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Sudan Archives P H OTO : A L E X B L AC K
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cliques right away. I was not trying to be a regular girl. I was trying to grow up fast.” Parks was part of a small underground EDM scene in Cincinnati (she says her first paid gig was at Skylab Gallery in Columbus) but she never really found what she was looking for. Restless, she moved to Los Angeles to study music production at a community college. “I realized I wanted to pursue music in some type of way,” Parks says. “I didn’t know what. Maybe I thought I would pursue music technology and be behind the scenes. And then I thought maybe I should be a session player. A lot of violinists are cover artists on YouTube and do cool stuff like that. But that wasn’t really working out because I wasn’t the type of girl who could just do a cover. I always did a flip, like totally remade the song and everybody was like, ‘What song is this?’ ” Sudan Archives’ early home recordings eventually drew the attention of Stones Throw Records founder Peanut Butter Wolf, a longtime champion of experimental Hip Hop and Electronic music. He was eager to back her unique blend of elements. “My approach has evolved over time to get the sound that I want,” Parks says. “I feel like I always knew that I wanted an organic sound ever since I started playing violin. It was hard to explain, but I knew I wanted to kind of like incorporate gear and electronics but I wanted it to be natural and organic at the same time.”
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She was set to take part in the second Homecoming, the festival curated by fellow Cincinnati natives The National. But the festival (originally scheduled for May 8 and 9), along with the rest of Sudan Archives’ tour, was canceled due to the COVID-19 crisis. That leaves a lot of down time for writing and recording a new record, which she says should be out by next year. “I want to experiment more with my voice and the capabilities of where that can go,” Parks says of the new material. “I feel like whenever I’m singing, I’m always singing in my safe spot. I call it my Sade safe spot, because I don’t really consider myself a singer. I kind of feel like I have to. But now I feel like I’m a little more confident in that. I’m ready to experiment with different textures in my voice and different levels of loudness and softness. Every day I’ve been like, ‘What can I do with my voice that is different than what I normally would do?’ ” She’s also digging into more African music and obscure stuff from previous eras. “I don’t like to listen to music that’s currently out right now for some reason,” Parks says. “I’m more naturally drawn to something that was archived from the 1970s. I love to find stuff from that era that I’m into now because I want to make music like that. I want people in the future to pick up Athena and be like, ‘Oh, wow, this still sounds cool to me.’ ”
For more on Sudan Archives, visit sudanarchives.com.
M AY 6 - 3 1 , 2 0 2 0
Automagik Returns with ‘Fluorescent Nights’ BY B R I A N BA K E R
The COVID-19 quarantine has not hindered Zach Evans and Devin Williams, Automagik’s songwriting brain trust. In fact, except for the lack of toilet paper and restaurant Automagik seating, the last P H OTO : T Y L E R I SA AC S six weeks could have been just another incredibly productive period for the duo, who are currently working remotely — Evans from his Newport home and Williams from his parents’ Florida residence. “Honestly, I feel like I’ve never been more creative. I don’t know if it’s partial insanity inspiring that or what,” Williams says. “We’re going into overdrive with the lockdown.” Automagik’s new album, Fluorescent Nights, drops May 15. The band initially planned to preview it when they opened for of Montreal at the Woodward Theater just prior to the original April album release date; the show was an early pandemic casualty and has been postponed until September. Evans actually began work on material for Fluorescent Nights just days after Automagik’s stunning December 2018 headlining release show at the Woodward for their last album, Goldmine. Still buzzing from the overwhelmingly positive response, Evans began building new tracks, first at his parents’ home, where the album had been conceived; then at a noisy apartment in Covington (a slamming car door was captured for the song “Buick”); then at the studio he constructed in the Northern Kentucky home he and his fiance purchased. “We were riding the high of that show, and I think that was reflected in the next few songs,” Evans says. Oddly enough, Fluorescent Nights and Goldmine both began with tracks that Automagik had shelved. Goldmine’s Glam-meets-Indie-Rock dance-off was inspired by the death of Prince, but the band had doubts about translating the instrumentation and arrangements live. Similarly, Fluorescent Nights was seeded by the tracks “Buick” and “I Hope It Works,” which Evans and Williams had written for a karaoke spoof idea they intended as the Goldmine show’s opening act. When the clock ran out to develop the concept, they set the
tracks aside. “We don’t ever want to box ourselves into a particular sound or approach to making songs,” Evans says. “We always do these one-offs, then time passes and we keep bringing that song back up and we realize that we found our springboard into a new batch of songs.” After their post-Goldmine success, Automagik is completely confident in their ability to play Fluorescent Nights live, due in large part to the chemistry Evans and Williams have with their stellar rhythm section, bassist Jamie Rasmussen and drummer Andy Cluxton. Although Rasmussen and Cluxton aren’t involved in the writing or recording of the songs, they’re absolutely essential in translating them live. “In the live setting, our songs become more bombastic,” Evans says. “The band chemistry is just as strong as the chemistry that Devin and I have on the writing side. The live side is the most important — well, not now since everybody can’t leave their damn house — but we have the most fun when we’re onstage. That’s where the magic happens.” As with Goldmine, Fluorescent Nights’ only physical release will be its vinyl pressing on the local Soul Step label; the digital release will be promoted via a vanilla-scented car freshener featuring a printed link to the album. Throughout the band’s studio and stage evolution, Evans’ and Williams’ bond has remained a consistent quality. “Apart from the scenery changing, ever since we initially found our groove, the partnership has operated the same way,” Williams says. “We always have fun and I think that shines through,” Evans adds. “We’re having fun as we’re making it therefore the record is fun to listen to.” Automagik’s new Fluorescent Nights, drops May 15. More info: facebook.com/automagik.
