BRUTUS ORD presents: JUST BE
Totnes production maestro BRUTUS ORD – aka Rowland O’Connor – has just dropped his second single JUST BE, an upbeat summer jam and a relentlessly cheerful celebration of the joy of individuality.
Featuring the big handsome voice of Finn Hopkins, aka Dr Asparagus (YOMOJO), and that nice Jared Glaser aka Jabbs from Down Under in Australia, JUST BE is a paean to being. A hip-hop inflected hymn to living free, led by the pied-piper siren song of sweet young Billie Broach. “I make a conscious effort to be positive in my lyrics,” says Finn whose barnstorming flows electrify the first verse. “There’s so much negativity in the world, and in the charts – I feel like it’s my duty as a musician to try and be uplifting.”
Dr Asparagus – who wrote his verse on the day, in the studio, vibing to Rowland’s irresistibly cheeky funk chops – hands the baton over to charming Aussie and former Totnes resident Jared Glaser for verse two.
“When I heard the track, I felt like it was all about finding a world and a situation where you feel comfortable,” says Jared. “I was inspired to write about accessing the memories and mindset it takes to just be the best, most comfortable person you can be.”
Local DJ and multi-instrumentalist Mabonman, aka Will Tyler, also contributes a wild synth solo in the middle courtesy of Sorting Room Studio, Dartington’s vintage Juno 60 keyboard synthesizer. “I listened to the song and wanted to do something video gamey, because I love video game music,” he says.
A maximalist, multi-faceted expression of sublime creative energy, BRUTUS ORD is a guitar-led odyssey through fathomless realms of spacetime. JUST BE is very much the forthcoming album’s ‘big hit of the summer’, with spangled sunshiney backing vocals from Tess O’Connor and slammin’ pool party grooves from Sam Walker on drums with Billie Bottle on bass.
Because at the end of the day, BRUTUS ORD is all about collaboration.
“Through the improvised ‘Be Water’ jam night I’ve run for six years now in Totnes, and my involvement with various other music projects and local recording studios, I know some brilliant musicians,” says Rowland.
“So it seemed fun to get as many of those on as possible, and limit myself to working only with local musicians from the Totnes area. Or at least those who once called Totnes home, like Jared.”
JUST BE was recorded, along with the rest of the BRUTUS ORD project, at Sorting Room Studios in Dartington, South Devon.
Give it a spin, and muse on your many blessings, as hopefully the sun shines on you and everyone you love.
Listen to the Track here: https://orcd.co/edy9wlr