by mariah estran
photo by sandflower
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.”
Since you allowed this process to happen, do you feel like listeners get to see who you truly are?
Sandflower: “Yes, I feel I am fully represented in this body of work. If you hear these songs or even one of the songs, you’re going to get a little bit of who I am as an artist. Every song has its mixture of things. Every song has its own story, its own piece of my sonic personality. 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.”
How did working with producer David Sisko help piece the project together?
Sandflower: “It was great because one of the awesome things about working with David Sisko is he doesn’t want the artist to sound like anyone else. It was always what you feel or leaning towards. Then we would explore inspiration — obscure inspiration with whatever I was feeling, a xylophone, and trap drums. We would find inspo or make it up as we go along, which is a freeing process because you are not tied to something. It opens the creative process up.”
You’ve already released an energetic video for “Bump,” can we expect more visuals to go along with the project?
Sandflower: “There’s a lot of energy, a lot of fashion, a lot of just expression and fun. I had a great time creating all the visuals for this album. I let myself go, thinking to myself: ‘I know I am going to put music out in the future. What can I do to lay the foundation for who I am as an artist for the rest of my life? Will this be a good enough representation?’
Some videos were shot in California — they look like they were shot in Europe. I shot a video in Japan from 2018 that I am mixing with current footage. There’s stuff in studios in New York, and Los Angeles. It’s a gallery of sound.”
How do you like to see music and fashion merge in your work?
Sandflower: “I didn’t realize I was doing this over the years, but I had firmly established myself as Sandflower as an artist. So, anytime I am working with a stylist or creating something with Sprayground, the art comes first, then comes the idea, which gives me a lot of room. I get to start with a big idea, and then sometimes you have to bring reality into what you can do at that moment. It makes it more fun because you don’t have to try to stifle yourself or fit in a box.”