Dipped in an essence of spooky, sad, and groovy Alternative-Soul, five.others present the highly anticipated EP, 'Changes You.' Hailing from Toronto, Gregory Sasha, musically known as five.others, offers a balance of groovy Alternative-Soul flavored with spooky melancholic blues. After years of fronting and supporting bands, performing as house music in bars and coffee shops, working as a sound engineer both live and in-studio, as well as doing live sound and open mic hosting at The Cavern Bar in Toronto, five.others explore the ambivalence between dread and dreams in delivering the sophomore EP, 'Changes You.'
A collection of 6 songs, the featured single, "Open & Closed," washes over us in a wave of nostalgic transparency through the intimate abstract tales that five.others delve into. Featuring the talents of bassist, co-producer, and mix engineer Brian Davis, a light is placed on the ever-growing changes that the world presents to us, five.others express that these changes are what allows a new door to open as the former door has closed shut.
Through the fortified foundation of the '70s inspired downtempo of the opulent guitar riffs played, we hear the compelling echoes of five.others vocal abilities. Fading in and out of the sonic centerpiece, an eroded tone has us carefully listening to each word and remaining hopeful that we don't miss a beat. Creating an atmospheric rush in the smooth execution of these words trickling from within, we hear five.others glisten in this mellifluous ambiance flowing through our speakers. The reverberated melancholy may illustrate a certain point of sadness for some, but for others, optimism has an instant to shine in the bittersweet moments brought forth.
As we take a step back and appreciate this composition, we admire what five.others offer us a renovated compilation of demos written and recorded between October 2019 and May 2020. "Open & Closed" is only a snippet of the distinctive blast that five.others radiate.
Congratulations on the release of, “Open & Closed,” off of your EP, 'Changes You.' You worked with the talented Brian Davis to bring your vision to life on this EP. Could you please a glimpse into what that creative process looked like for you both?
Hey BuzzMusic, thanks for having me. Brian is a brother to me and we’ve been working together since day 1. We’re both busy working on different things a lot of the time, but he’s always found time to help. Without his bass playing, mixing, and general co-production this project definitely wouldn’t be the same. I actually moved in with him while we made the EP, given the changing pandemic circumstances. Home recording is always nice because you have time to go at your own pace, and we have pretty good chemistry so we were able to work efficiently.
What moment inspired the meaning behind, “Open & Closed?"
Open and closed seem like opposites, but really it’s just breathing. It’s conflict, it’s flow, it’s balance. I’d say it’s about growing; part of it is keeping balance, and part of it is looking for balance. Where we’re going and where we’ve been. Really it’s just a good thesis statement for the EP as a whole.
What was your reasoning for releasing, 'Changes You,' as a collection of demos? Is this different in terms of how you’ve approached past releases?
It’s really just how it all fell together. I try to stay making a bunch of songs and projects, so I have a lot of ideas that aren’t always as finished as they could be because I would rather keep moving on to new things. By the time I feel ready to really work up something proper, there’s 30 to pick from. In the future, I’d like to drop singles more frequently, versus waiting until they pile up, especially given that I’m making all the songs separately anyway. We’ll see how I do with that though.
Were there any elements when creating, “Open & Closed,” that made you feel like you were faced with a challenge?
I had finished the song in March or so, but was having some doubts about it and abandoned it for a while. Eventually, I just decided to release the demo version (on SoundCloud and YouTube I release my first drafts) around June. My friend Johnny Diamonds hit me up and said he loved it and wanted to do his own version. I sent him the stem files, and not 2 days later he sends me back this re-imagination. I thought it was so cool, so who knows maybe we’ll see more crossovers in the future. In general, it just goes to show that collaboration and support are so important.
2020 has been a very challenging year for everyone. What has been keeping you inspired to create music? What advice can you give another artist who's finding it difficult to do so?
Yes, what a year. For me just staying thankful for the opportunities I had to play music. No live shows, no rehearsals, or open jams was tough, but I had more time to write and record and to work in other ways I hadn’t before. Also, in the summer, we (close bubble) had outdoor jams every Friday night that improved my psyche so much. I don’t know how much advice I’m qualified to give. I try to tell myself to stay interested. Stay learning. Stay looking for your balance. Stay thankful for the things you have, and try to extend what you can to help others. Follow your own path. Thanks, BuzzMusic for having me, and to everyone reading, watching, and listening!