BuzzMusic presents the dynamic duo of Travis Bond and Logan (I-Boogy) Brown. The powerhouse duo’s project Living Roots is a groovy culmination of world and electronic music. They fuse natural sounds and funky rhythms using unique elements such as the didgeridoo and flute. With diverse musical influences and background, Travis and Logan have an unstoppable sound to share with the world.
“Young Frankincense” boasts funky rhythmic textures, pummeling electronic melodies and ethic elements. The didgeridoo is unlike anything we’ve heard before and we cant’ get enough. “Young Frankincense” is a sonically pleasing track that weaves through storytelling elements of Living Roots musical history. The atmospheric elements throughout allow a sort of escape for the listeners. Tribal, electronic and funky, Living Roots have establish a craft like no other. Featuring no vocals but intense and high energy instrumentals, “Young Frankincense” depicts sounds that are not from this world. The nature and overall theme bend genres and take the listener on a sonic journey.
“Feeling Good” is exactly what we hoped it would be and more! Taking the Nina Simone classic and fusing it with an electronic beat and a smooth free flowing flute. These additions add a new rhythm and uplifting vibration to an already incredible song. Funky and soulful to the core, Living Roots have done it again with “Feeling Good”. Their passion and flavor is clear in “Feeling Good” because of the completely new feeling they’ve created for this track. The vocals are echoing and spotless, the beat is addicting, and the flute is the cherry on top of an incredible mix!
Check out “Young Frankincense” and “Feeling Good” and read more below in our exclusive interview with Living Roots.
Hello Travis and Logan! How did the two of you meet and decide to start making music together?
I actually had a funny premonition of both of us working together before we really connected. Then after a few years of acquaintance, we danced all night at a Dirtwire show and realized how similar our love for music was and decided to work on a song shortly after. The first year of our collaborations we tentatively explored our capabilities and got an amazing response from the crowds and promoters. Moving forward we decided to include Logan in all of the songs and make it a real duo instead of having her as a featured artist, which enabled us to fully jump into soulful collaboration.
How did you come up with your project name Living Roots?
I got the name Living Roots when I was working in my garden planting starts and pulling weeds. I had one plant with the most vibrant and glorious root system, even though it was out of the ground it still felt so alive. Then as I thought about it, I realized that my main inspiration for making music was traveling and collaborating with people from all sorts of backgrounds and traditions. A big part of my life is traditional medicine ceremonies and indigenous wisdom, so being able to preserve those songs/prayers and add our own flavor to timeless songs has been a huge blessing.
What is your experimental writing process like as a duo?
Our writing process varies from song to song, but for the most part I will create an instrumental and then Logan will come in with a solid framework of poetry and melody that we shape into a full piece. On this next album release I gave her the reigns on one song from start to finish so we could get more of her vibe as the foundation. Its definitely a shared process on each song, since I produce all of the instrumentals with my array of world and acoustic instruments, rarely using samples from outside sources and often times I will have a guest musician come lay down some guitar or brass to get that natural live effect.
Do you have any other covers comparable to “Feeling Good” that our readers should check out?
Feeling Good is the only cover that we have worked on so far, probably because its hands down one of the best songs ever written! So we don't really have anything else in that category; However, this next album features 7 different female vocalists and is full of soul and has a very similar vibe to Feeling Good.
How did the idea for “Young Frankincense” come to fruition?
Young Frankincense was heavily influenced by Herbie Hancocks "Watermelon Man" and was going to be part of our next album; However, after creating more songs for that release, I realized it would be much better as a single. The name came from the fact that it went through so many changes and rearranging, it felt like a total Frankenstein piece, so to give it a little bit of the Living Roots vibe, I decided to change it to Frankincense!
Stay connected with Living Roots through their socials!
Instagram: www.instagram.com/livingrootsmusic
Facebook: www.facebook.com/livingrootsmusic