Travel Through the Sound With Out East's Latest Single "Ondele"

Out East are an indie-pop duo based in Squamish, British Columbia, Canada. Comprised of Jon Allan and Adam Ravalia, they hail from the east coast of Canada.

These two best buds found themselves in the same BC town a long way from home and decided to start creating unique, groovy, and emotive dream-pop music. During the pandemic and through a rollercoaster ride of emotion, writing and recording their latest Ep, ‘By The Ocean,’ allowed the guys to remain grounded and tethered despite the tumultuous nature of the world around them.

Laced into the smooth escape of the opening song on their four-track EP, we come across the atmospheric universe of “Ondele.” The various elements that linger in the electronic composition take a feathery approach to the way that this record is conveyed. By playing upon a fair amount of instrumental moments that are met with reverberated croons, you come to notice the fusion picks up with intensity, and intricacy when showcased.

We can’t help but delve into the deeper meaning of “Ondele,” which is brought to the surface through these notions. There’s a wave of energy that surges through you as you take this song in like a breath of fresh air. It happens to make you look differently at the creative process embarked on by Out East.

With the ease depicted in particular complex components packed into the musicality, you would never guess that they’re composed of two individuals. The genius that goes into making these soundscapes pop from an organic place of passion and thought, is truly remarkable. Vibrantly projecting what sets the pace and energy of ‘By The Ocean,’ the melodic essence that we soar in remains unforgettable to us.

Hello Out East, and welcome to BuzzMusic. There’s such beautiful energy to the way that you convey “Ondele.” What inspired you to make this the opening song of your EP?

"Ondele" was the first track that we worked on for the EP. It actually started out as a silly song about gummy bears that Jon and I wrote one hot day last summer. Once we realized we were on to something with the initial riff, we methodically worked through the song developing the vocal melody at first, followed by the song structure and instrumentation. This process went on over a few months until we realized we had a pretty good tune on our hands. As we shaped the lyrics from silly to meaningful, we thought it would be poignant to try and convey how everyone has been feeling during the pandemic. It's been a really rough year for many people, and we thought that portraying the message of unity and togetherness, along with finding the internal fortitude to move forward, as appropriate. Thus, we decided to make it the opening track of the EP so that it could have an immediate impact as people listen.

In your own words, what does this song mean to you? What are you hoping that your audience takes away from it?

This song, similar to what I cite above, is really about unity. I think it reflects the idea that if we as a people can work together, remain level-headed, and find strength in one another, they can navigate their way through anything. In this polarized day and age we live in, I believe in the importance of perpetuating togetherness, inclusivity, and summoning strength as a collective. I hope that when people listen to this song, both the music and the lyrics will allow them to perceive this message and walk away feeling a little more ready to unite with the people around them.

Could you please share a glimpse into the concept of ‘By The Ocean’ with us? Does “Ondele” truly reflect what else is heard in the project?

'By The Ocean' as a whole is really about longing for home. Jon and I both grew up in the most easterly province of Canada called Newfoundland and Labrador. It's a rocky isle in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, and about as far away from Squamish as you can get. Throughout the pandemic, we have been unable to travel back to Newfoundland to see our loved ones, smell the salt breeze of the Atlantic, and have a "feed" of fish and chips as the locals would say. This distance has been pretty difficult on us both, and the EP reflects our journey through being so far away from home and how we've overcome it. Ondele truly does reflect this journey, as Jon and I have had each other to share stories of home, crack jokes that no one else really understands, and convey a sense of home for one another in BC. Saturn's rings is a song I originally wrote about my father and his impact on me, By The Ocean (title track) is an homage to Newfoundland and Labrador, and Fences is really a tune about having so much fun playing in the snowy coastal mountains this past winter, enjoying winter and the beauty of the province we now find ourselves in.

What is your mission statement as Out East?

Our Mission Statement is never to take ourselves too seriously. At the end of the day, we are just two best friends who make music together and have a hell of a time doing it. Wherever this project ends up, ultimately this musical journey is just that, a journey, and we're so happy to be along for the ride.

What can listeners anticipate to hear next from you?

We are starting to work on our next batch of tunes. We always cast a wide net and write a bunch of new songs with varying genres, and then narrow it down as time goes along. I think people can expect another single in the next couple of months and hopefully another EP before the end of the year. Over the summer, we'll be getting back to normal and playing lots of shows locally, so we're pretty stoked for that outlet.

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