By: Luis Arjona Original Artwork Courtesy of: Brandon Cantu
Growing up in Corpus Christi, Texas, I am thankful for the abundancebrof Aloe Vera. Both the plant and the products it produces. Sunburns from longbrdays at the beach or cuts from turf burn after playing at Cabaniss, aloe verabrhas been a panacea for my body whenever it was banged up. Containingbrrestorative properties, any South Texan can attest to the sensation of pouringbrchilled aloe vera gel on a burn.
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Brandon Cantu is a musician and producer who goes by thebrstage name Chlorophil Collins. Hailing from Corpus Christi, Texas, Cantubrstarted his musical journey eight years ago when experimenting with some freebrproduction software. Since then, his hobby grew some legs and has been anbroutlet for the young artist to express himself. Every artist is intentional andbrdecisive with their work and how to deliver a message. Cantu is no different.brWhile speaking with Cantu, the layers to his work are impressive, and the depthbrto which he addresses his message is sincere. And on August 4th, 2020, Cantubrreleased an E.P. titled Aloe’d Era, a title which seems almost toobrperfect
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Aloe’d Era was inspired, or at least motivatedbrby, the pandemic era we are living in. Cantu wanted to address this epoch withbrhis E.P. as a restorative or healing project, both for himself and, hopefully,brhis listeners. 2020 has been a year offering time for self-reflection, standingbrby your beliefs and arguing in the comments of articles posted on Facebook, andbra matter of fact realization of our reliance on technology. From stayingbrconnected with others, to working from home, Aloe’d Era is anbrE.P. comprised of five songs composed electronically.
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Starting off strong with “Intro/While You’re,” thebrE.P. beats its chest, illustrating the talent of the young artist. With hintsbrof vaporwave artist, Windows 96, and glimpses of surreal auditory moments thatbrcan be used as a score for scenes in the HBO series Euphoria, Cantubroffers up a project that speaks to the current time. A goal of his which Ibrthink he met.
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The release offers tracks with distinctive personalities.brThey flow well with one another without infringing or blending in too much withbrtheir neighbors on the track list. The tempo is never rushed and is consistentbrthroughout. Rhythmically, the songs consist of sweet and mellow bars.
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“I would say [with] the music that I make, I aim tobraudition sounds that feel lived in. I hate dry sounds. Stock sounds, you know?brImmediately when I begin working, I try to add more texture and make it feelbrlived in. I want it to feel welcoming. Like having a conversation with a friend,” Cantubrmentions when discussing the methodology to his melody.
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Talking with Cantu was refreshing. In a state of constantbrnews, ongoing arguments concerning disbelief and facts, and hoping forbrconcerted efforts of unity, the thirty minutes that transpired was a nicebrrespite while getting to know a talented artist from the Coastal Bend. Frombrdiscussing his influences to his curiosities, his authenticity and ability tobrcommunicate his intentions are breaths of fresh air when talking about creativebroutlets. Cantu credits the L.A. Beat Scene, Flying Lotus, and Bjork asbrinspirations for his work.
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“I like the way they are. That inspires me. LikebrBjork, the way she is inspires me. I love the way she is. Not necessarilybrmusically, just the way they are as a personality or the way they thinkbrcreatively. Even someone like Samin Nosrat, who did Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat:brMastering the Elements of Good Cooking, has that enthusiasm for the minutia ofbrher craft and I love it dearly. That is something I hope is conveyed by the waybrI do things.” Cantu says as we touch on how his inspirationsbraffect his work and how he aims to emulate their passion. An impressive list ofbrcreatives and musicians gives us a more in-depth look into the mind thatbrproduces Chlorophil Collins.
brbrFeel free to check out Aloe’d Era nowbron Spotify. It is a great listen and pairs well with hours of focusing on work or relaxing aboutbroutdoors. Let us support our local artists and help this Aloe plant bloom.
Contact:
Instagram: @chlorophilcollins
Spotify: Aloe’d Era