Tracing elements of their origins back to the 1990s, Los Angeles-based psych soul outfit Orgōne — currently Sergio Rios (guitar), Adryon de León (vocals), Dan Hastie (keyboards), Sam Halterman (drums) and Dale Jennings (bass) –is a pillar of the contemporary West Coast soul music scene, developing and maintaining a reputation for being an unmissable touring band for more than a decade, thanks in part to their arresting intensity, impeccable playing style and undeniable, irresistible chemistry.
2023 has been a busy year for the Los Angeles-based outfit: They were the studio backing band for JOVM mainstays Say She She‘s critically applauded sophomore album Silver. They then backed the JOVM mainstays on their wildly successful world tour. As the year is coming to a close, the members of Orgōne announced that they’ll be releasing their Sergio Rios-produced 15th album, Chimera.
Slated for a February 9, 2024 release through 3 Palm Records, the album’s title is derived from a mythical beast the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a serpent. Sonically, the album’s material weaves voodoo soul, thrumming Afro funk and psych rock and evokes a dreamlike odyssey, tripping through the hazy swamps of New Orleans, and features contributions from vocalists Jamie Allensworth, Terin Ector, and Congolese artist Mermans “Mofaya” Mosengo.
“The album really took form organically. It’s raw and dark with a hopeful thread throughout that’s highlighted by the incredible soul singers we work with,” the band’s Sergio Rios says of the album. “There’s a looseness to most of the cuts, giving the album the feeling of a shadowy dream.”
Chimera‘s latest single “Lies & Games” is a heart-wrenching lament that pairs Terin Ector’s soulful and yearning delivery with a slow-burning, 70s soul-inspired arrangement of vintage spacey synths, a sinuous bass line, some grimy rhythm guitar and Wailers-inspired backing vocals. While sonically channeling the severely under-appreciated Mandrill, in particular songs like “I Refuse to Smile” “House of Wood” and others, the song speaks of the rocky and uncertain road of forgiveness and redemption with a seemingly Biblical air.
