“Just off an opening slot for fellow Brooklynites Belle Mare, Oracle Room is a celestial pop avant inspired group that is fronted by lead singer Alex Nelson. She was kind enough to not only sit down and chat with me but offered some music and inspiration as our second guest curator following Andrew Accardi of Robbers. Guest curation on our site allows artists to show people first hand the words, art, and music that have inspired them in some way to be a better person and artist. If you gander at our site today, Alex’s choices are easily visible via her lexicon. The following interview is set to move hearts, enjoy.”
“I really liked the idea of creating a space where sound is used for deep connection, healing, and transcendence. These are the ideals behind my music writing, and definitely the atmosphere I’m trying to create when playing shows.”
“Tell us about the “Oracle Room,” is this a place in your mind? A portal we’re not aware/privy of?” – Nadeem Salaam
I really like that concept, I’ve never thought of it that way. The Oracle Room is actually a real place. It’s a small room in the oldest known subterranean structure called The Hypogeum. Inside there are a series of rooms and corridors, but the Oracle Room has this particularly powerful and unique acoustic resonance from any vocalization made inside it. Many say it was most likely used to in sacred rituals, possibly to connect with a higher source. A lot of research has been done on the peculiar sonic qualities of the room. Some say the sound produced in the room can heal, or even alter matter. I read about it somewhere while I was in search of a name for this project, and it stuck with me. I really liked the idea of creating a space where sound is used for deep connection, healing, and transcendence. These are the ideals behind my music writing, and definitely the atmosphere I’m trying to create when playing shows. – Alex Nelson
“What drives you to write? Have you ever written poetry? Where does the writer in you come/inspire from?” – NS
I don’t think much about it now, but when I was very young I dreamed of growing up to be a writer. I wrote a lot all the way until college – short stories, scripts, and I was a fanatical journal user. I still write when I get the hankering, and often my writings become my song lyrics. When I write something down, it’s usually with the knowledge that it may be used as a lyric at some point, but I’ve never really thought of myself as a poet. I do always try to say the most with the least amount of words. People seem to be resonating with my lyrics, which is just a wonderful surprise, there definitely is a direct message there I’m trying to communicate.
“Your music notably features a heavier use of rhythm in non-linear ways, as in no straight 4/4 implied beats, was this just a side-effect of your drummer Zach’s personal taste? Or does that have something to do with your headspace when you write; do you feel a song more with that sort of tribalism?” – NS
I deviate a lot from 4/4 in my songs. I love non traditional time signatures and poly rhythms. Each time signature is it’s own creative world to explore. Often times I’ll pick a time signature and that’s the entire premise for the song. My dad used to play a game with me when I was a kid called ‘where’s 1?’. He’s a jazz fusion guitarist so we grew up with a lot of complex compositions being played around the house. We’d be listening to some far out piece with crazy time signature changes and I’d have to find beat 1. I loved it, I still play that game. When writing a song, I like seeing how non traditional I can get with rhythm while still making it accessible and melodic. When I demoed the songs on the ‘Have Everything‘ EP, I wrote the drum parts for the songs. Zach brought his style to the parts and elaborated when it was fitting. He has a tough job, I’m very particular, and lucky for me he’s extremely talented and brings so much beauty to the project. – AN
“Are you a nerd of another medium? Favorite book? Film? Or strictly an audio-phile? How did that come to be as a kid?” – NS
It’s really all about music for me. I very much appreciate the other arts, but I spend the vast majority of my time either listening to music, researching it, or playing and making it. I grew up in a music lovers household. As I mentioned, my father is a guitarist, he’s played every day since he was like 10 or something. He’s relentless. He’s always composing. It’s hard to keep up with him, his talent is way over my head most of the time. He and my mom love to listen to music intensely like I do. My grandfather was a guitarist and music connoisseur, and my sister can pretty much play any instrument she wants to. She has a beautiful trained classical voice. I started piano, violin, and singing when I was maybe 8 but ended up focusing on the voice. Music has been pretty much the centerpiece of my life since then. – AN
“Can you expand on your trax of the day? How did you find the song?”- NS
I’m gonna rep ‘Working People’ by manchester songwriter Kiran Leonard. I had the pleasure of playing a Manchester festival he performed at a few years ago. He was about 16 or 17 at the time, and his band mates looked even younger. His parents were helping him load his gear in! When he took the stage he absolutely nailed it, he totally blew me away with his performance. It was so moving, raw, original, inspired, and his talent as a songwriter/multi instrumentalist was undeniable. You could feel this was the beginning of a major talent. I’ve been waiting for the world to catch on to his music, and it’s definitely happening. I don’t know him personally, but I feel like a weird long distance proud mom, so excited about the limitless potential of this young talent. – AN
“I reached out to every musician I knew and lots of people answered the call. It was when I let go of the doubt and fear that my intentions could manifest. It’s been a helluva journey and it seems it’s just the beginning.”
“Your Have Everything EP is a short batch of songs that were recorded before you fully formed a band, can you tell us about that time? What was on your mind as a solo artist, was the intention to find a band a part of this all along?” – NS
Years ago I was in a short lived Brooklyn band called Daytime with good friends of mine (members of Shark? and Parlor Walls.) I loved the project, but as we moved forward, it became time for someone to take charge and be the leader of the group. I knew it had to be me and I wasn’t ready. I just wanted total democracy and fun and to drink wine and have it all work out, and that’s not really how serious bands work. That band dissipated, and I delved into songwriting. I wrote a ton of songs. I had no idea what to do with them. I was scared to be a band leader, to audition players, to share my music with strangers in the hopes that they would like the music and then end up being the proper player for the songs. In my head it was all very overwhelming and scary for a long time. I played in other peoples bands while I was too scared to deal with my own music. Years passed and I was getting tired of New York. I wanted to move somewhere more green, more peaceful. I knew I could never live with myself if I didn’t give my own music a wholehearted effort in New York. Once I decided I had to go for it everything started falling into place. I ran into a dear friend and talented engineer who offered to help record my music. Once the recordings started coming together, I had the confidence to address the band issue. I reached out to every musician I knew and lots of people answered the call. It was when I let go of the doubt and fear that my intentions could manifest. It’s been a helluva journey and it seems it’s just the beginning. – AN
“When we last spoke, you had mentioned you are now a 7-piece band, I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing you all perform, how does this new dynamic work even in the most mundane of ways?!” – NS
I think the number one question musicians ask me after our shows is ‘How the hell do you manage a 7 piece band in this city?’ Really it’s been harder trying to keep the band at a reasonable number than it has to be so large. I run into friends and strangers all the time who play an instrument I would love to have in the band, or who are interested in joining. I do foresee performing regularly on stage with at least 10 people at some point. I really want to have a permanent set of 3 female backup singers, and a troupe of dancers. All in due time…
“Do you guys practice in a Ballroom?? Has the writing together shaped any roles amongst members?” – NS
I’m not gonna lie, it gets pretty tight in our rehearsal space. It’s ok for 4, and we often have 8 in there. My band mates are troopers for sure. In terms of writing, I bring in all the songs, sometimes they’re mostly fully arranged, sometimes I only have the basic chords and structure. Then everyone fills in the gaps together. I like for each player to have as much creative input as possible, while still maintaining my vision of the songs. – AN
“Have Everything,” the feature track of your EP of the same name might be getting a video treatment, can you tell us all about it.”- NS
I’m working on a Michel Gondry-esque video with the wonderful NimbleFox Productions, who collaborated with me on this treatment. It’s about trying to escape the constraints of societal conditioning and living in an urban sprawl. What awaits on the other side when one breaks free from the prisons we keep ourselves in? – AN
“Where is your next project (which features your massive collective!) being recorded? How far along are you? (Anything you can tell us about this new project? Timeline, techniques, release date, etc.)”- NS
We’re currently mixing 3 songs. Two were recorded at Rubber Tracks in Brooklyn, and one was tracked analog at the studio I worked for many years, MSR Studios in Times Square. I’m not quite sure what we’ll do with the finished product. We may release another EP, this one will feature the full band which I’m thrilled about. I hope to find some support to do some bigger touring and release a full length. I have so much music waiting to see the light of day, I’m so excited to keep releasing material. – AN
“Music is just such a blessing in this life. When you resonate with a piece of music on a deep level, you can connect to a higher energy or vibration and I don’t think anyone who enjoys listening to music will dispute this.”
“Lastly, Is there something you can tell our readers about the importance of music? (this can be existential or personal, take your angle)”- NS
Music is just such a blessing in this life. When you resonate with a piece of music on a deep level, you can connect to a higher energy or vibration and I don’t think anyone who enjoys listening to music will dispute this. For hundreds of years music was directly connected with spirit, the purpose of making music was a spiritual one. My purpose for making and sharing music is to merge the two worlds together again. Humans have forgotten that we are divine creatures with great power within us. Many are so lost in the world of the material, the physical, we’ve become very dense energetically, and filled with fear. My music is here to shine light on the divinity of the human experience and to raise the vibration of the collective consciousness. We have infinite potential, to share love and compassion, to manifest incredible, beautiful things in our lives and in the world we live in. We are limitless beings of love and music is my way to convey that message. – AN
“Lucky for us Alex and Oracle Room are in New York and have some brilliant things in store. Please support them live, or pick up the Have Everything EP and marinate on it while their new material gets released. Thank you so much for being our second curator, this is a huge highlight here at Elevtrtrax and we’ll end up reading this again when we want inspiration and hope/know our audience shall too! Your insights were so honest Alex, thank you.” – NS
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