Q&A: Maybe Sasha Debuts ‘Rhombus’, A Journey of Sound and Self-Reflection
PREPARE TO EMBARK ON A CAPTIVATING AUDITORY JOURNEY WITH MUSICAL ARTIST MAYBE SASHA AS HE INTRODUCES HIS DEBUT ALBUM, RHOMBUS. This collection of introspective compositions invites listeners to meet the intricate corners of Maybe Sasha's musical world.
Drawing inspiration from the geometric figure that isn't often utilized as album symbolism, Los Angeles based songwriter Sasha Gebert explains that life's twists and turns are rarely as predictable as a perfect circle. The tracks within "Rhombus" mirror this unpredictability, capturing the jagged edges and unexpected shifts that define the human experience.
As Sasha delves into the concept of labels and self-identity, he unveils a captivating narrative that challenges conformity and highlights the uniqueness of each individual's journey.
Read below to learn more about the making of the project, why the title Rhombus and more.
LUNA: Congratulations on your upcoming debut album, Rhombus! Can you share a bit about the inspiration behind the album’s title?
MAYBE SASHA: Thank you! First and foremost, I feel like shapes have been so popular for album names nowadays but it’s usually in circles. Most prevalent to me is Mac Miller’s posthumous album release. I really like the theme behind things coming together in a circle, but it’s rarely been that way for me - and I’m positive it’s likewise for so many people - things have a way of coming back around in different senses but rarely is it in a circle. It’s often jagged, unpredictable and definitely not smooth, hence the title. Another thought behind Rhombus is that it never really falls in place and the concept that people are supposed to fit into a description and that label is what constitutes each of us as a person.
LUNA: Tell us about any common themes or narratives the album explores.
MAYBE SASHA: I think the most common theme is ‘tough fit.’ Everything is there but it doesn’t quite work and that happens, there’s not much you can do but continuing to keep on. Every song touches on the idea of dynamics that I realize aren’t quite working out. Do you ever feel like you stick out like a sore thumb in a social situation or like you’re conversing with aliens?
Also important was to have a few sections within the project that featured Russian lyrics, given the fact that I partially grew up there and it’s a very conflicting upbringing being 1st generation American. Internal conflict is a major theme of the project as a whole. The Russian lyrics were also a perfect way to represent some of the most hidden and personal feelings that I didn’t really feel comfortable expressing in English.
LUNA: Can you share a favorite memory from the making of the album?
MAYBE SASHA: I can tell you my least favorite part was the mixing/mastering but I think the making of “New Day, New Water” was a pretty cool process. It flowed so naturally at first and then I was able to put a comma in the title of a song which had me absolutely buzzing, and then it sat in the dark for many months. I didn’t touch it at all because I didn’t know how to finish it. I was listening through other potential tracks for the album and there was this wonderful mini guitar interlude in a song that was otherwise not very memorable. The tempo was quite a bit faster than NDNW but I was feeling like they would go so well together so I sped the original up and then slowed the added interlude down a touch (a la Strawberry Fields Forever) and they seamlessly fit together without me having to change too much up. It was great because it helped place an emphasis in the comma that I was so originally excited about. There was a resolution that made sense in the theme of the song; never knowing how to keep going -> it’s not about the how but, rather, the going, itself.
LUNA: How do you manage to maintain a consistent sound & feel while exploring diverse musical landscapes within a single album?
MAYBE SASHA: That’s a tough one. To me, I feel as though part of the disjointed-ness comes from a wide range of influences but also just trying to communicate the message in as many ways as possible. I think the *feel* can be consistent in it being a little messy which is at least somewhat on purpose… I also thought it was so important to have some variety because, if every song sounds the same, what’s the point of listening to every song?
LUNA: Which track means the most to you?
MAYBE SASHA: Most meaningful to me is the last song on the project, “Orange Fuzz”. Most squarely, its title is intended as the opposite or rather a close second to a “Dark Red Rose (ie lasting love)” but it’s not quite there and never will be. I made it just before my grandfather passed about a year ago and then I reworked it and reworked it because I consciously/subconsciously tied it to him which is a contradiction because I absolutely cherish him; but when I think about it more, it makes sense because some affection/love lasts for a season and some for much longer but it’s all real and something that we’ve experienced for at least some period of time.
Musically, I wanted it to be a culmination of tons of different sounds and vocalizations that reminded me of my childhood which included me spending summers living in Russia with my grandparents and watching old Russian movies/cartoons that have an entirely different feel to anything I grew up on in the U.S. The noises to close it out were super inspired by my admiration of Brian Wilson as well as Jerry Paper, a genuinely under-appreciated artist who continues to bring some really unique, creative, musical ideas to the table.
LUNA: As a debut album, Rhombus introduces you to a wider audience. What do you hope listeners take away from this musical introduction, and how would you describe the overall message the album conveys?
MAYBE SASHA: I think there’s an initially bleak message coming across. But that’s not really what I hope the listener takes away from Rhombus. One of my favorite musicians, King Krule, is generally labeled as someone making depressing music but a lot of the messaging, in my ears, honestly comes across as hopeful which is such an underrated feeling. I would love to convey a feeling anywhere similar to that, whether it’s sonically or lyrically. On the 5th track, “Take A Sip”, comes one of my favorite lyrics, ‘it’s all going to plan, it’s all going to plan, I’m a star in a distant land, a land that only I know.’ The world we all live in is ridiculous but that doesn’t mean we have to always live in the same world as everyone else. Sometimes you’ve got to escape a little bit so that you don’t get completely crushed by the monotony, partially crushed is a much better deal.
LUNA: What can you share when it comes to the visual end of this project?
MAYBE SASHA: I started out in Los Angeles on the visual side making music videos but it’s taken a bit of a backseat for now. It was really cool to see things come full circle rhombus where I was able to ideate a couple music videos, one for “I Can’t” which came out back in February and the next one for Supervise that’s released shortly after the album is out. I’d become so used to being behind the camera that I made the “I Can’t” video entirely by myself to spare anyone else the second hand embarrassment from the inevitable growing pains of being back in front of the camera. But, for Supervise, I had a couple super supportive friends who made it possible and helped me shoot some parts of the video around LA. Shoutout Thomas, TJ, Erin, & Ania for all of their vision w/ the videos/photos for the project!
LUNA: What intentions do you have for the upcoming months?
MAYBE SASHA: I’m ready to make more music. All I could think about when going through the release cycle for Rhombus was what’s next and what/how do I want to create. I have a couple singles that I’m trying to release before the end of the year but, aside from that, I’m looking forward to the chance of collaborating with more cool creatively minded people :)
