Placing seeds in the soil and waiting for the first sign of life is a lesson rich in patience. A concept that experimental pop artist Sandflower has found herself reasoning with during the creation of The Quantum Seed. “I’ve never used the poetry of my actual name to describe the process of my music or album before, but it is like a seed,” she shares.
The singer, and creative mind behind the fashion brand Sprayground, is finding the blessing in letting go when it comes to music. She’s dropping her worries and allowing her art to blossom into a collection of exciting, genre-mixing tracks and visuals.
Working with producer David Sisko, her album became the product of trusting herself and the process. The two create a unique sound that matches her array of musical vibrations. From electronic, synth-filled dance beats, to powerful, heavy guitar shreds, it’s a stream of creative consciousness. “I feel like if you hear this; if you see the visuals that go with it, even just a minute, you will get to know me,” she explains.
Sandflower took the time to tell us more about her album. She talks about her inspirations, working with David Sisko, how the record represents her as an artist, and how fashion merges with her music.
Your latest release, The Quantum Seed, showcases an array of sounds and inspirations. What influenced you to experiment with this multitude of sounds?
Sandflower: “I’ve always been into different kinds of sounds. I grew up in a musical household. My mom’s a musician, and my dad is a painter who does a lot of album covers. So, throughout my whole life, it’s been all different genres. Even when I was at college at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, I was studying South Indian vocals, classical music, and the history of pop music.
I couldn’t stick to one specific sound; I had to let out what was in my heart and mind, which are a multitude of different instruments and vocal stylings. I had to do it, or it wouldn’t be true to who I am.”
I’ve read that you’ve described each song as a flower because they grew into something of their own. How would you describe the process that was involved in writing and producing each track?
Sandflower: “I’ve never used the poetry of my actual name to describe the process of my music or album before; but it is like a seed. You must be able to believe in whatever you’re putting into the earth or putting in the sound. Then you have this sonic visualization of what you think it’s going to look or be like. A lot of times, it’s even better than what you pictured in your mind. But you have to put this thing out, plant it, let it go, let the ideas flow. Then kind of step back and let it be whatever it's going to be.
What I’ve seen with the album, the more I let go into the process and trust who I am as an artist, the better everything becomes. When you step back and let go, it lets the music grow, the songs grow, the ideas grow, and things start to intertwine. All these different coincidences, all these things begin to manifest as you trust in what you’ve already created.”
