Draag is a beautiful band of musical storytellers that have written a love letter to a forgotten part of Los Angeles. During a time of crisis hearing these wavvy sounds of another time makes me want to float on in a pool of wild flowers.
Check out more about them HERE
Who are you and what do you do?
Draag is based in a forgotten neighborhood of Los Angeles County. We represent the isolation of the valley, the feeling of which seeps into our music. It still prides itself as a ranch town. Hoping the horses, sheep, dogs, and coyotes like what they're hearing coming out of our garage.
photography by Devonte Johnson
What do you love about your music?
We've been told our specialty is triggering bliss and tragic emotions at the same time. And that the feeling is unsettling and confusing. We've also been told we can fit the bill on virtually any type of show - metal, dream pop, noise, ambient, wholesome rock, sludge, etc.
Where are your inspirations from for this album?
Visually, the album is inspired by Catholic imagery around LA, purely for its beauty. You can find the most creepy yet alluring religious paraphernalia in random swap meets, garage sales, thrift stores, someone's front yard. We're particularly drawn to the version of the Virgin Mary with the blue coat and circle of stars, which we later realized specifically represents blessing and miracles. Adrian was making health breakthroughs through the process of creating Clara Luz - meaning "clear light" in Spanish. Other than that, our musical inspirations for this album include Frank Ocean, Boards of Canada, and natural drones from house appliances like heaters from the 70s.
cover art by Angelo Rosales
Best place you have performed?
Our Echo/Echoplex residency. Treehouse UCLA close second.
What was the inspiration for Ghost Leak music video?
The feeling of invisibility. It was also a memorial for someone we knew that ended their life, and their feelings about being invisible. The different set locations in the video are deeply personal and simulate how we remember them in our memories, frozen in time.
Fun questions
If you were stuck inside for two weeks and couldn't leave what are five things you would want with you?
unlimited subscription to every DAW, a virtual version of every Moog, German Shepherds (dogs), La Croix on tap, NBA reruns on DVD
If you could travel to another time period to perform your music where would you go?
Opening for the Smashing Pumpkins in the 90s. Early 80s during the no wave movement in NYC. Or when Myspace music was at its peak.
