Dedicating himself to creating his own alternative sound within the genre, the natural-born writer has expanded into other avenues such as music production, guitar, and audio engineering. With influences such as Lupe Fiasco, Childish Gambino, Travis Scott, and Earl Sweatshirt, he creates hip-hop-centered making sense of the world around him while proudly proclaiming his confidence in music.
From San Antonio, Texas, the artist and producer duo ALI3N & CRY3 are eager to present the otherworldly sound of their latest album, 'DARK MATT3R.'
What started as a dream finally materializes for singer-songwriter ALI3N, as he reconnects with his childhood friend, CRY3, on their new project. Taking our attention to the elusively flowing essence of the title track and lead single, we're brought into a newfound dimension that combines the compelling and thought-provoking sounds with hip-hop. As we navigated through the verses, we couldn't help but soak up all of the wordplays that were ready for dissection.
Each word is performed with conviction as the tonal distinction of ALI3N radiates hunger, and the dominant hues glide across this mesmerizing atmosphere. Bringing life to the curiosity that roams within each of us, the dark yet glimmering soundscape of 'DARK MATT3R' has us eager to unwrap the rest of the project.
Chalked full of charisma and lush reverberation, the dystopia that filters through this piece leave us to believe there is no better album representation than this particular song. ALI3N and CRY3 manage to pull our attention like no other and have us wanting to further explore 'DARK MATT3R' at a rapid pace.
Welcome to BuzzMusic, ALI3N, and CRY3, and congratulations on the release of your latest album, 'DARK MATT3R.' What inspired this concept with such a creative piece that takes us to newfound dimensions?
ALI3N: originally came up with the concept 3 years ago and it stemmed from some music he was working on at the time. He Was always interested in the universe/space working on some sort of futuristic music and trying to channel the curiosity of the universe to a sound.
CRY3: I had some beats already made that happened to match the sound identity he was looking for and we built off of that and started putting the album together. We originally were going to make a rap/trap type EP. Then I showed him a few other snippets that were a different style and that’s what you hear on this album.
How does it feel to have another full-length project under your belt? What creative differences and similarities have you noticed between 'DARK MATT3R' and previously released E.P's or albums?
CRY3: it definitely feels great to have more music out in the world. I have been really wanting to add more to my digital catalog. I released a 5-track EP back in September of some instrumentals and that was my first solo release. But this project is much more dynamic and I love the emotion we were able to express. However, this is technically ALI3N’s first major release! There were definitely some interesting similarities and differences for creating this album compared to a previous release. As far as similarities go, my approach is the same and I electronically produce all my tracks. Utilizing a combination of samples and live layers within a few DAWs. But for our album, there was definitely some input from ALI3N’s side since we needed to make sure his vocals weren’t clashing with the other layers. I enjoyed that because It really made us think as we were working on each song. And I think it made us pay attention to detail way more. When I worked on my solo EP I didn’t have as many active ears listening during the creative process. So I had to really rely on my vision for that ep and make sure I at least stay true to what I wanted to convey.
What was it like coming together again to combine your visions? What does the typical creative session look like between you two?
ALI3N: This was unique because he had this idea for so long so he already had an idea for what he wanted. He had the track ideas already named and listed before we actually started recording. So we worked relatively quickly and the mutual understanding of the vision really allowed us to work through this album. And of course, it was great working on something artistic with a friend I have known since middle school practically.
CRY3: This was our first time ever working together on music so everything was new really. But I think the approach was relatively standard. I laid out the beats and we would just have listening sessions and just start writing and go from there. We would largely talk about things that inspire us, reflect on past experiences. And usually, from there we’d start crafting lyrics. Largely ALI3N wrote all of the lyrics to the tracks while I (CRY3) produced all the beats. And I think keeping it like that allowed us to work nicely and practically.
What is the main message you hope your audience takes from 'DARK MATT3R?'
Don’t be afraid to look at yourself from within. The concept behind the album 'Dark Matter' refers to the unseeable. And like the heaven VS hell that can be within yourself. And the conflict of your Ego feeding those urges but trying to resist the darkness. And The battle you face within yourself that people can’t see. We hope these songs can relate to that and let people know they aren’t alone and can find that balance and inner light.
What's next for you?
We have some ideas in the works for future content and projects. We might have a Potential follow-up to Dark Matt3r…But largely just focusing on making more music. I (CRY3) have some beats lined up for a potential instrumental ep release in the future. We definitely want to be more consistent with our output!
