Los Angeles, CA – Time is cash for COASTCITY.
For the upstart Latin duo, touring all through the nation and overseas for exhibits and work alternatives has grow to be a routine half life, and their cease in Los Angeles is simply as hectic as you’d anticipate. After I arrive at Nature’s Brew close to downtown to fulfill with them, their noon break is something however, with producer Danny Flores’ head buried in his laptop computer as he tweaks the combination to their upcoming single.
“I’m actually bouncing tracks proper now as we do that interview. I’m right here although,” he says with a heat smile.
COASTCITY could also be lower than a 12 months faraway from the discharge their self-titled debut EP, however they’re the furthest factor from being new to the music business. Since starting their careers over a decade in the past, Danny Flores and Jean Rodriguez have labored with some music’s largest names akin to CNCO and Beyonce, respectively, nevertheless it wasn’t till 2017 that they determined to formalize their musical connection and take a look at the waters as a duo.
“Danny was out right here in L.A., and I got here to work on my solo album that was going to be titled COASTCITY,” Jean says. “I used to be already at that time, we had been doing a lot collectively, I needed to market the entire venture as artist/producer.”
The 2 first met again in 2006, when Jean was getting ready for a pageant look in Orlando. Jean wanted band members to assist him on stage, and after a good friend recommended Danny as a possible possibility, the singer satisfied the producer to go to him in Miami so they may get a way one another’s on-stage chemistry.
“I believed he performed merengue,” Jean says with amusing as he recalled his first impression his future teammate. “He had a shiny shirt and white sneakers; I opened the door and was like ‘Woah, okay.’”
Nonetheless, Danny’s willingness to drive over three hours only for a preliminary assembly spoke volumes to Jean, and earlier than lengthy the 2 had been plotting the primary many reside exhibits. Over a decade later, their debut venture exhibits the kind synchronization you’d anticipate from them by now, with Jean’s vocals completely complementing the glowing, luxurious instrumentals by manner Danny. At seven songs, it’s solely the start what’s to return from the rising duo, however nonetheless did greater than sufficient to earn them a GRAMMY Nomination for Finest Latin City/Various/Rock Album.
“The primary album, we had been creating the sound COASTCITY; the second is the sound COASTCITY,” Danny says. “Simply with the ability to establish what that’s, so now, you’ll hear that Caribbean Soul all through all the new file.”
Spend a couple of minutes speaking to the 2 artists behind COASTCITY, and also you’ll hear that buzzword ‘Caribbean Soul’ come up early and ten. It’s a solution to describe their distinctive model Latin R&B, involving vivid manufacturing decisions and luxurious soundscapes handled with a breezy, natural groove. The relaxed, but invigorating vibe particularly suits with Jean’s private power, forming the idea what he listens to in his free time in addition to what he needs to create.
“I may very well be on the health club listening to straight R&B,” he says. “I’m simply all the time on that chill mode.”
It applies to Danny as properly, though he admits he’s extra susceptible to flashes anger. When his breakfast burrito arrives halfway by means of our dialog, the frustration on his face is clear, and he’s fast to voice his displeasure on the burrito being “a little bit too sloppy.” Ultimately, he reorders a plate bacon and scrambled eggs which fulfill his urge for food, even when he says the plate is a little bit too soiled for his liking.
“You’ve seen these Snickers commercials, ‘you’re not you while you’re hungry,’ Jean says. “That’s Danny.”
Nonetheless, it’s that exact consideration to element that makes their self-titled EP such a top quality product, with impeccable preparations that enable every factor within the combine to fantastically construct f one another. Each Jean and Danny are closely concerned within the engineering course of, taking the additional time to get the proper pre-mix and typically dealing with the whole thing the method themselves.
With regards to their music creation course of, it’s equally interwoven; typically Jean will ship over a unfastened melody for Danny to flesh out, or Danny will deal with the bulk the beat making course of and permit Jean to deal with the lyrics. You’ll hardly ever hear Danny’s vocals on a observe, however on their upcoming single “Salvaje” he steps to the mic to spit a verse, including new dynamics to enhance Jean’s singing.
“I’m popping out rapping a little bit bit, I feel it’s the primary time,” he says. “Apart from that I’ll do rather a lot background vocals. It simply form occurred that manner, nevertheless it sounded dope, so we left it.”
Now that the duo has laid the inspiration for the COASTCITY sound, they’re having fun with the liberty to actually dig into the writing course of and do extra with their lyrics. Their subsequent album might be a way more private assortment than the primary, a venture which they are saying was a lot simpler to jot down now that the template is totally in focus.
“That first album is a masterpiece that we’re very proud , however we tried rather a lot various things,” Jean says. “Now we all know what works and what didn’t, in a way, so it actually paved the highway for the following chapter.”
Relive the COASTCITY EP down beneath and observe the duo on Instagram @coastcity for extra updates.