Lucid Phase – Your Island

Lucid Phase

Your Island

by Dave Shiffman

Fans of American reggae may not recognize the name Garret Laver, but, they would certainly be familiar with his work. Laver runs The Video Kitchen, a film production company, he founded that has put out videos for numerous popular artists, including The Movement, Iya Terra, Hirie, Kings & Comrades, Tatanka and of course, Stick Figure, whose “Fire on the Horizon” video by Laver has garnered over 10 million views on YouTube.

Laver clearly has talent as a director, but that’s not all he can do. A modern-day Renaissance man, when not creating slick-looking videos or commercials with The Video Kitchen, Laver moonlights as the singer/songwriter for his L.A. based band Lucid Phase. The trio met while attending Savannah College of Art & Design and includes Jacob Flack on percussion, keys, backing vocals, bongos and melodica as well as Cyrus Maleki, who plays lead guitar, bass, bongos, and keys.

Lucid Phase – Your Island

Lucid Phase’s debut album, The Crop, will drop later this spring and feature guest appearances from Kevin Kinsella (John Brown’s Body & 10 Ft. Ganja Plant,) Jay Spaker (John Brown’s Body & Double Tiger,) Kings & Comrades, Mike Caine (Tatanka), Chris McDonald (Drifting Roots), JDAWA, Alex Csillag, and Kenny Wong. The Crop blends roots reggae, dub, and blues with influences from across the globe.

“This has been an unforgettable journey, an amazing blend of chemistry,” Laver said, about his collaboration with old friends. “Going ten years back, all three of us cherished roots reggae music and it was meant to be that we all ended up in Los Angeles, wanting to create some of our own. We trust each other on creative decisions and instrumentation, expanding our sound and learning from our experimentation along the way.”

Lucid Phase – The Crop

Release Date: May 2020
Label: Lucid Phase Records
Copyright: 2020 Lucid Phase
Total Tracks: 12
Format: Album
Genre: Roots, Reggae, Dub, Blues, World

Inspired by their love for the ocean, the song is about “getting lost in the little things and stopping to take a deep breath of calming clarity.” Over an understated organ bubble laying down a reggae skank, the track features layers of rich instrumentation, including, most prominently, Jacob Flack’s melodica and a sweet guitar lead by Cyrus Maleki with tones reminiscent of The Grateful Dead. Laver sings with an intimate, unforced delivery as if he’s sitting right next to the listener. With its gentle, thick, vibrations, “Your Island” won’t be the song to add to your raging party mix, but more of a song that could benefit from a deep, active listening session.

“We want to create music with replayability that you can really dive into on the record and that we can really dive into in a live performance,” said Laver. “The songs will take you away if you let them.”

For the accompanying video of “Your Island,” Laver used his film production skills to splice and overlay captivating footage from tropical locations around the world, depicting a beautiful oasis that surely most of us would love to escape to – probably now more than ever.

If the pandemic has you feeling anxious or fearful and/or frustrated by your confinement, escape by letting the soothing music of “Your Island” wash over you as the video transports you to an idyllic place of natural beauty.

About Lucid Phase

Based in Los Angeles, California, Lucid Phase is made up of members: Cyrus Maleki, Jacob Flack and Garret Laver. Their first-ever studio album, entitled The Crop is set to release in Spring 2020. Special guests include: Kevin Kinsella, Jay Spaker, Mike Caine, JDAWA, Alex Csillag, Kenny Wong, Chris McDonald and Kings and Comrades. The album blends sounds of roots reggae, dub and blues, with influences spanning artists across the globe. The Crop will be available on all major music platforms and features guitar, bass, keys, drums, bongos, percussion instruments, trombone, saxophone, violin, and our recorded sounds from the jungles of Costa Rica all mixed and mastered into sonic bliss.