Cytrus, a Seattle-based Psychedelic Powerfunk band, recently dropped their new album “Duality.” The project explores the fusion between familiar psych rock elements and a modern 60s/70s psych soul. They let their passion for supporting others bleed into their music by hosting musical livestreams to raise money for organizations near and dear to their heart, including Snohomish Boys & Girls Club, Christopher Street Project, and Backline. To learn more about Cytrus and their new album, read on.

Where are you based?
We’re based in the greater Seattle, WA area.

What inspired you all to start making music?
It has to be the energy of a live show and general curiosity. Most of us were raised in musical families, so the early exposure certainly helps! But overall it can be attributed to each band member's affinity artists inspiring them to pick up an instrument. Energy and curiosity really does inspire action.

What is the story behind how you all found each other and formed your band?
This question could be its own interview in itself! But the (relatively) short answer is we all went to High School together and have all been in different iterations of what is now Cytrus. We were two separate bands (Bunk Foss & HopSol) sharing a storage unit in Everett, WA. There were actually multiple bands with storage units there! Both bands would have to coordinate rehearsal nights because it was ultimately a shared space between the two separate bands. At some point during our stay there, the city of Everett appointed a new Fire Marshall and upon inspecting the storage units, they deemed them “unfit” for bands. Which was true…The entire studio ran off a handful of outlets with power strips daisy chained together. There was no heat or insulation, no AC, no real security besides a frail roll up door. During the winter months you could see your breath. It wasn’t ideal, but it was a space to make music and that’s all we cared about. When both bands received the news that we were having to move out, we decided to have one last communal jam with both bands. People swapping instruments, no agenda or expectations, no learning songs. Just jamming and having the time of our lives doing it! It was in that moment we realized there was an undeniable chemistry between both bands coming together. That was the birth of Cytrus and we never looked back!

How would you describe your music? Are there any artists or genres that inspire your sound?
It can be difficult to encapsulate what we do by pointing to one specific genre or artist. We like to say we’re “jam band adjacent”. It’s almost better described by fusing two artists together under the umbrella of a genre. For example, what would it sound like if Pink Floyd wrote a soul song in the style of Jamiroquai, or if Earth Wind & Fire wrote a rock song in the style of Led Zeppelin. What might that sound like? To put it simply though, we describe ourselves as Psych Funk. Some describe us as Psychedelic Powerfunk, which we also feel rings accurately!

Congratulations on your new album “Duality!” What was the inspiration behind this album?
This album at its core is a Psychedelic Rock album. Our debut album “Concentrate” was a young band throwing everything at the wall. It had funk, psych, hip hop, Americana etc. Our second album “Duality” feels like we dove into the psych rock elements from our first album and explored that world, expanded upon it, made new discoveries within it, and fused it into an album. It’s heavily inspired by 60s/70s psych rock and soul, but also feels like it’s being mused through our take on those eras that has always been present in our improvisation.

“Duality” has a very modern 60s/70s sound. How did you work to achieve this type of production? What were some of the techniques and equipment involved?
This is a great question! We knew we wanted the listener to “get it” (60s/70s) without being purists about the recording and mixing processes. There are certain elements that are just necessary to convey those eras, and one of those elements is drum sounds. A good room, vintage mics, simple miking techniques through era correct preamps, through an analog console. While these may not be necessary for a great drum sound, we felt it necessary to place listeners in the correct timeframe. Most of the songs used 2-4 drum mics! The drums and horns were recorded by Sean Wolcott at Soundview Analog in Everett, WA, just down the road from that old storage unit, funny enough! Once drums were recorded we brought the recordings home and did the rest of the album at our houses through relatively standard gear! Apollo interfaces, Universal Audio Ox Box’s + guitar tube amps, etc. That allowed us to bring polish to gritty drums. Something that we felt was a great balance!

All of the songs off of “Duality” are a lot longer than the more traditional practice of having songs be around 3/4 minutes. Why did you decide to make this choice for your songs?
We’ve always been consumers of long form content. We love concept albums, jam bands that take 20 minute detours during songs, etc. It’s just part of our creative DNA. Even when we aim short, we end up in the 5min mark! It’s usually not a choice when a song ends up long, it’s usually a choice when it ends up shorter than 5min. And in a world dominated by short form content, there’s going to come a time when the pendulum swings back and people crave music that is a long form journey again. And that’s what we do well! Although our 3rd album that we’re working on is more mindful of song lengths, and will inherently have shorter experiences. But so far every album we’ve made ends with a 12min epic. That love for long form will always be there! It’s a part of who we are and what we do.

What do you hope listeners feel when listening to your music?
Immersed. We spend so much time curating a listening experience that is a sonic love letter to the curious headphone user who seeks something greater than one or two good songs from an album. And the only way to have that land is by crafting a world where listeners who take the plunge into an album are rewarded with complete and total immersion of that world! If a listener can become immersed, everything else will follow. Inspiration, love, remorse, nostalgia, introspection, reminiscence etc. all begins with immersion. It’s when people pay the most attention to something.

You all recently did a series of YouTube livestreams to benefit several different initiatives, including Snohomish Boys & Girls Club, Christopher Street Project, and Backline. What inspired you all to start this project? Do you all plan on making the livestreams a continuous thing?
We tend to fall on the side of maximalism when it comes to all things Cytrus. And the live stream endeavor was no different! We became consumed for months figuring out cameras, routing, audio, streaming infrastructure etc. When we successfully pulled off a few streams, we felt like there was something missing. When we heard about the sudden need for fundraising for the Snohomish B&GC, the “something” became clear as day; community. It was like, okay we built this thing, now what do we do with it? The idea to host a stream in which viewers could donate to a GoFundMe and that money could directly impact our community was really exciting and just made sense. In 48hrs we launched a GoFundMe, added on screen stream widgets, made a flyer and other promotional materials and just went for it! Our community and fans really showed up. Raising nearly $1,600 for the Meal in a Bag program. That money provided 20-25 bags per week for 2 months. Each bag fed a family of four. It really sparked something in us and made us feel like we could have a real impact. That led to the collaborations with Christopher Street Project and Backline, two awesome organizations that we resonate with.

How did you decide what initiatives to support with your livestreams?
The Boys & Girls Club was brought to our attention by our singer/guitarist fiancé, Jordan Saunders. She’s a program director at the Snohomish B&GC and made mention of her developing the Meal In A Bag program, and how she needed to find quick funding, but didn’t have time to do substantial fundraising for the immediate need. Moving forward, we all politically and morally align with each other (hence being best friends since High School). So our barometer for foundations, causes, initiatives etc that align with Cytrus are really those of the shared group thought. As we continue to get our footing with the Spotlight Stream Series, we aim to continue to choose initiatives that we resonate with.

The Snohomish Boys & Girls Club is especially relevant with the effects of the government shutdown cutting funding for SNAP benefits. What are some of the details of how your livestreams helped those affected?
With the nearly $1,600 raised, the Snohomish Boys & Girls Club was able to provide 20-25 meal bags per week for families, for 2 months! Each one of those Meal Bags feeds a family of four. Each bag has all the ingredients + recipe card to make a home cooked meal. With the recent news of the government shutdown coming to an end and as families begin to receive their SNAP or DSHS benefits again, any unused funds raised will be reallocated to household essentials through the Snohomish B&GC to support families in our community during the holidays.

Why is raising money and giving back important to you?
Giving back is important to us because some of us grew up in households that periodically depended on government assistance and community to help our families through tough times. And beyond that, there have been multiple junctures where we have encountered people with a giving heart that have propelled us in our passions both as individuals and a band. Even if monetary fundraising isn’t involved, we still make an effort to share our knowledge with aspiring musicians and creatives alike. It can be a grim world out there, and while many people aren’t able to financially donate, it’s good to recognize that giving back can take on many forms. Sometimes hope is worth more than money. And sometimes money gives people hope. It’s just a balancing act in the end to find out what the need is and what filling that need looks like.

What advice do you have for individuals wanting to start a band?
DO IT. Look, there’s always going to be a million reasons why somebody shouldn’t start a band. Logistics, scheduling, time obligations involved with honing ones craft, fear of judgement, failed collaborations, financials etc. But managing expectations and finding what you need to be fulfilled is VERY important. Do you want to headline three nights at Red Rocks or do you want to play locally once a month? There’s no right or wrong answer. But there is a right or wrong action to follow that decision. There’s different levels of dedication involved for each of those paths. But both can be done. If your heart is being called, start a band, please, just go for it! Find some folks who share a common goal and passion, get in the room together, and just play. Let go of the egos and the outside world and just create something. Push and pull the music together, learn together, fail together, succeed together, and just be together! It’s so hard and yet so rewarding. Being in a band offers an opportunity to gain a unique set of collaboration skills that can be applied in various aspects of life. It’s never too late to try. Do it!

Are there any upcoming projects and/or benefit livestreams you are currently working on that we should be on the lookout for?
We just concluded the final stream in this current “virtual tour”. Now it’s time to focus on our in-person tour that launches on NYE at the Nectar Lounge in Seattle, WA. With shows to follow in Bellingham WA, Portland OR, and Tacoma WA. However we will continue the Spotlight Stream Series on December 14th on our YouTube Channel @cytrusmusic

It has been a crazy few years, and we expect at least four more. How have you been staying positive?
It’s hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel sometimes, especially in our current political climate. We stay positive by finding a sense of togetherness, creating music with a message, and then pushing that message. Our third album that we’re working on is offering a healthy release for us, and feels like we’re getting more in tune with our artistic voice as a band. That and connectivity. Being able to stream to our friends, family and fans feels therapeutic for all involved. Instead of seeing them at a show a few times per year, we get to see them on any given night and connect with them. That feels really tangible and important during times like these.

What is your motto in life?
Keep it funky, keep it pushing, and keep on loving one another.

To learn more about Cytrus, please check out the links below:
Linktree
YouTube
Instagram

Cytrus' Psychedelic Songs