“We’re just trying to let the music become what it wants to become,” says Soulganic’s lead singer and bassist Anthony Rodriguez. “And wherever that takes us, that’s where we’ll go.”
The Music has been the anchor for Soulganic. From the shared exhilaration of stage performances to the insular intimacy of studio work, The Music remains the singular bond between the quartet. This cohesion has served as the conduit by which their sophomore album From the Storm to the Sun was crafted.
From the Storm to the Sun is a carefully-constructed interpretation of what The Music wanted to become, and where The Music has led the band. Crafting the album over nearly two years, Soulganic pushed themselves to new heights as writers and performers.
Their second studio release takes the raw energy of Soulganic’s reputable live performances and tempers it with intimate and layered arrangements to produce what the band calls the evolution of their trademark Funky Indie Soul stylings. The mood is noticeably darker and heavier from All Directions Forward, their critically-acclaimed debut.
The rhythmically-soulful “Temporary Thrill” is an addict’s narrative. “Melt Away” is a scathing commentary on infidelity raw with the intensity of the blues. “How Does it Feel (Blood Money)” brings a deeply spiritual and earthy afro-cuban commentary on the blood diamond trade. “Forgotten Ones” is a hard-edged rocker railing against class antagonism. “Let Me Go” wraps a complex soul/funk/rock arrangement around an editorial on the effects of absentee fathers.
This is The Music as it grows and traverses life, love and all the things that go along with it.
The diversity heard on From the Storm to the Sun is nothing new for the band. From the beginning, Soulganic has always been known as a genre-bending unit, which was a reflection of the individual members. Drawing upon influences as varied as their origins (extending from New York City to Puerto Rico), Soulganic’s musical landscape quickly matured into a vivid palette of earthy hues: gritty and organic. At the core is each member’s musicality: Cory McClure on drums and keys; Ryan McKeithan handling guitars and vocals; Anthony Rodriguez carrying the lead vocal and bass responsibilities; Lucas Torres adding the signature element as percussionist.
“With All Directions Forward,” says Rodriguez, “we were so focused, so intent on translating the live performance to the record. We just really wanted to give listeners a chance to know who were were as musicians, a glimpse into what we could do.”
That approach was not in vain. Since the 2007 release of All Directions Forward, Soulganic’s reputation has grown internationally. Tracks from the album have received vast airplay on worldwide internet radio stations, and been used in independent film soundtracks. The band itself has had the honor of opening for such renowned artists as Ken Ford, Maria Howell and Laura Izibor.
But The Music was ready to go elsewhere. “For the new album,” Rodriguez, continues, “we wanted to really grow from the jump-off point of that introduction and explore our ideas.” According to percussionist Lucas Torres, the recording sessions for the album were “a forum for endless creativity.” Guitarist Ryan McKeithan agrees. “We were not locked into any one thing and we had the freedom and the ability to explore so many different avenues that it never got boring.”
From the Storm to the Sun was constructed in true independent musician fashion: written, composed, arranged, performed, produced, engineered, recorded and mixed by Soulganic, with additional tracking and mastering by Charlotte-based independent music veteran Joe Kuhlmann, who also served as the band’s Creative Consultant. This allowed the ideas to grow, mature and blossom in their own unique ways.
“Hopefully,” concludes Rodriguez, “what the listener will hear is our honest expression of where we are right now as human beings and as musicians, and that’s what’s most important.”
