Interview: Treis & Friends
by Sophie Minello
Fun and funky Florida group Treis & Friends are a smooth sounding and catchy up and coming group. Comprised of Treis Alexander, Rafael Castro, and Alex Canon, they are passionate about the music and the connections that the music brings. They’re currently in the process of finishing their third LP. Treis is a band to keep an eye on.
I understand a new album is in the making. What can you tell us about this?
We are currently in the finishing stages of our third LP, which we are incredibly proud of; The album will be the final chapter of our conceptual series, and features themes regarding nostalgia, the concept of home, and the relationship of innocence in the face of aging. Although we have never spared lyrical details, this project was particularly tough to write because unlike our previous albums written in self-reflection, this new record focuses more on emotions currently being felt, not only by the people many songs are based off of, but myself personally.
What is your writing process like?
Unlike some of our previous records, this album flows less chronologically story-wise, and focuses more on “big picture emotions” and “general feelings.” Because of that, the writing process usually involved working on the lyrics, and instrumentation simultaneously, as opposed to doing demo takes of tracks over a longer period of time. For this record specifically, we would listen to chord progressions on a look, and contemplate how they would make us feel in relationship to a theme. For example, the opening track of the record The Morning After was written over the course of a month, while contemplating feelings of loneliness and monotony that were actually occurring as real world experiences. Because a lot of these songs are somewhat dower, and a little depressing, we try hard to focus on progressions with a lot of groove, and hide the lyrics in a relatively engaging package.
Do you have any big musical influences that you look up to as a band?
Our music has always pulled from two big sources: 80s pop/funk, and Singer/Songwriter stylings of the 60s, and I think listening to any of our projects proves that to still be true. We usually describe ourselves as being musically inspired by current contemporaries such as Toro y Moi, Mayer Hawthorne, and maybe even more Jazzy and experimental artists such as Thundercat or Honne.
What is your favorite part of playing live shows?
I think like so many bands, one of our personal favorites is not just meeting new people to introduce our music to, but also seeing long term fans, and now honestly friends, and getting to spend time with them sharing something we all enjoy: music.
How would you describe the Florida music scene from your experience?
What I won’t say is that it is homogenous; Florida is a very big state, with MANY different smaller scenes. Even within some cities you might cross the road and be in a town that likes music and artists you’ve never even heard of before, and honestly I find that kind of refreshing. I can say for certain that there are so many creatives, and artists within the scene who are so talented beyond their years, and I think as time has gone by, the scene has allowed smaller creators to branch out and really make a name for themselves in an unconventional, but fulfilling way.
Your branding feels very true to your Florida roots. Your logo is like a postcard and you’ve claimed the palm tree emoji as your own. Why did you choose this look?
A serious part of our music has to do with nostalgia, and the relationship between our main characters and their homes. These characters are based off real relationships and feelings we have, and we have used many themes relevant to us to tell this story. Florida is a key part of our relationship to home as it has been the home base for our music, and more obviously, genuinely our home state. With Suburbia, and romanticism as themes of our first two albums about the relationship of home, it makes the most sense to use our genuine home as the final piece of inspiration.
“With Suburbia, and romanticism as themes of our first two albums about the relationship of home, it makes the most sense to use our genuine home as the final piece of inspiration.”
How are you staying busy during quarantine?
Working, but also using this time to perfect the album, and spend time deciding how best to reveal this project to our fans, and possibly new friends. I also would like to thank our gaming consoles for helping pass some other recently acquired downtime.
What are you most excited to do once we’re all able to roam free again?
I think without a doubt, our unanimous answer would be playing shows. Like I said, we get a lot of enjoyment and pleasure out of playing, and I am looking forward to the next opportunity to play, even if it’s just to a few people.