Weekly updates:

Music

Upfront: FreezaMode from Powder Springs to Awful Records

Featuring a priemere of their new EP

Posted by

Hailing from Powder Springs, Atlanta, Zach Diamonds (formerly Lui Diamonds) and Coodie Breeze (formerly Pyramid Quince) together make up FreezaMode. Meeting in high school through the NRK collective, these two artists both signed to Awful Records have been making music together for years. FreezaMode has been their passion project and while they’ve left it behind to work on their solo careers, the fans have been waiting ever since their debut EP, Space Talk in 2014 for more. Their collaboration elicits a comfortability that only comes from years of friendship. ‘Tucked N’ Rolled’ sets the tone for their now signature hazy flows and piano-heavy beats. Zach Diamonds sings, “I didn’t doze off I just look this way” an accurate description for his own laid back, languid demeanour, while Coodie Breeze’s flow is sharp and lifts the pace.

After years of teasing, the pair have finally dropped their anticipated 2 Player which continues the style of reclined beats under slick bars, which fans have come to love. Awful Records has become the litmus test for quality music and this release further solidifies that.

‘Jump Back’ is the first track they worked on together for the project and Coodie Breeze told Acclaim over email, “it felt like [this was] the track that set the tone for the direction we were going.” ‘It’sAVibe’ features a trademark piano beat, and it’s unsurprising to learn that Zaytoven is one of Zach Diamond’s biggest influences. Arguably Awful’s most exciting producer, Ethereal produces bonus tracks ‘Get My Paper’ and ‘Blowin Out Da Window’.

We caught up with Zach Diamonds and Coodie Breeze ahead of their awaited release to talk about producing with Father, staying true to the music and possibilities of a FreezaMode album.

For those who don’t know FreezaMode how would yourselves?

Zach Diamonds: Real musicianship, real love.

Coodie: We make music that puts you in a vibe and we give you a feeling that you can only get from ust.

How did you two meet?

Z: I discovered Coodie at this basement freestyle session and when I heard ‘em rap I was like okay, he’s who I’m working with.

C: We met in high school through NRK (Nobody Really Knows) music collective and been working together ever since.

You haven’t released music in a minute. What made you decide to come back to the project and drop some tracks under the FreezaMode moniker?

Z: I had just come back from LA and was ready to do a different style in music and Coodie and I had been discussing it for about a year or two. It was only right we added a new addition.

C: It just really came back together naturally. When we are hanging around each other in the studio, when we get together [it’s inevitable] a song or two WILL be made.”

Awful is blowing up right now so was that some of the motivation behind releasing 2 Player now?

Z: Yeah we going crazy right now—real business shit. It just felt right and a few of the fans were specifically hitting me like, “Yo we need that FreezaMode, I can’t live without it.” People still really love some of the classics from the first EP (Space Talk).

C: Shoutout to Awful. We have been planning 2 Player for a minute. The timing just felt right with both of us having solo projects on the way.

What have you learned in your time away from FreezaMode?

Z: I just got more into the music, figured myself out. We always planned to do solo stuff and come back to touch on the FreezaMode when the timing was right.

C: I learned how much it meant to the fans that we come together and provide them with that feeling that they missed oh so much.

So this 2-player is really sick. It’s got that laid-back, languid flow I’ve come to know from your sound. Tell me about the record.

Z: I mean the story really is that we felt like there was a void in a particular sound in the Atlanta area so we filled the gap. We stretch from the burbs to the country and all the way to the city. The sound is like us just being kids from the south. This is what that product looks like in 2017.

C: ‘Jump Back’… it was the first song we recorded for the tape and for me it felt like the track that set the tone for the direction we were going with the sound.

Does this mean an album is coming?

Z: Down the line possibly if we can cut out time to build that record. When I’m producing a project I usually like to have sessions for about half a year and bring in some live instruments if I can and make it a time to be remembered.

C: Fasho.

Are you dropping any videos?

Z: ‘Jump Back’ was the first video we decided on but it could go many ways. We also discussed ‘Get My Paper’ produced by Ethereal but nothing set in stone at this moment. We want to give the best quality visuals we can.

Tommy Genesis used to be on Awful Records, do you know why she left?

Z: I’m not sure why but we all love her the same, nothing has changed. We still speak from time to time.

Is Awful Records still the ‘big family’ that it used to affectionately be referred to as?

Z: It’s still a big family, everything is just spread out and everyone isn’t always in the same place. We usually stay in touch via text or through social media at this point. Everyone is busy building these gigantic solo projects.

What are your plans for 2017, both with the project and separately?

Z: I have a few more EPs dropping this year. One produced by Caesar who is a producer under my imprint ‘DMR’ and I have an EP being released in August that’s produced by Father and Ethereal. I haven’t even began to think about an album yet. A mixtape for sure. I’m sure tour is coming up soon. Personally I want to sing and just elevate as a person.

C: Getting ready to release ‘Beautiful Night To Be A Baller’ and hopefully we can give you the FreezaMode Album before the year ends.

What do you want people reading this to go away knowing about FreezaMode?

Z: That this music is real and none of it is fabricated.

C: That we love what we do more than anything. This is why the music sounds the way it does and that this is just the beginning. FreezaMode Forever.

Follow FreezaMode:
Soundcloud
Twitter 

Weekly updates