Rarely can artists be found with the ability to grow sonically, explore new territory and expand on their pre-existing sound with each release. Look no further than Passafire, who have established themselves over the years as a chart-topping reggae rock favorite and one of the hardest working artists in the music industry.
From electrifying crowds with their relentless touring schedule as well as captivating listeners with their constantly growing discography, the quartet from Savannah, GA has been hard at work wrapping up their forthcoming sixth studio album. Passafire achieved new levels of success with their latest release, Vines, in 2013 (debut release with Easy Star Records) which hit #1 on the Billboard Top Reggae Albums Chart. The album featured 13 tracks, highlighted by the instrumental and bass-driven “Earthquake,” the progressively heavy “Invisible” (caution: the outro may melt your face), and the layered exploration of “Go.”
One moment Passafire will take their listeners away to the island sun, the next banging their head to a heavy riff or jamming along to a keytar/melodica solo. The ability to take their music in any direction renders the overall sound of their forthcoming release challenging to predict — however the band did post several in-depth, behind the scenes clips from their studio sessions at the highly-touted Sonic Ranch in Tornilla, TX which can be seen below.
The band mentions that they embraced a more collaborative effort with their latest studio sessions for their new record. Nick Kubley mentioned in one of the clips that surfaced from Sonic Ranch that “It’s definitely been the most enjoyable time I’ve had in the studio.”
The band tracked their new songs collectively as opposed to individually and they believe the synergy will be reflective as listeners indulge in the new material. Vocalist/guitarist, Ted Bowne added “We’ve been doing over 120 shows a year. Our live performance is where its at; when people talk about us as a band I feel like they more so talk about coming to see a live show rather than our album, and we want to make an album that reflects that same experience.”
More details are expected to be released from Passafire in the coming weeks regarding their as-of-yet untitled album. With another heavy dose of tour dates lined up including support dates for Rebelution, notable festivals (Reggae Rise Up, One Love Cali Roots, California Music and Arts Festival) and a full-length tour expected in support of their forthcoming release, Passafire and their fans are in for an epic 2017.
Related Links:
Passafire Website
Passafire Facebook
Article By: Brian Glaser
Watch: Passafire at Sonic Ranch – Recording New Album – Day 1
Watch: Passafire at Sonic Rach – Recording New Album – Day 7
