stakeholders, and employees. Therefore, everyone must understand how to communicate most effectively and the type of communication expected from them. For example, you may have specific guidelines for communicating with customers to encourage them to return to your company for future purchases. You may also have guidelines for one-on-one communication between employees and group meetings. This will help establish a culture of trust and respect, which is essential for a successful business.
Provide Ongoing Support, Mentoring, and Coaching
Employees need guidance as they learn their new roles and responsibilities. This can be provided through one-on-one meetings with supervisors and managers, group meetings, and mentoring by people who have been in their shoes before. This should be ongoing, not just something that happens once the employee has been hired. The best time to start providing this type of support is during the interview process, not once the person has been hired.
Bottom Line
Many factors are involved in creating a successful business, but training employees is one of the most important. This means that managers and supervisors need to be actively engaged in training their teams. It’s important to note that an effective employee training program doesn’t end when a new employee has learned their job. It’s a continuous process that requires dedication from managers and supervisors. An effective employee training program will help you build a successful business that can weather any storm.
If you’re like most people then your car is your primary means of getting from one place to the next. This means that you need to take as much care of it as you possibly can. When warmer months come around it can be difficult on your car.
Warm weather can help to deteriorate your car if you are not careful. However, there are a few steps you can take to protect your car if you live in warmer weather. Here’s a look at some of the main ways you can do this.
Use a Windshield Sun Shade
When your car is exposed to too much sun it can help to damage your dashboard or your steering wheel. It can also damage the leather seats in your car as well.
You can use products like leather honey to help or keep the leather in your car looking its best. You can also help preserve the leather just by using a sun shade over your windshield to keep the UV rays at bay.
Consider Tinted Windows
Getting your windows tinted is something that you should consider as well. This will stop UV rays from deteriorating the interior of your car.
Even when you tint your windows, you should try to park in the shade as much as possible. Parking in the shade is very beneficial for both the interior and exterior of your vehicle.
Paint Protection Films
UV rays can do a lot of damage to the interior of your car and also to the exterior of your car. The paint job on your car is very much in danger when the weather is warmer.
The sun is notorious for fading the painter on the exteriors of cars. To prevent all of this from happening, you can cover your car in paint protection films.
The good thing about pain protection films is that they not only protect the paint of your car, but they also help to protect your exterior from dirt and dust as well. It can also make your car resistant to dance and scratches.
Watch for Tire Damage
It’s easier for your tires to become damaged when the weather is hot. This is why you need to check your tire pressure at least once per month.
Your tires may become inflated because of the rising temperature. When your inflated tires come into contact with the hot surface of the road and if you are driving at higher speeds, it may cause your tires to blow out.
You can avoid all of this by simply checking your tire pressure at least once per month.
Protect Your Vehicle
You now know the important things you need to do to protect your vehicle during warmer weather.
It’s fun to have beautiful warm weather but to ensure that your vehicle is in tip-top shape, you have to be as diligent as possible. Pay attention to your vehicle and try to protect it, if you notice any changes take action immediately to correct the problem.
PUP have announced a new live EP titled PUP Unravels Live in Front of Everyone They Know. Recorded across multiple shows in the band’s hometown of Toronto earlier this year in support of their latest album THE UNRAVELING OF PUPTHEBAND, the EP includes live versions of ‘Matilda’ and ‘Robot Writes a Love Song’, which are out today. Take a listen below.
“Hometown shows always kinda trip me out,” frontman Stefan Babcock said in a statement. “On one hand, they are the most fun shows to play. Toronto has always rallied behind us and we are so lucky to feel that love. But they are also stressful because you don’t want to screw up in front of everyone you know. All of our families, friends, frenemies, the guy who used to sell me weed at the Wendy’s Drivethru, kids I went to elementary school with, my parents’ neighbours. It’s a lot. I think that sort of anxious chaotic energy is captured on these recordings. PUP live is PUP at our best and also at our worst. Raw, scrappy, and holding on for dear life.”
PUP Unravels Live in Front of Everyone They Know arrives on October 12. The band will embark on a US tour next week before heading to the UK and Europe in October.
PUP Unravels Live in Front of Everyone They Know Cover Artwork:
PUP Unravels Live in Front of Everyone They Know Tracklist:
1. Four Chords (Live in Toronto / 2022)
2. Totally Fine (Live in Toronto / 2022)
3. Robot Writes A Love Song (Live in Toronto / 2022)
3. Matilda (Live in Toronto / 2022)
4. Relentless (Live in Toronto / 2022)
5. PUPTHEBAND Inc. Is Filing For Bankruptcy (Live in Toronto / 2022)
Molly Payton has announced her next EP, Compromise, sharing a video for the new single ‘Do It All the Same’. The follow-up to 2021’s Slack is due for release on October 28 via The Orchard. Check out ‘Do It All the Same’ below.
“This song came about after I’d had a particularly bad run of things,” Payton explained in a press release. “I was out of money and about to start a tour I couldn’t afford and really doubting my future. When you’re living that way it makes you really appreciate any consistency you can get your hands on, and for me that was my partner. ‘Do It All The Same’ isn’t anything profound or groundbreaking, It’s just me thanking another person for being there for me.”
NEU! have shared a new remix of ‘Im Glück’ courtesy of the National. It’s the latest offering from their upcoming boxset Tribute, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of the German group’s debut LP. Give it a listen below.
The Tribute boxset also features contributions from IDLES, Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor, Mogwai, Stephen Morris of New Order, Guerilla Toss, and more. It’s set for release on September 23 via Grönland Records.
Young Jesus has released ‘Rose Eater’, the second preview of the project’s upcoming album Shepherd Head. The LP was announced earlier this month with the single ‘Ocean’, which made our Best New Songs list. Check out a video for ‘Rose Eater’ below.
Discussing the song, John Rossiter said in a statement:
I wrote Rose Eater on the piano and tried to record it. I used the internal mic on my computer because at the time I had lent my microphone to Emerald House, a beautiful DIY space and small community in LA. The recording of the piano sounded horrible. So I pitched it down and ran it through a million effects until it sounded like Enya or Peter Gabriel strings. The lyrics are in line with that ethos. Trying very hard to be the ‘ideal’ of something or someone, and finding the truth of oneself is very different and is perhaps discovered in the process. The video is very much in conversation with that evolving process, the unfinished work of a life, and the fun that lives right next to ‘serious’ art and life.
I think it fits with the way I made the album, which was allowing in sounds of the environment, not going for a perfectly quiet room while recording. Allowing mediums and ways of capturing a video of music into a format that traditionally has a very specific way of communicating. Trying to be creative rather than fulfill an assignment. Unconventional but hopefully it’s got a spirit all its own!
Shepherd Head arrives on September 16 via Saddle Creek.
CBD gummies provide a tasty, convenient way to get CBD into your system. From CBD Gummies UK to others, there are many CBD gummies on the market, but not all of them are high in quality, and some may even be unsafe to use. The gummies containing CBD come in many different flavors, colors, and shapes and contain different amounts of CBD. As CBD products are not regulated by the FDA, you may have questions about how to make sure the ones you use are safe and effective.
Where is the CBD grown?
If CBD gummies are made from organic hemp grown on farms in the U.S., they are more likely to be safe. Domestically grown products have to meet stringent quality control standards set by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Hemp grown without fertilizers or pesticides is ideal as hemp can absorb toxins from the soil that are harmful to you.
It is always best to buy CBD products from companies that provide information on their growing practices. Leaf Report offers a review of JustCBD gummies and creams. The products are made from organically grown hemp on farms in Oregon in the U.S.
How is CBD extracted?
The extraction process affects the quality of products. Certain extraction processes use solvents such as alcohol or butane, some of which may remain in CBD products. CO2 extraction is a safe process used by reputable companies to extract CBD from hemp flower.
Are the CBD gummies tested in third-party labs?
Reputable companies are prepared to test their CBD gummies and be transparent about the results. You can’t be sure CBD gummies are safe to use unless you know what they contain. Hemp is highly absorbent and may contain toxic chemicals from pesticides and heavy metals.
When you’re looking for a high-quality product, you need to verify its Certificate of Analysis (CoA). By looking at a CoA from a third-party lab, you can make sure CBD gummies are correctly labeled and contain the amount of CBD stated on the label.
Are CBD gummies intoxicating?
CBD is a cannabinoid that comes from the cannabis plant. It is not intoxicating like THC, which is the intoxicating compound found in the cannabis plant. CBD gummies are usually made from hemp plants because they contain a high amount of CBD and a minimal amount of THC. A product has to contain less than 0.3% of THC to be legal.
How do CBD gummies work in your body?
When you consume CBD gummies, they go through the digestive system, which means they take effect slower than when using some other products. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) system in your body has various receptors throughout the body, and it regulates functions such as pain regulation, metabolism, sleep and mood. CBD interacts with the CB1 receptors and could potentially offer many therapeutic benefits, such as supporting overall calmness and normal inflammatory function.
Why is it better to use a full-spectrum product?
Full spectrum of the best CBD gummies in Canada contain all the cannabinoids and other compounds found in the hemp plant, like terpenes and flavonoids. They also contain less than 0.3% of THC, which is not enough to be intoxicating. It is commonly believed that all the compounds are more effective when combined than when used in isolation.
Broad-spectrum products and isolates don’t contain any THC, so they won’t show up on drug tests. Isolates contain CBD alone, and there are cases where their use may be beneficial, such as for first-time users who only want to use CBD.
What dosage is safe?
Everyone reacts differently because what you experience depends on factors like your body chemistry and how much you take. When you use CBD gummies, you will usually see on the package how much CBD a single gummy contains. It’s important to start with a low dose and increase it over time.
In most cases, the effects of using CBD gummies kick in within about 30 minutes. The effects can last from about four to six hours. Smaller doses may wear off more quickly. The amount of food you have in your digestive system can affect how long the effects take to kick in and how long they last. When your stomach is empty, the effects may kick in faster but don’t last as long.
Is CBD well tolerated?
The side effects when using CBD gummies are usually minimal. Some users may experience a dry mouth, reduced appetite, drowsiness or diarrhea, but most users appear to have few to no side effects. Taking a large amount of CBD increases the risks of side effects.
When you’re on the go or relaxing at home, you can conveniently enjoy CBD gummies. They provide an easy and tasty way to consume CBD and are available in many refreshing, fruity flavors. They can offer an appealing way to consume CBD for those who find the taste of hemp displeasing.
Cryalot is the new project of Sarah Midori Perry, who has put out three LPs and multiple shorter releases as the lead singer of Kero Kero Bonito alongside Gus Lobban and Jamie Bulled. For her first solo outing, she collaborated with producer Jennifer Walton, who she met while she was a member of Kero Kero Bonito’s touring band. Drawn, in part, to the darkness of Walton’s music, she channels that same anxious, aggressive energy in ‘Hell Is Here’, the post-industrial centrepiece of her debut EP Icarus (out Friday), which was written while she was going through a dark period of depression for the first time.
The 5-song collection is an exploration of the Greek myth of Icarus, which Bonito was first exposed to through a songbook at school, and captures the many potentials the metaphor continues to hold for her; choosing to celebrate the fierce glory that defined the protagonist over his ultimate failure, but guiding us through the entire journey. It’s a bold concept to pull off in just a few tracks, but Icarus is by turns bright and vulnerable, glitchy and sweet, gentle and explosive, always managing to catch flickers of hope and catharsis in the midst of turmoil. It’s a world that’s distinct from the one she’s built with KKB, and it’s not hard to imagine it growing into its own musical universe.
We caught up with Sarah Bonito for this edition of our Artist Spotlight interview series to talk about the origins of Cryalot, working with Jennifer Walton, the Icarus myth, and more.
How do you feel about the singles that are out ahead of the release of the EP?
It’s been really fun creating the whole Cryalot world from scratch, and I’ve been really enjoying seeing how people respond to it. It’s been a super personal thing as well. Like the ‘Hell Is Here’ video, all the paintings you see in there were all done by me, and it has a really close connection to me personally. It’s been really exciting putting that out.
I wanted to ask you about the genesis of Cryalot, but the personal nature of it is kind of already suggested in the title of the project. Can you talk about the story behind it?
I guess the name was quite in your face, and I wanted it to be like that, because Cryalot was born when I was going through a really dark period of my life, and I was crying a lot. [laughs] So I wanted to name this project Cryalot – I guess it was my way of trying to take back control of those moments and reclaiming it. I didn’t want those tears to just be tears. I wanted to make something creative out of it. It actually started from a Finsta, I just wanted to make an Instagram account to post stuff where it was not really a Sarah Bonito post, and it’s my little outlet. And then when I was touring as KKB, I met Jennifer Walton, she was a live member of KKB from 2018 to 2020. I really got on with her, and I just fell in love with her music. That’s when I started thinking I really want to write music with her. And that’s when I was like, I want to do it under Cryalot.
I’m curious if the name Cryalot has a whole new meaning for you now that it’s kind of removed from its original association.
Definitely, that’s true. I guess before, it was like, it would remind me of those dark moments. But now because I release stuff under it I don’t really think about that. I’ve associated it with something really creative and fun. It’s weird because when I started writing music, I thought, maybe when this music is released and gone out of me, maybe I’ll be out of this dark period. And in a way, it’s kind of true. I’m not in the same kind of headspace from when I started the project. Creativity really helped me.
What excited you most about the idea of working with Jennifer Walton?
Yeah, definitely. It started in a really natural way, because before we even started writing music, I was with her 24/7 on tour, and we would get to know each other and talk about, I don’t know, silly things. We had that really solid foundation even before we went into the studio. And I think it really helped because I wanted this project to be quite personal to me, so I don’t think I would have been able to write those songs if it was just someone I didn’t have that foundation with. And also, her music, it’s really hard to pinpoint what made me like it, but I just really liked her music. It has this darkness that I was really attracted to. It’s like one of those things where I feel like you just know. When I was thinking about writing music, it just felt really right and I kind of followed that gut instinct. And she’s amazing. We’re really good friends as well, so it really made sense to work with her.
I read that you were first exposed to the myth of Icarus when you were seven years old, and you would always choose this song to sing in school that had a different interpretation of the myth – less as a cautionary tale and more as a story of human potential. What made you remember the significance it had for you? Is it something that’s always been in the back of your mind?
That’s an interesting question. I guess it’s always kind of been in the back of my mind, this Icarus thing. It’s kind of my philosophy of life. I’m not trying to say I’m the example of it, it’s more like I always try to live up to that kind of mythology of, like, trying to become more. And I feel like what made me want to write about it through this project was, when I was going through the dark period, I think that’s when I actually forgot about it. I think that was the first time in my life really that I didn’t find enjoyment in things I used to. I think I’m a really creative person, but that period made me really not enjoy anything. To write about that was my way of trying to go back to it, trying to remind myself of the Icarus mythology I fell in love with. And I think that’s why I wanted to write a whole EP about it. When someone gives me a song to write, I always naturally want to write about flying or want to write about something related to Icarus. So it’s kind of like my go-to place when I want to express something.
I imagine you’ve developed a different perspective on it as an adult, but actually knowing what that fall can feel like, that darkness – instead of losing hope in that philosophy, it actually makes it more powerful.
Yeah, definitely. With the EP as well, I don’t want all the songs to be about like this, It’s all gonna be fine, we’re gonna fly really high. I wanted to write about the successes and failures of it. I think that’s what makes living beautiful in a way, being human – there’s always the possibility of failure and success. So you will experience failure, but when you do experience success, it feels really nice because you did experience both sides of it. I feel like that’s an amazing thing.
I was wondering if exploring ancient mythology, and also, more generally, the narrative potential of the EP format, with Kero Kero Bonito played a role in you wanting to dive into the Icarus story and take that route with Cryalot.
I don’t think I would have been able to do this if I didn’t do KKB. It really feels like I’m in this really lucky place where I can explore these things I’m really interested in, because I think doing a whole EP about mythology is quite out there. I’ve been doing music for a while and I know amazing creative people around me – for example, the director of the ‘Hell Is Here’ video [Joshua Homer], he’s amazing director, he actually directed ‘Only Acting’ in KKB. Also getting to know other creative people who I managed to work with, it kind of made the vision come to life. I feel like it has really helped me dive into like this passion project I always wanted to explore. I feel like I got to do that because of being in KKV and having that experience. And Gus and Jamie, they also have solo projects that I’ve experienced the whole journey, seeing them work on it as well, that really inspired me.
Listening to the first song, ‘Touch the Sun’, I wondered how much you relate that moment of glory that Icarus desires to the feeling of transcendence that music can give you, the ambition that drives you in your creative life. Is that something you feel more strongly now as a professional musician, having made that leap?
‘Touch the Sun’ is honestly the most optimistic song out of all of the EP. I wanted it to sound like you’re going for something, and when have this unbreakable belief that everything’s gonna be fine. And you’re not thinking about failing, you’re just thinking about what you can be. And I definitely had those moments in my life as well. When I feel like that the most I’d say is when I’m creating something, and doing music has given me more opportunities to do that. What’s that word people use when they’re creating and when they enter God-mode? That flow, I feel like that’s very transcendent. I feel like I live for those moments, in a way. Everything can get so stressful when you’re working on something, it could get quite insane, but when you hit that moment, it feels like it was worth everything. For example, playing music that you wrote to a huge crowd, or – it’s really hard to pinpoint, but the flow feels like everything was worth it. That’s what I live for.
When you were young and related to the story, did you ever imagine what those moments would feel like? Maybe that was music, maybe it was something else, but obviously there was some strong pull there.
I’ve always been a creative person all my life. I didn’t really do music until I joined KKB. Before that, I was really into painting. I really wanted to be a painter, but somehow life took me to become a musician. [laughs] I used to write stories as well when I was 17-ish, I really wanted to be a writer. I like putting my hands into lots of creative forms. And I also am really kind of attracted to people like that. That’s one of the reasons I really wanted to write music with Jenny, because I saw that in her. Also, this is such a weird – I can’t think of a better example, when I see people like that, I get really emotional. Like, I was watching that Netflix show Cheer; this group of kids, they train for like a year just to perform for two minutes. Those kinds of things really get to me. I remember the last episode I was crying because it was so… [laughs] I don’t know, this is a bad example, but I’m really attracted to people like that and I really get inspired by that kind of energy.
What is that moment of connection like, where you know the other person shares that same energy? Is that something you can put to words?
I guess everybody else has the potential of becoming more than a human – I don’t know how to explain it, but you can see it when they’re playing live or you can see it when they speak about something. It’s everywhere in the world, it’s just hard to pinpoint it. I think when people try to fly high, close to the sun, that kind of feeling really inspires me.
I feel like there’s a parallel here, too, to the myth of Sisyphus – the idea that the struggle is persistent, but that’s what makes it worth it. The difference is that in Icarus there’s this dream that you’re chasing, which is what the song ‘Labyrinth’ homes in on – this idea that there’s more to this than what’s in front of us.
Yeah, I definitely agree with that. I think everything is possible. We have this ability to dream or imagination, and I feel like it’s something that’s really powerful and also has many potentials. Going through the dark period, it really open my eyes up to how your reality can quickly change to hell or heaven – there’s so many possibilities, even though you’re living, like – I’ll be waking up and eating breakfast, it’s the same act, but it can feel like hell, it can feel like heaven. It made me realize that maybe these possibilities are not, like, a different world; they all coexist. And really, you have the power to kind of go either way. Whatever you want to do, it’s possible. Going back to the ‘Labyrinth’ song, it’s like, you have the power to change it, and imagination is the first step to do that.
I think there’s even a phrase on the final track that translates to “endless possibilities.” But another reason that song, ‘See You Again’, stood out to me is that it foregrounds the importance of storytelling, of passing down these stories and how they resonate through time and across cultures. The project was born from a dark period, but you’re also participating in that effort of reimagining the myth through your own experience.
The Icarus story, I keep like hearing it in TV shows or films or people mention it in real life and they’re like, if you fly too close to the sun, you’re gonna fall and drown and you’re gonna die. With that song, I wanted to see it in a different way, like, yeah, maybe he did die, but we’re still talking about him and the story’s been passed down. The sea he drowned is called the Icarian sea, and if this didn’t happen, it wouldn’t have been named like that. He flew the highest of any human being, we should look at it from that direction. I feel like he is immortalized by his actions, and death doesn’t mean the end.
How does it feel like for you to think that for some people, this might be their introduction to the myth?
I mean, I guess that’s how I got to know the mythology, so it’d be a really great thing. I’m happy about that. I don’t think there is one true interpretation of the mythology, or any mythology. If a song can get like a similar feeling from when I first heard the Icarus song when I was like seven or something, l would love that. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to do it as well.
Do you have any specific ambitions for Cryalot going into the future?
Yeah, it’s been really exciting. I feel like a new door has opened. I want to keep working with Jenny, and I feel like this is the beginning of something.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
Wisconsin band Disq have previewed their upcoming album with a new single titled ‘(With Respect To) Loyal Serfs’. It follows previous entries ‘If Only’ and ‘Cujo Kiddies’, and you can give it a listen below.
Disq’s new album, Desperately Imagining Someplace Quiet, is scheduled to arrive on October 7 via Saddle Creek.
