It seems serendipitous for musicians Brad Smith and Tristin Sullivan to randomly meet on a bus in 2013, initially bonding over artists and a mutual interest in the GarageBand mobile app. Just a few collaborations later, the duo became Akelli & Orion, an electronic music collective focused on both energized hooks and chillwave beats that cater to most audiences with ease.
Smith (Akelli) and Sullivan (Orion) quickly became colleagues thereafter. It was during the 2014 SunCity music festival in El Paso that the duo when was motivated to delve deeper into EDM production and experiment with more diverse sounds.
“That’s what got me really inspired to make more music,” Sullivan said. “Because I was making music at the time, but I didn’t really know the scale of what you could do with EDM. Even back then, you didn’t really know what’s going on until you see it live. It was the real deal.”
The first release for the duo was a remix of the Flo Rida song “Goin’ Down For Real” featuring rapper Sage the Gemini. The song exemplified the duo’s competence in EDM production by hitting listeners with a powerful synth-laced chorus over heavy drums, in turn considerably boosting their online presence.
“Sunset Shades” was released not long after, an original upbeat EDM tune that established the group as more than just remix artists. The instrumental track invokes an urgent, bouncy feeling paired with an infectious synthesizer, and is now one of many original compositions by the group.
Akelli & Orion are notable in using advanced production techniques to get the sound they want. The group is comfortable with the technical side of their music, frequently using side-chains and automation to paint a picture onto their speakers.
“It gets to the point where it’s all just preference. Like if you paint, you need to learn to do so with every brush, every color and every angle. It’s the same when it comes to mixing and mastering,” Sullivan said. “When you’re comfortable with the tool set, there’s 40 million ways to do the same thing. It’s based on what the artist wants and I like having try out all 40 million options.”
Moreover, both Akelli & Orion specialize in particular parts of songwriting. Smith began as a DJ and would frequently spin live during high school while Sullivan started as a producer, honing in on certain sounds with virtual instruments to meticulously create in the workplace. The group has since grown in that respect, teaching one another what they do best, and synthesizing those talents as a team.
Most recently the band played at UNM Fiestas in April. Their 50 minute set broke through the cold rain and wind that marauded over the concert-goers, who relentlessly danced and jumped alongside the duo through the abrasive weather.
As for the future of the band, the group is set on releasing an EP later this year.
“It should be around five songs, maybe more potentially if we can find the right collaborations,” Smith said. “We have some other singers and producers in mind to work with. It has a nice mix of tropical house, chill wave and EDM.”
Check out Akelli & Orion online at https://soundcloud.com/akelliandorion.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
