Eliquate

Eliquate, where have you been all of our lives? New Country may be the quartet’s first feature at DJBooth, but it certainly won’t be their last. Their unique, refreshing style is exactly what we look for when we select a record or visual for feature on our homepage. Hailing from Santa Cruz, CA, the alt/hip-hop quartet delivers an interesting (to say the least) set of visuals (filmed in their hometown) that are just as engaging as their style. As two old men chase a little white ball around Santa Cruz, group member Elliot Wright’s vocal performance reaches out and grabs the listener’s ears. His avalanching, sung-rapped style stands out, but don’t dismiss the lively, intoxicating instrumentals on display behind him (produced in-house, with help from Isha Erskine). For more from the ever-eclectic Elquiate, be sure to check out their A Chalkboard’s War Against Erasers project, which was released last fall.

Listen to More: Eliquate , Music Videos, Indie, Alternative

Written by Lucas G. on 04/21/14 - DJbooth.net

Rappers may not be able to fly or fight pirates like Peter Pan, but many of them do seem to live in a perpetual adolescence. Which isn’t to say that’s a bad thing; on the latest single off the five-piece band’s latest compilation album, Eliquate MC Elliot Wright wears his refusal to grow up as a badge of honor, rather than a mark of of shame. A Booth-exclusive world premiere, this joint finds the Santa Cruz rhymesayer and crew celebrating the perks of arrested development in brash, defiant verses. Snack One mans the boards, with help from co-producers Chance Random and Cosmo Stephens, complementing the frontman’s feverish flows with driving percussion and sporadic brass notes. In Michael Daniels‘s official visuals, Wright dons a tricorn hat and military uniform to put on a one-man Revolutionary War re-enactment. For more old and new material, check out their Patchworks 2 anthology.

Listen to More: Eliquate , Music Videos, Premiere, Indie, Alternative

Written by richard on 05/12/14 - DJbooth.net

The Scoop: California indie/alt-hip-hip outfit Eliquate have revealed that they are currently working on their new EP, to be titled Patchworks 3, and that it will be released this summer. Stay tuned as we’ll bring you more information on the new album as we receive it.
The Spin: In the meantime, you can check out Eliquate’s most recent music video for “New Country” below. The single comes from their 2013 effort A Chalkboard’s War Against Erasers, which you can stream on Spotify right here.
- See more at: http://mindequalsblown.net/news/eliquate-to-release-new-ep-patchworks-3-this-summer#sthash.eHj1gjoG.dpuf - Mind Equals Blown .net

Raise your hand if you’ve heard of the California Indie band Eliquate. No one? Me either, until I caught wind of their jam “New Country” off their album entitled; 'A Chalkboard’s War'.

The first thing that came to mind when Elliot Wright (Vocals) began rhyming was that he had a similar feel & flow to that of Atmosphere. Supplementin the live instrumentation from Jamie Schnetzler (Guitar), Cosmo Stevens (Bass), & Dan Wells (Drums) and you find yourself lost in a very groovy & melodic sound that’s reminiscent of the Nashville band - The Lonely Biscuits.

If you take the time to listen & concentrate on the lyrics to “New Country”, you’ll hear that Eliquate’s truly trying to convey a deep & powerful message to not only our youth, but to the older generations as well.

It’s important for us to respect those who fought for us to enjoy the freedoms that we often, unconsciously, take for granted. Yet, it is dually important for the older generations to try & accept the contrasting elements between the two.

The overall theme of this record goes hand in hand with the visual itself & is filmed, directed, & edited excellently by Michael Daniel from Ocean House Production.

ARTICLE BY: Michael Bertram
http://www.theplaceforthings.com/#!eliquate---new-country/cg46 - The Place For Things

Eliquate is a live indie / hip hop group based out of Santa Cruz, CA. Simply put they are comprised of Elliot Wright(Emcee), Jamie Schnetzler(Guitar), Cosmo Stevens(Bass), and Dan Wells(Drums). Once they get on stage however, no one stays put and nothing stays simple for long. The band blends the live instrumentation and DIY energy of an old school punk show with the clever samples and passionate connection of an intimate Hip-Hop set. Whether you like to think, dance, or just watch, this spectacle leaves the night open for your interpretation.Blending Hip-Hop production and ethics with the high energy of an amped-up rock show, the group turns any venue into an engaging and intelligent party.

Eliquate recently released a music video for their track “Elliot is Untitled” on their mix-tape Patchworks Vol. II (2013). The video, which was directed by Michael Daniel, released 5/12/2014 and is available on Eliquate’s official YouTube. From Elliot Wright (MC of Eliquate), “With the help of friend Chance Random, “Elliot is Untitled” was recorded one night in Seattle during Eliquate’s last NorthWest tour. It’s a song about perpetual adolescence, accompanied by a great video made by Michael Daniel. Hope you enjoy”.

In addition to ACWAE, Eliquate has released another album – Arch Rhythm (2010) – and three EPs – Who The F**k Is Eliquate (2012), Patchworks, Vol.1 (2013) and Patchworks ,Vol. 2 (2013) since 2009. Over the next few months, Eliquate will be performing a number of shows throughout Northern California while prepping their next EP, Patchworks, Vol. 3 – set for a summer/fall release.
For more information on Eliquate, make sure to visit their official site and Facebook.

Eliquate Official Sites:


www.eliquate.com
www.facebook.com/eliquate
www.twitter.com/eliquate
www.youtube.com/eliquate
www.soundcloud.com/eliquate - Spot On Magazine

Great new interview with Indie/HipHop band Eliquate about their new sing, “New Country.”
“If all we have are dreams, then dream big,” spits Elliot Wright, frontman and philosopher for the five-piece, California Beat Rock troubadours, Eliquate, on their latest EP, Who The F*ck is Eliquate? Packing an arsenal of rhymes that range from satirical social commentary and inner-soul searching to all-out, shake-your-ass-‘til-the floor-is-wet jams, Eliquate’s music has been charging parties up and down the West Coast since 2009. In that time span, they’ve graced the stage with underground royalty such as Murs, Del the Funky Homosapien, Zion-I, and RJD2 just to name a few. But, who the f*ck is Eliquate anyway?
Unlike most MCs, Wright didn’t start writing until later in his life. His love for words pushed him to jot down more than just lyrics but meaningful messages for Wright’s peers to think about and connect with. The next piece of the puzzle would fall into place when a friend told him about a guy who was making beats that he might want to connect with. Wright met beat-maker and soon-to-be Eliquate guitarist, Jamie Schnetzler, one day as Schnetzler was eating some questionable-looking Chinese food. As Wright tells it, “I asked him if it was any good, he said, ‘yes.’ I tried it, it was, and I’ve trusted him ever since.”
The dream would continue to grow over the next year with the addition of bass-slappin’ sounds by Cosmo Stevens, the pounding beats of Dan Wells and Tanner Christiansen’s blend of samples and keyboard. In 2010 Eliquate released their first album, Arch Rhythm, perfecting their sound by tapping into a social consciousness greater than any of their individual selves. “We wanted it to be party music with a purpose,” claims Schnetzler.
Drawing influence from all musical styles, the creative quintet build an energetic, live performance that is second to none. On any given night, Eliquate will break from convention and bust into an improvised jam with Wright free-styling on the mic to every audience’s amusement. That’s where Eliquate’s real power lies: they’ll hook anyone on the dance floor with their passionate melodies and create fans with their ingenuity and insightful lyrics.
So, who the f*ck is Eliquate? Well, now you know. They are a powerful mix of music and message currently rocking down doors on their Northwest Tour. But the final question remains: what does the future hold for our gang of intellectual deviants? Two words: dream big
Why did you select this song as your current single?
We selected “New Country” because we felt it stood out from the album, and when I showed the album to my Dad, it was his favorite song. It crosses genre lines, and has a message we felt a lot of different demographics could relate to.
How does this single relate to the rest of the Album, EP or Mix-tape?
Because the album is about the disintegration of the middle class, and excepting ones position in life for what it is in a effort to stay present, I felt the theme of encouragement and the power of words was a nice addition to that narrative.
What was the writing process for the song?
The lyrics were written while I was sitting in a lit class in college, I assume I was in the process of ignoring a lecture about the very issues the song presents. As for the music, Jamie Schnetzler had written the main melody and chord progression, giving it it’s name “New Country” because it felt like a hip-hop country song that sounded nothing like Nappy Roots, Bubba Sparks, or Gangstergrass. Eventually, we introduced it to the practice studio and it became the song it is today.
What does this song’s lyric mean to you?
I think it’s important to acknowledge the importance of the words we choose to use with one another. We underestimate how much our vocabulary defines the way we interact with the world around us. This song also is about how beneficial a kind word can be at times of need, and how words can be used to bring us all together or tear us apart.
What would it be like to see you in person performing this song?
Because this song is a bit more rock influenced, when we play it live, it is much like a sample of a punk show. It is not a far cry to see a mosh pit break out every so often- (depending on the crowd). A more mellow crowd might be more inclined to dance and keep the beat with a simple foot tap. Ether way, it is a song that always leaves us with some sweaty t-shirts after were done.
Could your fans summarize who you are as an artist by this song?
Because it showcases our versatility, I think it could be used as a good example if our sound. The contrast between a driving pace and a smoother more melodic rhythm, shows that we draw influence from an eclectic background.
Is there a video planned and or completed and if so, what was the idea behind the video?
The video is two geezers playing golf (rather myself and my friend Sam in old man masks) at the last hole they decide that instead of finishing the round, that they are going to hit the ball off the course and enjoy an impromptu tour of Santa Cruz. It’s a buddy film, used to articulate the themes of encouragement as well as a tribute to the city that has been so kind to us.
One last question, what is your motivation behind your music?
Nothing gets me out of a bad head space like hearing a song I love, I guess all I am really after is to be able to contribute to that. That and I have always loved unloading my opinion on people (for better or worse) and music gives me a less abrasive and imposing means to do that. - Imoveilive.com

Eliquate is a live indie / hip hop group based out of Santa Cruz, CA. Simply put they are comprised of Elliot Wright(Emcee), Jamie Schnetzler(Guitar), Cosmo Stevens(Bass), and Dan Wells(Drums). Once they get on stage however, no one stays put and nothing stays simple for long. The band blends the live instrumentation and DIY energy of an old school punk show with the clever samples and passionate connection of an intimate Hip-Hop set. Whether you like to think, dance, or just watch, this spectacle leaves the night open for your interpretation.Blending Hip-Hop production and ethics with the high energy of an amped-up rock show, the group turns any venue into an engaging and intelligent party.

Eliquate recently released a music video for their track “Elliot is Untitled” on their mix-tape Patchworks Vol. II (2013). The video, which was directed by Michael Daniel, released 5/12/2014 and is available on Eliquate’s official YouTube. From Elliot Wright (MC of Eliquate), "With the help of friend Chance Random, "Elliot is Untitled" was recorded one night in Seattle during Eliquate's last NorthWest tour. It's a song about perpetual adolescence, accompanied by a great video made by Michael Daniel. Hope you enjoy".

In addition to ACWAE, Eliquate has released another album - Arch Rhythm (2010) – and three EPs – Who The F**k Is Eliquate (2012), Patchworks, Vol.1 (2013) and Patchworks ,Vol. 2 (2013) since 2009. Over the next few months, Eliquate will be performing a number of shows throughout Northern California while prepping their next EP, Patchworks, Vol. 3 - set for a summer/fall release.

For more information on Eliquate, make sure to visit their official site and Facebook. - Boogie Boards Productions.com

Aside from having great lyrics that are thought-provoking and relatable, what makes the Santa Cruz band Eliquate so unique is its sound. Each member of the Santa Cruz local group takes influence from artists from all kinds of backgrounds. Red Hot Chili Peppers, James Murphy’s LCD Soundsystem and Atmosphere have all had some effect on the band’s unique beat.

Elliot Wright, the group’s lead vocalist, says he even grabs inspiration from performance poets such as Buddy Wakefield. Because they don’t conform to one genre of music it makes it difficult to define exactly what kind of band they are. Despite that the one thing we can say about Eliquate is that they’ve got swag.

Wright describes Eliquate as a “blue collar” band: “Everything we do and make is off the sweat off our backs.”

Before Eliquate was formed, Wright sold mix tapes on the street for a dollar. It wasn’t until 2009 when guitarist Jamie Schnetzler, drummer Daniel Wells, bassist Cosmo Stevens and Tanner Christansen, a specialist in keyboard and samples, would come together to form the group that is known today as Eliquate.

“Eliquate basically started in my old apartment,” says Wright, “it happened so naturally.” Thomas Dawson, a friend Wright met through water polo and would become Eliquate’s manager, was also an integral part to the band’s formation.

Now Eliquate meets four days a week at a shared art compound near Costco.

“It’s basically four walls and a door,” says Wright. All of the members have day jobs, but as Wright explains “there is a difference between what you do for a living and what you do for money…it’s nice to have consistent passion.”

Since 2009 the band has produced four albums with a new one in the works. The group mainly tours in California but last year the group did its first national tour that stretched out all the way to Boston and back.

Come March the group is going on a southwest tour through Southern California, Arizona and New Mexico with a possibility of hitting Texas and Colorado. The new album will be released after the tour possibly in summer of 2014.

The upcoming album (Wright explains the creative process hasn’t allowed for a title yet) is being made through “a very different process,” than previous albums. “Our first album was done primarily with beats being made,” says Wright, “It was almost as if we were an Eliquate cover band…(with the new album) we’re consciously trying to get everyone back to their own instruments for the best sound possible,” and he adds to create a more “dynamic” sound.

Each album from their first, Arch Rhythms, to their latest project,Patchworks, produces a different feel than the last.

Wright explains their album Who the F*ck is Eliquate?, released in 2011, is a collaboration of “fun party songs,” whereasPatchworks, their current project, was a product of just wanting to “rap and make beats.”

“We call it soul food,” he says.

The new album takes a more narrative approach where lyrics tell stories and moments are given “significance where (they) normally would go unnoticed.” Wright laughs and reluctantly admits his love for stories which brings moments alive that can “evoke an emotion or the ability to relate.” Which brings us to the next dynamic of Eliquate: their brilliance in lyrical story-telling and, for lack of a better word, satirical commentary on the bullshit.

Here are some great lyrics:

A part of me is harvesting because marketing is gardening.

In a world where bad can turn a million and get paid then hell who knows what I can do just being OK, from ”Potential (or not)” from Patchworks.

I’ve had moments of clarity and moments of confusion, moments of despair that lead to moments of conclusions, “self deprecation” from Patchworks.



Still I rock a smile more than I think I need to, to keep you smiling even if mine is see-through, also from “self deprecation”.

In this life there are customers and employees/ customers get the benefit of being naive never being aware that they are constantly being sold shit/ distracted by the merchandise they only want to hold they identify with the brands and fancy advertisement/used to the fact that personality on consignment /all is fine inside the world/no nothings is for them to find/ it’s all face value and they don’t really seem to mind/ignorance is bliss but it’s still ignorance/while they buy into the cost of obliviousness“–”Customer and Employees” from A Chalkboard’s War Against Erasers

Although most of Eliquate’s music has a fun rhythm that evokes a bob-your-head-to-the-beat kind of flow, if you take closer listen you’ll find that the lyrics have a lot more to give than the initial instinct to dance.

Wright is the main lyricist although everyone in the group contributes to the writing process. Wright says their music takes on a “Trojan horse effect” where the beat is entertaining but the lyrics surprise the listener with intellectual merit. He explains that once the listener can “take time to reflect on it…the moral is able to be more effective.”

A lot of Eliquate’s lyrical content has to do with “ranting,” says Wright. Wright’s inspiration can come from the criticism he feels when watching shows like TMZ or the media in general: “you have just all these smart ass comments in your head…(while you’re) observing the world.” He says the writing process and lyrics represent the “alter ego that is allowed to be opinionated and vocal.”

Eliquate’s musical style has the ability to appeal to rockers, rappers and poetic writers. They’re funky, fun and philosophical all at the same without being forced or faked: the content is raw and the flow is on point. With all of the shoddy artists that are making it big in the music world today, Eliquate’s “blue collar approach” and lyrical expertise give modern listeners a band they can respect not only because they sound awesome but because they have attitude and heart.

Eliquate will be performing live at the Milk Bar in San Francisco on January 4th. Members Elliot Wright and Jamie Schnetzler are planning on releasing a mixtape on December 17th. If you would like to know more about Eliquate follow the links below to download and listen to their music. - Santa Cruz Patch

An Interview With Eliquate frontman Elliot Wright
It’s a Sunday evening in the Fine City as I sit down to conduct my interview with Elliot Wright, singer and lyricist behind up and coming Santa Cruz hip-hop-rock band Eliquate. At half 8 in the evening, it seems likely that Elliot is hardly awake (11:30 am on a Sunday and I’m usually still asleep), but I find him in lively spirits. We talk British beer (great), UK rock music (the best) and Gordon Ramsey (they love him). We even touch on Mel Gibson (Australian?), Bono (douchy-sunglasses, of course) and Brighton beach (nothing like California) before remembering the real reason we’re here – to talk about Eliquate, their latest album and the plans they’ve got for 2014.

The first topic we come to is, inevitably, their sound. Labelled as alternative hip-hop, rap-rock, indie and underground, Eliquate create a melting pot of socially aware but uplifting and enjoyable genres, touching on jam band rock and, as I mention (having watched footage of their live shows), good old fashioned punk rock.

“I think most kids, most guys or girls my age, went through a post-punk phase,” Elliot muses. “I think at some point we all went through it and, being from the Bay Area, punk was always part of the music out there when I was younger. And something that the punk scene and the hip-hop scene have in common is that it is really like a community – and whether you’re discovering cool rap that you connect with or cool electronic music, it just sorta opens a whole new window.”



There must be something in the water in California’s Bay Area, famous for its ever-growing list of home-grown talent: from the classic and alternative rock of Primus, The Grateful Dead and Faith No More to the punk and hip-hop of Green Day and 2Pac. With a list like that lying around to inspire and instil an appreciation of good music, it’s no wonder that bands continue to develop.

“Honestly, Santa Cruz is a really terrific place for us to be from. We’re kind of DIY, off the beaten path, doing our own thing, which is very similar to how Santa Cruz is. It’s like — we’re weird, it’s weird. It just works out.”

So how can a band like Eliquate be heard over the noise and buzz of the bigger, more saturated cities whose musical legends are, well, legendary? For Elliot, the answer is simple.

“The internet has taken a lot of power out of the big cities. Back in the day, to make it you had to make it in NY, Chicago, LA, but nowadays, it’s more a matter of just getting it to people, and we’ve honestly found more success in smaller towns. People are more interested in getting behind something because rarely do artists or bands come out to them. Also, bands are more inclined to want other bands to succeed, whereas sometimes in the bigger cities there more of a competitive nature behind it, which defeats the whole point of creative expression and bringing people together.”



It’s hard not to agree that the internet has effectively shrunk the world. Through the likes of Facebook, Twitter and in this case Tumblr, the gap between Norwich, UK and Santa Cruz, USA is as minor as an eight-hour time difference and an uncooperative webcam.

“Look at what Rhymesayers did out of Minneapolis,” Elliot continues. “It’s never really been much of a hip-hop hub, but now because they were able to get through the web and get across the US, they were able to have a major impact on hip-hop, and to make Minneapolis a hub. What we’ve been able to do is travel around, sort of pirate style, and bring a little bit of the Santa Cruz ethic/style/whateveryouwannacallit around the US and focus on playing smaller towns.”

So whilst the benefits of breaking a major city are obvious, it seems like the Santa Cruz scene is alive and well, and Elliot has no shortage of local talent to recommend.

“Our buddies, Boostive – we’ve been friends with, and playing with them for a long time. They’re kind of reggae, but a bit more like dance – they call it reggae-hop. Also Wooster’s always been good friends of ours, and a really talented bunch of musicians in Santa Cruz.”

The list goes on: MC Rubberlegs, Sounds From The Cave, Feral Fauna,Forrest Day…



“A lot of them actually have hip-hop undertones. They’re are all kind of different in their own way, but I’ve always come from the mindset that’s there’s only two types of music: good music and bad music.”

Good music, it transpires, can be found in some unexpected places.

“Shortly after that What The Fox Says song came out we did an epic battle acoustic version of it. We’ve also covered Backstreet Boys,Larger Than Life – if you listen to the lyrics that song is kinda sad. And extremely hard to sing. That’s another thing I can say, having covered the Backstreet Boys – those guys are fucking talented. Even if it was all processing, I mean… Jesus.”

The ‘inspiration can be found anywhere’ ethic has been present from the outset. Since 2007, Eliquate has grown from a solo act to a group effort, taking in new experiences and influences along the way.

“[Debut album] Arch Rhythm happened before we really got the band fully assembled. It was basically Jamie [Schnetzler, producer] making the beats – he wrote most of the leads and then the band would learn how to play them.



To use James Murphy’s quote, with Arch Rhythm, we were like an Eliquate cover band, whereas [latest album] A Chalkboard’s War Against Erasers we wrote together as a band, and everybody played their own part for the album, so we got to dive in a little bit more of everybody’s musical influences.”

Chalkboard’s… is certainly a much more diverse beast, with (in this interviewer’s opinion) an overall richer sound to it.

“We recorded Arch Rhythm in Jamie’s closet, with a microphone and a sock over a coat hanger. With Chalkboard’s…, we actually went into a studio; had help with the more technical aspects of recording an album, making it actually professional.”

And there’s a brand new video out too.

“New Country is about the power of words and encouragement – of being told you’re doing a good job every once in a while. Since we couldn’t really show that through any sort of dialogue, the approach was two old geezers playing golf and, the corny metaphor here is, that before they end their game, they take a second to go enjoy the finer things, and just live. It’s about getting through those parts of life – you know, take some time to enjoy. Enjoy what you’re doing, enjoy the game… take the long way round.”



The video looks great, and, it sends out a message that we would all do well to remember from time to time. But whilst Eliquate’s music is full of message and metaphor, can it – and music in general – really make a difference to society?

“Absolutely, I think it can” Elliot enthuses. “Music can have what I call a Trojan horse effect, where you get people’s attention by entertaining them, and then you use that attention to spread a message. It is sort of the responsibility of an artist to be accountable for what they’re saying and the message that they’re portraying.

Imagine if candy was really good for you. There’s the initial seduction of the sugar, something enjoyable to have fun with, and then there’s all the fortified vitamins and everything that actually serves your body well – a.k.a. the words and emotions of music. Ultimately it can make you a better person if done right. To me that’s one of the most humbling and awesome things of being able to play, being able to make music, and such a feeling of gratitude that I can’t describe. I’m just so fucking happy that it exists.”



Too many artists lose sight of what is true and the real reasons they are doing what they are doing, but Elliot has been writing for a long time, and he was putting pen to paper a long while before he started recording. But the idea of being a rockstar was always in the back of his mind.

“Everybody wants to be in a band. I think it’s every kids fantasy. But I don’t take myself seriously. I take the craft seriously. I never wanted to be famous rapper, I just wanna be a good rapper. I was told by somebody very wise that the thing you think about the most often is probably the thing you wanna do with your life. The first time I recorded a song I sat down and spent 16 hours straight just working on it and maybe got up three times, to pee or drink water or something. It’s the one time I’ve ever done that and to this day I’ve never found that kind of joy in anything else.”

That commitment has really paid off, and now the desire is pushing Eliquate further, with 2014 shaping up to be a very busy year. They hope to release Arch Rhythm on vinyl (though Elliot prefers MP3 – “I know, it’s so hypocritical”), shoot at least seven more videos and get the Patchworks mixtape series completed.



Now the moon has fully risen over UK skies and the midday sun will be staring down on California. This meeting of two worlds has been great, another testament to the importance of the internet in bridging the gap between communities. Before I settle down in front of a few episodes of Breaking Bad, I round off by asking what Elliot has in store for his Sunday…

“Honestly? I’m just gonna smoke and watch Breaking Bad.”

And with that, there’s been another bridge built right over the Atlantic.




Tumblr Blog Post: ceolcanoe: http://ceolcanoe.tumblr.com/post/79057920751 - ceolcanoe

By Jessica Schlegemilch

Aside from having great lyrics that are thought-provoking and relatable, what makes the Santa Cruz band Eliquate so unique is its sound. Each member of the Santa Cruz local group takes influence from artists from all kinds of backgrounds. Red Hot Chili Peppers, James Murphy’s LCD Soundsystem and Atmosphere have all had some effect on the band’s unique beat.

Elliot Wright, the group's lead vocalist, says he even grabs inspiration from performance poets such as Buddy Wakefield. Because they don’t conform to one genre of music it makes it difficult to define exactly what kind of band they are. Despite that the one thing we can say about Eliquate is that they’ve got swag.

Wright describes Eliquate as a “blue collar” band: “Everything we do and make is off the sweat off our backs.”

Before Eliquate was formed, Wright sold mix tapes on the street for a dollar. It wasn’t until 2009 when guitarist Jamie Schnetzler, drummer Daniel Wells, bassist Cosmo Stevens and Tanner Christansen, a specialist in keyboard and samples, would come together to form the group that is known today as Eliquate.

“Eliquate basically started in my old apartment,” says Wright, “it happened so naturally.” Thomas Dawson, a friend Wright met through water polo and would become Eliquate’s manager, was also an integral part to the band’s formation.

Now Eliquate meets four days a week at a shared art compound near Costco.

“It's basically four walls and a door,” says Wright. All of the members have day jobs, but as Wright explains “there is a difference between what you do for a living and what you do for money…it’s nice to have consistent passion.”

Since 2009 the band has produced four albums with a new one in the works. The group mainly tours in California but last year the group did its first national tour that stretched out all the way to Boston and back.

Come March the group is going on a southwest tour through Southern California, Arizona and New Mexico with a possibility of hitting Texas and Colorado. The new album will be released after the tour possibly in summer of 2014.

The upcoming album (Wright explains the creative process hasn’t allowed for a title yet) is being made through “a very different process,” than previous albums. “Our first album was done primarily with beats being made,” says Wright, “It was almost as if we were an Eliquate cover band…(with the new album) we’re consciously trying to get everyone back to their own instruments for the best sound possible,” and he adds to create a more “dynamic” sound.

Each album from their first, Arch Rhythms, to their latest project, Patchworks, produces a different feel than the last.

Wright explains their album Who the F*ck is Eliquate?, released in 2011, is a collaboration of “fun party songs,” whereas Patchworks, their current project, was a product of just wanting to “rap and make beats."

“We call it soul food,” he says.

The new album takes a more narrative approach where lyrics tell stories and moments are given “significance where (they) normally would go unnoticed.” Wright laughs and reluctantly admits his love for stories which brings moments alive that can “evoke an emotion or the ability to relate.” Which brings us to the next dynamic of Eliquate: their brilliance in lyrical story-telling and, for lack of a better word, satirical commentary on the bullshit.

Here are some great lyrics:

A part of me is harvesting because marketing is gardening.

In a world where bad can turn a million and get paid then hell who knows what I can do just being OK, from "Potential (or not)" from Patchworks.

I've had moments of clarity and moments of confusion, moments of despair that lead to moments of conclusions, "self deprecation" from Patchworks.

Still I rock a smile more than I think I need to, to keep you smiling even if mine is see-through, also from "self deprecation".

In this life there are customers and employees/ customers get the benefit of being naive never being aware that they are constantly being sold shit/ distracted by the merchandise they only want to hold they identify with the brands and fancy advertisement/used to the fact that personality on consignment /all is fine inside the world/no nothings is for them to find/ it's all face value and they don't really seem to mind/ignorance is bliss but it's still ignorance/while they buy into the cost of obliviousness"--"Customer and Employees" from A Chalkboard's War Against Erasers

Although most of Eliquate’s music has a fun rhythm that evokes a bob-your-head-to-the-beat kind of flow, if you take closer listen you’ll find that the lyrics have a lot more to give than the initial instinct to dance. - Patch

“A lot of attention is given to the ‘best of the best’ or the ‘worst of the worst,’” says Elliot Wright, frontman and lyricist for Eliquate, about the group’s debut full-length, A Chalkboard’s War Against Erasers, which drops this week. “But a majority of people don’t fall under either of those categories, so our album is a celebration of the average person.”

For those who haven’t heard the name Eliquate, here’s a recap: The five-piece group has been rocking the Santa Cruz music scene since 2009, blending hip-hop, funk, rock, punk and everything in between for a sound that is truly all their own.

“Every single show, we have someone telling us they love our ska/reggae sound,” laughs guitar player and beat-maker Jamie Schnetzler. “Then the next person says it’s a great mix of hip-hop and jazz. And I think, ‘Wait, you guys were at the same show?’”

Schnetzler and Wright met at a mutual friend’s house, where Schnetzler was eating some questionable looking Chinese food.

“I asked him if it was any good,” Wright remembers, “He said, ‘yes.’ I tried it, it was, and I’ve trusted him ever since.”

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The two began collaborating on several tracks, quickly incorporating Dan Wells on drums, Cosmo Stevens on bass and, later, Tanner Christiansen on keyboards.

Over the next several years, Eliquate built their name playing shows around Santa Cruz, opening for underground hip-hop giants such as Murs, Zion I and RJD2.

They have since played several sold-out shows at the Catalyst (including the Santa Cruz Music Festival in July), a couple West Coast tours and finished their first national tour earlier this year. Not bad for a fledgling band whose first recording was a five-track EP released in January 2012.

“Being out on the road really reminds you what life, and living, are all about,” explains Wells from behind his drum kit. “Which goes back to the album. We have a very short amount of time in life, and in the long run we are very insignificant. However, that short amount of time is all we get.”

One wouldn’t expect a hip-hop/funk/rock album by a bunch of post-college 20-somethings from the Digital Generation to be a mind-teaser about the philosophy of syntax, literature, perseverance and the moments of self-deprecation before the inner Phoenix rises again. Yet, ACWAE is tightly packed with tune after tune that demands and rewards active listening.

Take, for example, the should-be-a-single track, “Stanley Yelnats.” Named for the main character in the children’s book-turned-movie Holes, it features Wright spitting out a matrix of metaphors about filling the holes in our lives with passion, persistence and pride, interweaving the soothing chorus of “I hate to say it but I think it’s going to be ok” throughout the melody and finally ending with the jarring line, “The walk of a thousand miles starts with the first setback.”

“That was originally written for my Soundcloud,” says Wright. “And it was a campy, Toy Machine-esque, minimalist song.”

“Then we took it into the studio and realized all the different capabilities we had in a professional studio,” Stevens continues. “That’s when this song went into a more complex direction.”

“Having read Holes 50 times in my childhood, it’s nice to know that wasn’t completely for nothing,” Wright chuckles.

With such a wide variety of influences, an Eliquate show equates to an archeological excavation of sounds. The band builds layer upon layer of sound, with the musicians playing along but still exploring their own spaces in a page taken from the jam band playbook. Sampled beats, keys, guitars and percussion progressively build upon and work with each other, keeping the party going all night long. It’s a truly “live” experience, but that often doesn’t translate well when recorded. So the guys went to Prairie Sun Recording Studios in Cotati, Calif. to capture their sound.

“It was literally on a chicken farm,” describes Wells. “But it’s this old style recording studio where everyone from Paul McCartney to Primus has recorded at. Plus, they had a grand piano which we took full advantage of.”

To celebrate A Chalkboard’s War Against Erasers, Eliquate’s record release party will this Friday, August 23 on the Catalyst’s Main Stage. Keeping with their DIY, underground esthetics, local musicians Boostive will be opening along with Forrest Day, Rubberlegs & Daoud Anthony, and Alwa Gordon.

“In the end,” Schnetzler says, “this is the first real showcasing of what we can do, and what we will do. This is us.”

Eliquate plays the Catalyst in Santa Cruz on Friday, Aug 23.

- See more at: http://www.santacruz.com/ae/articles/2013/08/20/eliquate_drops_debut_album#sthash.kBwi6pPh.dpuf - Santa Cruz Weekly (SantaCruz.com)

“If all we have are dreams, then dream big,” spits Elliot Wright, frontman and philosopher for the five-piece, California Beat Rock troubadours, Eliquate, on their latest EP, Who The F*ck is Eliquate? Packing an arsenal of rhymes that range from satirical social commentary and inner-soul searching to all-out, shake-your-ass-‘til-the floor-is-wet jams, Eliquate’s music has been charging parties up and down the West Coast since 2009. In that time span, they’ve graced the stage with underground royalty such as Murs, Del the Funky Homosapien, Zion-I, and RJD2 just to name a few. But, who the f*ck is Eliquate anyway?

Unlike most MCs, Wright didn’t start writing until later in his life. His love for words pushed him to jot down more than just lyrics but meaningful messages for Wright’s peers to think about and connect with. The next piece of the puzzle would fall into place when a friend told him about a guy who was making beats that he might want to connect with. Wright met beat-maker and soon-to-be Eliquate guitarist, Jamie Schnetzler, one day as Schnetzler was eating some questionable-looking Chinese food. As Wright tells it, “I asked him if it was any good, he said, ‘yes.’ I tried it, it was, and I’ve trusted him ever since.”

The dream would continue to grow over the next year with the addition of bass-slappin’ sounds by Cosmo Stevens, the pounding beats of Dan Wells and Tanner Christiansen’s blend of samples and keyboard. In 2010 Eliquate released their first album, Arch Rhythm, perfecting their sound by tapping into a social consciousness greater than any of their individual selves. “We wanted it to be party music with a purpose,” claims Schnetzler. Drawing influence from all musical styles, the creative quintet build an energetic, live performance that is second to none. On any given night, Eliquate will break from convention and bust into an improvised jam with Wright free-styling on the mic to every audience’s amusement. That’s where Eliquate’s real power lies: they’ll hook anyone on the dance floor with their passionate melodies and create fans with their ingenuity and insightful lyrics. So, who the f*ck is Eliquate? Well, now you know. They are a powerful mix of music and message currently rocking down doors on their Northwest Tour. But the final question remains: what does the future hold for our gang of intellectual deviants? Two words: dream big.

"Going on our first tour was definitely one of my proudest moments, not so much because of what it accomplished, but because of what it meant to us. We limped up the West Coast on a broken radiator and no (as in none) money, but we never gave up. Despite the bus almost catching on fire, and also never really working to begin with, equipment that barely passed, and no source of income - we still managed to pull it off."

popVLTR: You've been making moves in Santa Cruz, how'd you get into music? Eliquate: Both of my parents have had a strong appreciation for music, and it was always a big part of everything we did. My Mom used to sing a lot of Joni Mitchell and Cat Stevens-esque songs to me as a kid, and my Dad would always present songs in a semi-academic way. We would be on long drives or just hanging out listening to records, and my old man would always do his best to set the setting it was recorded in and the underlying themes of the lyrics. When my folks split up, I used that escape of diving into songs as a way to formulate some sort of identity. I never really learned how to play an instrument, so the best way I thought to contribute was to writing lyrics. I recorded my first song while at Santa Rosa Junior College, being a part of what I like to call “the Garage Band Renaissance.” - College age kids introduced to simplified home recording platforms, and launching music career attempts based on remedial musical knowledge. I started playing house parties, open mic’s, and local showcases quickly after recording those songs. Though this was fun, it wasn’t until I moved to Santa Cruz and got together with the band that it got serious. I would try and guilt my friends into coming to see these shows with fifteen other acts. They would have to wait up to three hours to see us play for fifteen minutes set. Eventually our crews of friends grew to a point that promoters and others artists could see the building momentum behind the band. This made the promoters inclined to push the band to play later, so our crowds would stick around longer. Loyal as they are, they would stick around and the shows were always a lot of fun, and we thank them for that. However, once I saw that people were actually coming out to shows because they wanted to, and not just because they felt bad, I realized that this might actually work if we worked hard enough.

popVLTR: Congrats on 'A Chalkboard’s War Against Erasers', who are some of your influences? Eliquate: I tend to be drawn to people who make it in their own way, so essentially get famous - PopVulture Entertainment Network

Elliot Wright, the mastermind behind local hip-hop outfit Eliquate, has discovered that a live performance becomes especially explosive when combined with the lyrical swagger of sharp rhymes. What started out as a two-man operation—himself and producer/guitarist Jamie Schnetzler—evolved into something greater after the pair ran into technical difficulties at a show. With a broken iPod and no song to play over, Wright, “basically turned to the guys, and said, ‘play a groove in [the key of] G.’” Schnetzler and two sit-in musicians ended up improvising the rest of the show, giving Wright the opportunity to freestyle all night. He had the time of his life, and has been liberated from the shackles of digital beats ever since—fans have been responding too, with crowds multiplying since the group became a five-man band. Wright attributes Eliquate’s success to the Santa Cruz music scene. “It’s a very encouraging place to be a musician because there’s a real sense of community and enthusiasm,” he says, adding that people here “don’t bullshit … if they don’t like something they’ll tell you.” To Wright and his bandmates—bassist Cosmo Stevens, drummer Dan Wells, and keyboardist Justin Mosley—that candor is refreshing and necessary. The group’s inspiration, which Wright traces from The Red Hot Chili Peppers, to comic books and science fiction, to P-Funk, to John Bonham of Led Zeppelin, can be heard on Eliquate’s upcoming album to be released this spring. Asked how their new songs will compare to those on the band’s first album, Arch Rhythm, Wright says, “They’re gonna be a lot different. We’ll finish songs, step back and say, ‘What the f**k was that?’ It’s a very exciting challenge, but it’s still gonna keep the same Eliquate sound.” - Good Times

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