![Experiencing the ‘Ranger’ Exploration with plusol [Exclusive Interview]](https://theelectrichawk.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Ranger-Artwork.png)
Don’t fear joining the epic venture with plusol as he shares his latest single “Ranger,” released on March 30th. Through crafty storytelling and emotional production, we are taken on an exploration through the depths of something mystical. Without any worry, plusol illustrates an elegant epic that surpasses our expectations with “Ranger.” And before the story ends, check out our exclusive interview with the creator himself!
“To me, ‘Ranger’ is about my own journey making music. When I was a kid, I listened to a lot of
plusol
rock and guitar-based music, and I eventually developed a taste for electronic music as I grew
older. I wanted the composition of the song to mirror this journey, so it starts off with guitar and
analog synths, transitions into more electronic elements, and ends with a future bass-like drop.”
Emerge into the imaginative world plusol builds with “Ranger”
Immediately, the dazzling flares that surround our peripherals draw us in. Once the flares dim and the landscape around us grows in our farsight, we see the tremendous beauty that lies in front of us. And in the distance, we notice a silhouette motioning for us to follow them. Without a second doubt, we take a step forward and begin to venture with the “Ranger.”
plusol elevates the atmosphere around us; with his long traverse through the vigorous crescendos he orchestrates, he transports us straight passed sectors of different emotions. We go through the motion of feeling a sense of wanderlust, nostalgia, and tragedy. Throughout “Ranger,” we feel the chills crawl across our skin and the anticipation build in our hearts while we wait to explore more of the tale of our traveler. Once the final moments play, we marvel at the sentiments that amaze us, and we close our eyes and return back to reality.
seradopa: After taking a break for about a year from releasing music, how does it feel to be releasing music consistently again? What were your emotions when you released “Shell of a Ghost” earlier in the year, and how are they currently with this release?
plusol: It feels great to finally start releasing music again. I think the gap between 2022 to 2023 has been the longest gap I’ve ever had between releases so it’s nice to be putting music out again, I missed it.
“Shell of a Ghost” was particularly cool to me because it’s a combination of two of my own songs, “Shells” and “Ghost Tribe” from my album Lineage. I grew up on mashups, so making this track felt very sentimental, even if the song itself is very bleak and dark.
“Ranger” is a song that I wrote several times over the last two years. There was a 20-minute version and a completely different 10-ish-minute version. Oddly enough, this final version is one of the first exports of the track that I finished. I felt that this was the version that I put the most “soul” into, and I think showing it to some friends gave me the confidence to release it!
seradopa: During your small break, how did you as an artist grow creatively and also personally? What did you discover during your break?
plusol: I’ve had lots of philosophical epiphanies during my year hiatus. Lots of song ideas and approaches to music-making that probably are common to others and not myself.
One example of this is that I realized I had a ton of production barriers that I didn’t even know existed. When I started producing, I only had tutorials and lessons based on how to make EDM, which was great, it made me who I am today. But, there was a time when I couldn’t make anything new because I felt the need to follow the “rules” of making music. There’s a certain ebb and flow about learning as much as you can, then letting it all go, then using what you’ve learned again, and so on.
Over the last year, I also met a ton of people I’ve known for years on the internet for the first time face-to-face. I’m a pretty nervous person, so I’m generally more comfortable in text-based chatting and discord calls, but meeting internet friends in real life has gotten me out of my shell a bit more than years ago.
Oh! Also learning to use Python. A teeny bit of coding knowledge can unlock a plethora of tools I haven’t even thought of. I made this Simpson’s “Rumble” edit using it!
seradopa: “Ranger,” you mention, is about your own personal journey of making music. What was the catalyst that brought you to reminisce about it and make an epic storytelling adventure?
plusol: When I first discovered music-making in high school, I had very little interest in EDM or even knew of its existence. I was too busy listening to the artists my friends were putting me on at the time – Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and a bunch of old, long-form ’60s and ’70s music. It was through music-making that I found my love for electronic music. Returning to these sounds made me want to explore long-form music with a melodic drop I would have heard at the time – “Ranger” came out of that.
“The title ‘Ranger’ makes me think of someone exploring and coming to know an area, while
plusol
learning about how nature works. I think this role reflects music producers as well, who also
explore and discover things in sound, while finding themselves through the music they make.”
seradopa: Your artworks always tell a brief little story with your tracks, with “Ranger” there are layers within the artwork I have noticed. What is the brief story you have about the artwork?
plusol: A big glowing meteor crashes into a cave. Despite the danger, the Ranger ventures into the cave in hopes to learn more about it. The knowledge obtained by studying the meteor is all they hoped for, but without a method to escape, the Ranger remains stuck in the cave in their own demise.
seradopa: As creatives, we always strive to grow, reach new limitations, and sometimes forget about our beginnings. What do you believe is the best method to reflect and grow as an artist?
plusol: Everyone is different, so I don’t think there’s one true path to growth as a creative, but in my experience being honest with yourself and exploring new territory is paramount in growth. The second I think I know everything, I’m introduced to a world of things I know nothing about. There’s so much to learn, in such little time.
I will say this however, there is no substitute for fun in making music. The times when I ended up with the music that I enjoyed the most were the ones I had fun pouring my soul into. “Ranger” is one of those songs. I think as long as there’s an underlying passion for the craft, you’ll always push yourself somehow.
After a year’s hiatus away from creating, plusol comes back in 2023 fearless. Although time has passed since his departure, the trinkets of timeless melodies and sentimental fragments through his releases will forever be ageless. And plusol reminds us that sometimes we need to step away from the chaos for a brief moment and try to learn something new about ourselves. Whether that may be experimenting with some new hobbies or reconnecting relationships with new or old friends. “Ranger” becomes a track that showcases so much more growth to endure in our lives, and we are only just starting our own explorations.
Endure the emotional and heartfelt storytelling that plusol shares in “Ranger” below!
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