A full length album release from Chris Mardini brings a colorful and refreshing indie-pop feel with rock undertones that shine through and all with a wonderfully lush character and presence throughout the entire thing.
The self-titled Chris Mardini record is loaded with bright hooks, a youthful energy, and killer array of layered textures that swirl around you and sort of whisk you up with them.
This record has a cinematic backbone to it that keeps peeking its head out and bringing some added musical emotion to the table and each song has something a little different to bring to the table.
These songs feel personal and like they came from someplace real and this is a major part of why it's all so damn addicting as a whole.
It's part of his style in general. And it really works.
What's also quite impressive is that this release seems to pack in a multitude of genres in an 8 song stretch and it only pulls you further into the artist's swagger and atmosphere.
The cool thing is it's still very pop oriented and works with such a great palette it's outstanding.
This is an excellent example of a youth in songwriters that are coming out and doing things with a freedom on their own terms. It's the future of music and it's artists like Chris Mardini that stand at the forefront of it.
With such a great release we wanted to have a chat with Mardini to find out where this all came from and where it's all going.
Here's what happened.
RAG: Let's start with your self-titled Chris Mardini album. This record has a colorful and honest indie-pop vibe with some underground rock intertwined. Very cool sound! Where did this album come from?
Hey guys! Thanks for having me! Man, this album’s been a long time coming. I feel like I’ve been in the process of creating it my entire life, in a non-weird way. I mean, it’s a culmination and a concoction of all the sounds and events I’ve been influenced by my whole life. I was lucky enough to have plenty of subject matter to use once I started writing my own songs.
RAG: I'm certainly hearing an array of rock and pop styles on this record. Who are some of your actual biggest musical influences?
This is always a tough question, but I think some of the artists I need to mention are Nirvana,Kanye, Rage Against the Machine, and Led Zeppelin. Of course, I’ve recently been into KingKrule, Freddie Gibbs, and a handful of House/EDM artists as well. But they all played a significant role in the composition of this album.
RAG: So how did this all start for you?
I’ve always been a singer, and I’ve been in and out of bands ever since I was in 3rd grade. I only started writing my own stuff just under 4 years ago, and it’s been an amazing ride ever since. I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by people who believe in my abilities as a musician and a songwriter. I just want to keep finding those people through my music.
RAG:Do you write songs on your own or do you collaborate with others? Do you produce your own stuff?
I usually write by myself. Pretty much all the songs on this album were written by yours truly.
I’ve always dabbled in music production, and while these songs were not produced by me, I’m looking to start releasing my songs that are produced by me. I enjoy working in Logic Pro X andbringing my ideas to life on my terms.
RAG: What's next for you as an artist?
Man, I’ve got some shows coming up where I’ll be playing live quite a lot in the St. Louis area,
where I go to college. I’m super psyched about it. I just rented this off-campus rehearsal studio for a reasonable price. It’s gonna be like the creation cave; Constant content! But, again, I’m excited to just create stuff in there at my own will.
RAG: Have you performed live or are you planning on any live shows in the near future?
Yes! I’m playing a live show on January 8th at Mercury Lounge in NYC! So excited about it.
RAG: What are you doing when you'e NOT working on music?
That’s a good question. I love hanging with friends and just doing random activities with them. I also like skiing, so I hit the slopes whenever I can. However, I’m also a student in college, so I’m pretty occupied with that stuff a lot of the time.
RAG: Who are you listening to right now?
Death! This band is so sick. Some of the coolest punk I’ve ever heard, and the lack of
recognition they have really sucks.
RAG: Can we expect any music videos coming from you next year?
Yeah, I’ve got a whole bunch of content to be released real soon. Hoping to release some content in concurrence with the new single dropping early February!
RAG: What sort of things really inspire you to write?
I find myself a lot more creative when going through some type of mental struggle. I don’t know; it’s like when I’m struggling, the words and melodies are front and center in my mind, and I can more eloquently express what I’m feeling. When life’s going good and there’s little to worry about, writer’s block takes its toll on the efficiency of the process. Maybe I just need to struggle a bit more!
RAG: Do songs just sort of come to you or so you pick up a guitar and see what happens?
A little bit of both. Often, I’ll replay a certain melody in my head, thinking, “damn, that’s not
even a song yet!” And I’ll get really excited to create. Other times, I’ll just be fiddling with my
guitar or keyboard, and I’ll be lucky enough to find a chord progression or a melody that
resonates with me. But before I ever start writing, I try to develop a theme of what the song
means to me.
RAG: Is writing the lyrics the hardest part of what you do?
No, I don’t think so. One of the hardest things for me is disciplining myself to keep writing and
creating when life’s going well. Like I can’t always rely on the state of my headspace to dictate the rate at which songs are written.
RAG: This album feels like a big undertaking. What sort of advice would you have for other up and coming artists out there?
Do it!!!! Don’t be intimidated! I’m having an amazing time pursuing my passions, and there’s
literally nothing stopping you from doing it too. So start to learn how to produce! I promise it’s
not as hard as it seems.
RAG: Before we go, what would you like to say to fans of the music?
I love you all so dearly! You have no idea how much it means for the songs to be resonating with ya’ll… Stay tuned. We’ve got so much more stuff coming your way!
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