Cherished is a collection of songs, some of which emerged from the ether as long as a decade ago, others appearing instantly in response to numerous reflective hours spent in contemplation of the inevitable changing landscape around us. This is a story in search of authenticity. Its simplicity is meant to remind us to sit with what is, to pause, and to remember our truth, whatever that may be and wherever that may lie.

In 2020 Pranatricks’ duty to explore the creative in order to operate in the outer world emerged. There, in that space, presented a retreat from the complexities, division and despair of the present global circumstances. With the inner work established, Pranatricks is ready to open the door and reveal his expression to the world. Cherished is a collection of songs that is meant to reflect the barest version of expression he could find. In composition it is simple and knocks loudly at the core of what is truth for him, much like a personal invitation to that creative refuge. 

The songs reflect the difficulties of wrestling with the unknown, they explore social justice issues and continually remind us to find lightness, both in frequency and weight, in as many moments as possible.  Ultimately, we all long to be free; cherish those moments and keep discovering as many of them as possible. It’s there, when the veil of the outer world lifts, even if only for a moment, that we glimpse the implausibility of nature and a truer connection to our innate divinity.

Cherished - Album

There is no way around truth. This song represents the difficulty with desire and wanting things to constantly go our way.  As an artist we must let go of expectation and realize that whatever the outcome, the process of creation should be Cherished. For me, the song reflects the journey of becoming more aware of our innate nature and that many times this is not a favourable place for others to witness.  Letting go of others’ expectations and continually honoring our presence is the greatest gift we can offer; so keep from running from it and embrace it.

Pranatricks - Cherished - 01 - Running

Between the World
 
This song was inspired by the book, Between the World and Me, written by Ta-Nehisi Cotes. It spoke so powerfully to me.  It accounts the authors’ lived personal experience and is written as a letter to his son. For me, it evoked the necessity to constantly engage in the practice of awareness; in observation of my own inherent life language that has not only informed and instrumented my personal advantage, but has promoted a type of separation from the ultimate ONE.  Empathy and compassion are of the highest virtues and must be paramount in any form of advocation or fight against oppression.

Pranatricks - Cherished - 02 - Between The World

Standing at the oceans edge over 15
years ago reflecting on the recent
conclusion of an intimate relationship; it
was dark, it was the end of summer,
there in the night sky one can see the
first signs of winter delivered by way of
familiar constellations seen only just
before the dawn. We were young but
we grew a lot. The Cold Night Sky is
coming. I wish we could hang on to all of
it just a little longer; summer, love, joy,
pain; all of it together.

Pranatricks - Cherished - 03 - Cold Night Sky

Our greatest teachers are the ones who challenge us the most.  The ones who hold us accountable to being truthful and honest about what we perceive to be real. It’s only through the elements that inform our relationships, those built in time and experience, those that have the capacity for love rooted in the ability to be vulnerable, do we gain glimpses of the views beyond the veil. We’re all

Pranatricks - Cherished - 04 - Edge Of The Light

Things have changed. Change is in. All
we can count on is change. Evolution is
inherent. Without flexibility change is
certain death. When inflicted by times’
grasp, either struggling to change or
suffering its inevitable distortion of
reality, rooting down into something
bigger; the infinite, Krishna, Allah, Christ
Consciousness, Jah, whatever it is, let it
be your anchor so that change can run
its course. You’ll be on the other side
one day.

Pranatricks - Cherished - 05 - Filling Up The Kids

Some songs just come when you need them. There is a saying in Yoga; practice and all is coming. I recorded this one on a late evening in my garage studio near the beach in Kitsilano. A cool synth patch, complimenting an acoustic guitar and some layered vocals gives it a meditative texture. The drum sounds are created by using a xylophone mallet to hit an old tin can and suitcase stuffed with a pillow. The shaker shakes and the track ends with the chanting of OM. Practice and all is coming.

Pranatricks - Cherished - 06 - Light Sorcerer

We all go about our days in conformity.  We are generally concerned with what and how people think about us. What if we were able to remove the obstacles that dimmed our truth or shaded our light? This song is about recognizing where those impediments are and a reminder to reflect our truest sense of Self as best, we can.

Pranatricks - Cherished - 07 - Shades Of Your Light

There was a time when I made a bunch of bad decisions. They caused the ones
closest to me a lot of pain. There is no excuse for bad behavior and only forgiveness and time heals open wounds. For whatever reason it eventually brought all of us closer together. This song was about that journey from far away and coming back to be with the one you love. Often the struggle is worth the reward.

Pranatricks - Cherished - 08 - Baton Rouge

Rubber Trees
Is a fictitious journey across an open
ocean that led us to the reality of the
present moment. I wrote this song just
after my son was born. Perhaps it was
his journey through the cosmos to our
physical reality that inspired the tune.
Really though, it is about remembering
our connection to unity, oneness and
the divine, despite having been
separated from it at birth. Whenever I
see him I am reminded of his and all of
our true nature; free to explore in
constant curiosity.

Pranatricks - Cherished - 11 - Rubber Trees

10 - Start To End

09 - Worlds

The track represents the farthest sonic expansion from the indie, folk, singer songwriter genre featured throughout his debut album Cherished. The track is meant to fully immerse the listener into Pranatricks’ indie-psych direction with this experimental, indie alt rock, non-traditional single. Cobras was written many years ago in an abandon warehouse on Vancouver’s Downtown East Side and is a metaphor for the ability to open our hearts. Like a Cobra snake that lifts from the ground and puffs out its chest, the song references the action of expansion and suggests that there is power in understanding that the heart, when exposed, can connect us to a universal energy that surrounds all things. The song opens with layered arpeggiated synths that lead directly into a mystical lyrical voyage. The narrator describes an experience of wrestling with the mind and suggests that we learn to let go and make peace with the present moment. The exploration reveals an understanding that the past may never dissolve, yet only when we forget our innate source connection do we venture into lack and doubt. Ultimately, the Light bends to the heart space and clarity returns. Sonically the tune is built upon a chord progression that accentuates a swell of layered distorted electric guitars, compressed through a circuit bent synthesizer that repeats in two distinct cycles. The first swell overlays the melodic lyrical story and the second submerges the listener into an experimental chorus of elevating mantric chants, supported by a bass line that grounds the song firmly in the vast universal expression of the artist. 

‘Remember,’ you said, ‘the light bends. Don’t go back to sleep.’ I murmured as I tried to recall the effort required for recollection. Amongst the piety of experiences, the revelation is always within. 

Cobras comes with a music video filmed on a cold winter morning on Northern Vancouver Island. The video features the artist in his most intimate outpouring of expression as he enters a cosmic etheral whirlwind amongst his natural surroundings, engulfed in the connection to all things.

08 - Cobras

07 - Slide Of The Century

06 - Birds And The Bees

05 - Crosshairs

Pranatricks releases his new single “Lights & Machines” out October 6, 2023. Pranatricks returns with the third single off of his sophomore album ‘Elements of’ set to release April 4, 2024. A return to a simpler time when we were not bombarded with media messaging, advertisement, and influencers infiltrating the super powered computers that fit in the palm of our hand, Lights and Machines is an indie alternative ode to remembering that our greatest powers lie within. Led by a softened crunched up electric guitar and a drum kit, Pranatricks delivers an equally subtle vocal performance that transports the listener to an era and space of effortlessness wonderment towards our understanding and personal connection to all things. Punctuated and separated by a rhythmic lead guitar line the bridge ads percussion and backing vocal shots to remind the listener to continually monitor their whereabouts in the outer world and ultimately leads them back to the heart space for the answers they are searching for. Parts of the track including the drums and vocal shots were recorded back in 2011 in an abandon warehouse in Vancouver Downtown Eastside, prior to it being demolished to build gentrified condominiums.  The outro harnesses the etherial haunt of the open warehouse space, while adding some layered arpeggio synthesizers to maximize the mantric quality of the vocals, ultimately returning the listener to a space of awareness within.

04 - Lights & Machines

03 - Johnny Self

02 - Falling

01 - Cor-al

‘Prana’ Sanskrit for life force. It is binding and built upon breath. We are immersed in the power of our being continuously. ‘Tricks are for kids’, but life’s playfulness is not always apparent. Perhaps there is a formula for living with ease, discovering truth, and reflecting upon it; in an attempt, ultimately, to find freedom and justice within the exterior world.

In 2020 Pranatricks’ duty to explore the creative in order to operate in the outer world emerged. There, in that space, presented a retreat from the complexities, division and despair of the present global circumstances. With the inner work established, Pranatricks was ready to open the door and reveal his expression to the world. His first album ‘Cherished’ is a collection of songs that is meant to reflect the barest version of expression he could find. In composition it is simple and knocks loudly at the core of what is truth for him, much like a personal invitation to that creative refuge. The songs reflect the difficulties of wrestling with the unknown, they explore social justice issues and continually remind us to find lightness, both in frequency and weight, in as many moments as possible. Ultimately, we all long to be free; cherish those moments and keep discovering as many of them as possible. It’s there, when the veil of the outer world lifts, even if only for a moment, that we glimpse the implausibility of nature and a truer connection to our innate divinity.

Pranatricks spent 2022 releasing singles from his debut album, playing festivals and gigs including the Filberg and Woodstove Festivals and opening for the Indie Folk sensations Jon and Roy. His album ‘Cherished’ received early praise from the music blog Indie Boulevard as ‘Best Album of 2022.’ The album charted on Earshot for 11 weeks including a number one position on CJSF 90.1fm in Burnaby, BC and placed in the top 50 of the Earshot National Charts for the week ending May 2nd, 2023. Noteable press includes an interview from Read Range and coverage from numerous music blogs including Last Day Deaf, York Calling, Indie for Bunnies, The Wild is Calling etc.
Beginning in the summer of 2023, only a few months after his debut album ‘Cherished’ was released in full, Pranatricks began following a release schedule that featured six singles off of his second album ‘Elements of’. The album is a significant departure stylistically from his debut album which garnered the artist attention throughout the Canadian Indie Folk scene and beyond. Stylistically, ‘Elements of’ deliberately departs from the acoustic genre and moves more toward the psychedelic ambiance that was hinted at in his first album. The production is fuller and ventures into the alternative, indie and psychedelic landscapes, referencing influences such as Khurangbin, Kurt Vile, Feist and Chad VanGaalen as highlighted through textural layered synths, crunched up electric guitars, and numerous haunting echoed vocal lines. The effort is meant to reflect a deeper and darker dive into more nuanced elements of a continuous theme of Self-reflection. In an unwavering effort towards the artist's intention of Self-understanding, in which his first album was noted for, Pranatricks returns to guide the listener through a personal creative refuge of past experiences, future ambitions and reflections from the present.

 Similar to his first album, many of the songs themselves are snapshots of the artists’ experience from another time. Digging into several hard drives and revamping ideas conceived and collected over the past 15 years, Pranatricks applies a current formula for extracting and reworking the ideas, ultimately creating a meandering sonic landscape into the unknown. Contrived of instruments that he no longer owns, captured in jam spaces that he once inhabited, there are elements of the past and present that provide a glimpse into the artists’ insatiable quest for truth. ‘Elements of’ will be released on April 4th, 2024.

Pranatricks

Pinned to spotlight

Popular tracks