Exploring Inner Oceans

Two years ago, Griff Snyder of Denver folk band Dovekins was feeling restless. A new creative direction was in order, so he got out of town, took some time to himself and explored electronics. When he got back to Denver, he formed Inner Oceans to explore the new ideas. We talked to Snyder to see how it’s going and what we can expect from the brand new project.

So, when and why did you branch out from Dovekins to start this project?

Two years ago we were doing our second year of tour, and by then end of that I was ready to start a new project. Through touring I got exposed to a lot of different new sounds and I realized that I wasn’t just happy with playing straight-ahead folk music by itself. So I’ve spent really the last two years learning a whole bunch of new skills — computer software and synthesis and just listening to music like it’s my job — studying things, studying production — and it’s been really fun. And I wanted to start this band with a really creatively open mind, and also just wanted to be able to be in a project that I could really pilot.

I read that you had some writers block.

I think it’s a common story for a lot of people. You can get really burned out, especially playing the same songs every night. We’d gotten so used to playing the same songs that … I just stopped writing. I think I did need to be exposed to some new direction and have the time.

I think what really broke me out of it is I went to Iowa last year for a residency for a month. It was in Fairfield, Iowa. It was a really great place — a weird place. They have a transcendental meditation school there, and it’s right next to Iowa farms. It’s like new-age Boulder meets Iowa farming. It was a really great place to lay low. A lot of Denver musicians have been doing that. It helped me find my new sound. I was just working and nothing else — drinking a lot of coffee and staying up late and making a lot of music. It was the first time I was making electronic music …

Then I did a residency in San Francisco. Being in a city like San Francisco is really invigorating. I think, for any artist, I really recommend getting space and moving to a new place and getting perspective.

Are you working on an album, and is this all taking a direction?

We have a ton of songs and … I think we’re, as a group, in a really creative place. We’re making up new stuff every day. We’ve also devoted a lot of time to working out what we’ve already written … as well as continuing our creative process to come up with new material. We’re planning on Nov. 2 for an EP release and we’re planning on doing that probably at the hi-dive or Mercury Cafe.

We’re basically going to spend the summer playing crazy, punk, DIY shows. We’ll play the craziest shows we can find — play around, goof off and get weird. Then, in the fall, we’ll really to hone in those ideas if it works …

I’m working with Tyler Ludwick, he’s an arranger, he’s in Princess Music. He’s not in the band, but he’s working with us. He’s like my best friend. It’s fun because I’m feeling like I’m utilizing the Colorado community of musicians much more. He’s coming in and critiquing and working on arrangements. It’s fun. I don’t feel like I have to write everything. My friend Charlie — Charles Kern, he’s affiliated with Communikey — he’s not so much interested in writing the song, but finding the perfect effects. Then we’ve got his girl Julia who’s one of the best bass players and she rocks out. It’s a really great band and it’s nice being able to hand pick everyone. And a lot of that is just being in the scene, and it’s more vibrant than ever.