Building on your description of your music, how do you find the balance between organic and electronic elements in your instrumentation? How does this contribute to the overall sound you're aiming for?
Elad: I always work towards serving the song. If the song feels like it wants to be just organic then that's how it will go. If it feels like electronic is the way to go then there it is. Or if it's a blend between the two like it usually feels like it wants to be for us, then that's where we land.
The term "beatific" suggests a sense of bliss and happiness. How does this concept influence the emotions and themes you explore through your music?
Elad: The name Beatific represents the ideal. On the day-to-day, this is not our state, but we are always looking to get to this state, whether it's on the weekend or some special day or time that we carve out for ourselves. I suppose the ultimate zen is to be Beatific during the day-to-day mundane activities. Keeping the cinder burning inside while washing the dishes, that kind of thing. That is what we're all striving for. Get Beatific!
You mentioned being influenced by a wide range of genres, from French electro to indie rock. Can you elaborate on how you blend these diverse influences to create a unique musical identity for Beatific?
Elad: I am inspired by most genres of music, whether it's the Moonlight Sonata, some new amazing electro track that just dropped, or Ziggy Stardust. The transcendent elements are the same - those moments that raise the hair on your arms without you knowing why. These are the seeds that we are looking to water when we write our songs.
You expressed interest in collaborating with Justice. Could you elaborate on what specific aspects of their music you find inspiring and how you envision your styles merging together?
Elad: I love how uncompromising they are, how meticulous they are in their production style and their general aesthetic. Their latest album Woman feels like you're listening to a rainbow. And of course, their first record requires no explanation. I love how it feels like rock 'n' roll, but it's really electronic, I think that we could provide incredible seeds and song inspiration because we have so many ideas, and they could provide their production aesthetic and blast the songs into outer space.
Given the intricate themes of your new album, were there any particular challenges you faced while crafting the lyrics to convey the nuances of "What It’s Like To Be Human"?
Elad: There were no challenges. Everything happened organically, magically, and just as it was meant to be. That’s the beauty of authentic artist projects - you just do what’s there.
You mentioned the song "Hana" being particularly challenging to write due to concerns about cultural sensitivity. Could you explain how you ultimately navigated this issue and incorporated it into the album?
Elad: Great question! I ultimately decided that it wasn't referencing any cultural viewpoint per se. I was inspired by Sigur Rós and their freedom to speak in whatever tongue they want. This language was proffered up to me in a dream, and felt like somewhere between ancient Hawaiian and Hebrew, I decided it was mine to take and serve up. I think it's dangerous to be TOO sensitive. We need to bring more art into the world.
Among the featured tracks on your upcoming album, can you delve into the emotions or experiences that "Computer," "Whatever I’m Not," and "Everybody Wants The Same Thing" capture, making them stand out to you?
Elad: Definitely. With Computer, here I am sitting in front of my computer typing out some emotional responses to you. I would not have been able to do it without my computer. The same thing goes for all the activities in my morning. We are cyborgs. And in 10 years, what will that look like, it will be seamless and somewhat creepy. With Whatever I'm Not, sometimes it feels like we want to be doing anything other than what we are doing in the moment - it is our endless quest for novelty, and again to be seeking out that beatific moment in a moment of existence. With Everybody Wants The Same Thing I feel like we pretty much nailed it in the lyrics- we all deserve a place on this planet. We all deserve all the little things - hot showers, and fancy dinners, race cars, whatever, you know what I mean. But in pursuing our individual dreams, we lead to a collective disastrous situation. That's just the truth of what it's like to be human on our planet right now. So what is the answer? I'm not sure we have figured that out yet. I hope we do of course.
You mentioned the excitement of performing live and the transformation it brings to your songs. How do you adapt your studio recordings to create a dynamic and engaging experience for your live performances?
Elad: Another great question! We just performed live last week with a five-piece- two guitars, bass, drums, and keyboards. We also had a sampler triggering from a laptop, and background vocals. It was super fun and nailed the vibe. Our new music video for Computer Live showcases this as well. Here's a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ95b3eCXPc
Dreaming big, if you were to create a completely immersive concert experience, combining music with visuals, technology, and storytelling, what kind of show would you envision for your fans?
Elad: Man, so cool I can see it already. I think it would be something like what Beyoncé did for her visual record where every song has a music video... Projecting behind the band so that you are watching the visual story created by a master video storyteller and watching the band, and being fully immersed in the music at the same time.
Looking ahead, you mentioned a new music video and virtual live set. Can you share any insights into the creative direction you're taking for these projects?
Elad: We already executed these! The live set will be coming out on Spotify soon. Sadly the video component of the live set was mysteriously erased by our staff so we only have the audio.
As you're rehearsing for local shows and working on new songs, could you give us a sneak peek into the themes or directions you're exploring for your next record?
Elad: For the next record, we're going to give it a tight band feel, where we record as much as possible with the band playing all together. Then we will add the electronics and overdubs. I don't have any overarching themes, I just want to serve each song as completely and perfectly as possible. I'm really excited to get this together. The main challenge is doing it on an indie, unsigned budget. This is extremely difficult! We’d love to a label to pick it up and help. We recently signed a sync deal with MNRK records and we’re hoping this catapults us closer to this goal.
To conclude, your message of staying true to oneself is powerful. How have your personal experiences and journey as a musician shaped this perspective, and how do you hope it resonates with your audience?
Elad: Thank you! Every day we are faced with the decision to either do something that doesn't resonate with our soul, or actually carve out some time for tasks that we know deep inside that we need to accomplish to feel good about ourselves, and to move forward creatively in our lives. We can take these small steps on a daily basis to not ignore that voice inside, and devote some time to the work of our soul. That’s all there is, chipping away, slowly, every day at our calling.