Interview: Gelax observes a world on fire

The world is on fire. There’s no other way to say it. Written from a deeply observational state, Gelax‘s “Loki” hyper-focuses on several events in the duo’s immediate circle. Singer-songwriter Gelareh and multi-instrumentalist Tareq witnessed life being torn apart, so they leaped into musical action to write about it. The pandemic was the catalyst, but several other occurrences, such as the Iranian government and Tareq’s “own family being driven out from lands and houses owned years ago, by extremist Israeli settlers, just added fuel to the fire.”

Gelax molded the song with a shape-shifting intricacy, stemming from an innately immovable musical core. “From a lyrical and attitude/ energy point of view, the base was already there,” the duo says. “It definitely did evolve, though, by each sound we tried to add to it. The intro upward glide for example was done on keys first, but Gelareh attempted a harmony on top, and it sounded better on its own.”

As the lead-in to their new album, titled Shhh…, “Loki” is meant to hook the listener and drag them kicking and screaming into Gelax’s orbit — to “throw them right into the chaotic feel of the song. It felt urgent and we wanted it to come through,” they explain.

Having taken a years-long break from music-making, Gelax emerged from the other side more well-equipped and self-assured in their commitment to life-reviving music. Certain instabilities, like “uncertainty, depression about the status quo, the pandemic, societal and financial pressures, self-doubt, perfectionism, and loathing,” led to the cataclysmic hiatus. But now, they’re fueled by their own self-possessed nature. Through the process, they learned “that the more we learn, the less we know. So we’re just gonna keep making music for our sanity.”

Gelax’s Shhh… drops everywhere on March 29.

Below, Gelax dissects stepping back into writing, the album’s overarching themes, and growth as a human being.

Was it easy to get your groove back into songwriting or were you writing the whole time through the break?

We had written lots of bits and pieces of the album during that period, so once we kicked the fears and pushed the voices aside, it was a matter of getting all the different sides to line up. From production to video to release.

How do you see this album as a proper reintroduction to the world?

It’s the closest to what and where we were at the time, so it’s going back to our creative roots. But then we’re ever changing our minds and approach. So the next one will probably be a new entry again.

What led you down the road of cancel-culture and freedom of thought and speech as far as themes go on the album?

Our surroundings. From friends to family, to seeing folks spew hate in comments on strangers’ pages, just because of opposing views. If we can’t even discuss, does that mean it disappears? Or is it even now worse, just lingering underneath waiting for a horrible event to come out in pure ugliness? Censoring the words and mouths doesn’t stop the thoughts and beliefs. Think ‘Clockwork Orange.’

With such heavy themes, do you worry about turning off some fans?

If we’re gonna sugarcoat what we wanna sing about, then it’s falling back into the same cancel and censorship traps. That’s not being honest with our art and contradicts everything we say and think. People have a right to be turned off or get offended.

When you release an album, do you find yourself transformed by the creation experience?

Hmm. A range of emotions go through. Maybe transformation, anxiety, over criticism, pride, excitement, self-doubt, silliness. But we’re always relieved that we released it. It’s like a cleanse.

In three years, how did you grow most as a songwriter and human being?

Just being more honest with ourselves and what we want in art and in life in general. Trying to please most people is exhausting and impossible anyway.

What truths are present on the album?

Only our truths. Maybe we’re just crazy or have no clue!

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