Ecdysis

By definition, ecdysis is the process of shedding old skin or exoskeleton to enable further growth. Sonny Boy Sage's debut EP tells the story of a character undergoing a spiritual ecdysis. He must die before he dies. The character is wrought with immense physical, emotional and spiritual suffering. By overcoming a series of spiritual "tests" he finds his way out of suffering and arrives at the other shore of understanding: enlightenment. Layered synths, manipulated found sounds and samples, drums, trumpet, strings, electric guitars, bass, chanting and spoken word make up this colorful sonic journey. The result is a style that is genre-bending and strange yet vaguely familiar. Vocally, the story is told through reciting and chanting of The Heart Sutra (an ancient Buddhist text), spoken and sung vocal samples and a woman on LSD. All the songs on the EP were composed, performed, recorded, produced and mixed by Sonny Boy Sage. They were mastered at Joe Lambert mastering by Joe Lambert.
I have aways gravitated towards music that has layers; music that tells a story both with and without words. In creating Ecdysis, I hope that the songs are captivating without knowing the story. I also hope that by knowing the intent, inspiration and the story behind the songs that they take on a deeper meaning for the listener. This music is very personal to me for it was born out of an extremely difficult time in my life. But without the experience, I don't think that I would have ever been afforded such a profound understanding of human suffering and the wisdom, joy, gratitude, and freedom that lies on the other side of that suffering. These songs tell of my suffering, my journey through it and my freedom.
With love,Sonny Boy Sage