The Los Angeles-based recording artist, singer-songwriter, and producer Eddie Cohn highlight the powerful intro track, "Broken Pieces," off his latest 9-track album, 'Dystopian Days.'
Eddie Cohn is known for his attention-commanding and exciting performances; his powerful vocals have led him down countless paths to sharpen his craft. No matter what endeavor he gets himself into, Cohn strives for one thing and only thing only, human connection. Cohn wants us to get off our phones, out of our heads, and learn from each other and our surroundings.
Recently releasing his 9-track album, 'Dystopian Days,' we've decided to give our readers a taste of the record with its exciting and groovy intro track, 'Broken Pieces." This track not only starts the album on a brilliant note but keeps us locked in and engaged with Eddie Cohn's versatile electronic production, rocking instrumentals, and captivating vocal performance.
Expanding on "Broken Pieces," the song opens with a bright, upbeat, and bold electronic drum beat that later transitions into an organic drum arrangement with feel-good alt-rock instrumentals. As Eddie Cohn makes his exciting and energetic vocal appearance, he opens the track by reminding us that humans are no more than broken pieces, roaming this plane to find our purpose.
We love the crunchy vocal filters over Cohn's vocal production, as it adds this stimulating and nostalgic flair that's perfectly backed up by the vibrant and punchy instrumentals. As he makes his way to the outro, the sonics and instrumentals carry the song with a certain kind of energy that's equally as exhilarating as it is dense.
Experience the gripping sounds of Eddie Cohn's latest hit, "Broken Pieces," and find the rest of his 'Dystopian Days' album on all digital streaming platforms.
Thank you for joining us at BuzzMusic Eddie Cohn, and congratulations on the release of your 9-track album, 'Dystopian Days.' What inspired you to create this record? What concept did you want to bring to the table?
First off, thank you again for inviting me to be a part of BuzzMusic and share my music and some of the stories behind my new record. I can't wait for people to discover this new album. Truthfully, this record was a joy to bring to life. It re-connected me with old friends and was the perfect backdrop and escape from the crazy world that enveloped our lives in 2020. Early in 2020, the pandemic took over when I initially felt inspired to produce and record a new record. It had been over five years since I recorded an album, but I felt like I had no choice but to sit down and write songs.
With the pandemic, the protests, the fires in Southern California, the lockdown orders, and the ongoing mandates, I felt profound anxiety levels. It felt like a Cormac McCarthy novel or the backdrop of a new science fiction film, except it was harrowingly real. I wanted to try and capture all of those feelings of fear, anxiety, and dystopia into one record. I remember thinking to myself a few months ago if, by the time this record comes out, our world will resemble more of a utopian world. Still, surprisingly, it oddly often looks like the world has gotten even more bizarre and unpredictable. It's this strange psychological warfare going on where truth doesn't seem to matter, a division is on the rise, and as people are forced to rely more heavily on technology, I often wonder if people en masse can think objectively or take pause and question what is going on in the world.
Was there a moment or experience that inspired you to write the reflective and emotional lyrical content for your intro track, "Broken Pieces?"
"Broken Pieces" was the last song I wrote for the record. I felt like the album needed one more uptempo rock song, so I started coming up with these new drum loops and synth lines that resonated with me. I then came up with this concept of thinking about human beings as broken fragments or broken little pieces of glass. I remember watching the news one night, and it almost felt like the newscasters enjoy criticizing human beings or they revel in pointing out our faults. And then I thought, maybe if we became a little more comfortable with the idea that we all have issues, we all have problems, we're all broken in one way or another if we could be more sensitive around that idea, I think we'd be much more empathetic towards people's "problems."
How does the intro track "Broken Pieces" coincide with the story or theme throughout your album, 'Dystopian Days?'
As the first track, I think it sort of sets up the listener for the story I want to tell. I felt a lot about the movie Children of Men while I wrote this record. I think we're all struggling to find our way in this "new normal," to make peace with the world, to find friends who accept us. I think life could be a lot easier if we came to terms with this idea that we're all "broken." We all have issues, fears, and anxieties. Instead of pointing fingers or criticizing people's faults, I think a better solution to a more sympathetic culture is offering a helping hand or trying and listening to new perspectives instead of being so quick to judge and criticize. It isn't very easy, but the world I see doesn't seem as empathetic as it once was.
What does the album 'Dystopian Days' mean to you? How does it reflect your current perspective on life and what you believe?
This record was one of the most cathartic and mind-expanding experiences of my life. I often think, from bad experiences, we can create something beautiful, and to me, this record was a culmination of me coming to terms with the strange world we all live in right now. In the middle of 2020, many of my friends lost jobs, we were forced to stay home, we were forced to wear masks even outdoors and stay indoors. Now, we're seemingly being forced to get a vaccine to be a part of everyday life. Bizarre times but through these experiences, I felt deeply inspired to sing and write about this chaotic, confusing, and even historical period. The problem is we live in a world now where if you say the wrong thing, your life could be upended, so knowing all of that, I tried to walk that fine line of using allegory and symbolism to share my perspective on what I see going on. I also wanted to make a record, while thematically dark and dreary, that also rocks, is percussive and moves, and is overwhelmingly thought-provoking and beautiful at the same time. Not an easy task, but I think we came close to creating a record that signifies the times we live in.
What do you want your audience to experience when listening to the album 'Dystopian Days?' What did you want them to take away from the project?
It feels like it's harder now than ever before to get people's attention, but I hope people can find the time to turn off the TV, turn off the phone, put on some headphones, and genuinely submerge themselves into the world of Dystopian Days. The band and I put a lot of thought into the sounds and the mix, and we tried to create a 360-degree sonic experience where you truly feel like you're living inside the music or in a science fiction movie. I hope listeners think about how the world has shifted so dramatically in just two years. I hope this record asks some of the more difficult questions about the people in charge, and I hope this record inspires people to ask themselves if they like the direction we're headed, or maybe it's time to make some changes. Perhaps it's time to turn off the phone, question the news media's intentions, listen to each other more often, reach out to loved ones and be a more active participant in our day-to-day lives. I see a world that looks as though more people are passive, sitting at home staring at screens, numbing out, and isolating themselves. I hope this record inspires the opposite sort of behavior: more love, empathy, and activity.
