Music Spotlight: Smoke Season
Smoke season is the LA-based electro-soul duo Jason Rosen + Gabrielle Wortman // photo courtesy of LaFamos PR
Asymmetric Magazine: Tell us about your current work.
Smoke Season: We make music that moves our soul (and hopefully yours, too).
AM: How would you best describe your sound?
SS: The Wild West meets electronic beats
AM: What’s your biggest inspiration?
SS: Spaghetti western films and pulses you can feel. Also, our own emotions.
AM: What role does Los Angeles play in your work?
SS: Los Angeles (and California in general) is an ever-present ghost in our songs. You can hear her lurking behind every song.
AM: What themes do you pursue through your music?
SS: Love, loss and expectations
AM: What other musicians are currently inspiring you?
Gabrielle: Bon Iver’s [22, A Million] is both a technological milestone and an organic masterpiece. We’re also in love with the minimalism found is Solange, Frank Ocean and Kiiara’s new material. From a vocal perspective, I look to Nina Simone the most ardently.
Jason: My writing is inspired by a lot of southern blues masters like Son House and Howling Wolf.
AM: How did you land on the name “Smoke Season”?
SS: Being east coasters in LA, the first thing we noticed was that a lot of the glamour of the city was actually smoke and mirrors. Behind the illusions lies the greater beauty. We dedicated our band name to sifting through the bullshit and finding the brilliance.
AM: Where is one place that you feel completely in touch with your creative self/music?
Gabrielle: Joshua Tree Desert, California
Jason: Idyllwild, California
// photo courtesy of LaFamos PR
AM: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Gabrielle: ‘Make your music a hemorrhage of emotion.’
Jason: ‘Live deliciously.’
