By Sean Maldjian, Contributor

Meet Dane.Zone

If you have been looking for tunes that are atmospheric, percussive, and earnest might I suggest checking out Dane.Zone. The solo project of NYC based Dane Orr was the perfect soundscape to accompany me on my walk home in the snow. In our latest interview we chat with Dane about quarantine, dogs, and gear.

“BICYCLE RIDING” a fill in the blank with Dane.Zone

Most doctors agree that bicycle PLUCKING is a MUDDY form of exercise that benefits FACTS of all ages. Riding a bicycle enables you to develop your FINGER NAIL muscles as well as QUIETLY increase the rate of your FOOT beat. Bicycle riding is also a SHINING means of DOG. More BAGS around the world GLANCE.bicycles than drive ROCKETS. No matter what kind of RECORD PLAYER you ride, always be sure to wear a BODEGA on your head and have reflectors on your EAR, especially if you FREEZE at night.

Would you rater

your favorite restaurant is modified to have massage chairs that are on at all times, or there is a clown in there doing clown things at all times? Please explain why.

Definitely massage chairs. Because although yes, I may grow tired and ticklish of the massage chair, the alternate sounds quite unsettling.

Some questions with Dane.Zone

Has the work you did with Sonnymoon influenced your work under dane.zone?

Of course. I learned so much doing the Sonnymoon project. Trial by fire in a sense. I always loved this concept for composing: what’s the music that YOU really want to hear? What do you compose when you get to make all the choices? what would you do a little different from your heroes? what would you do the exact same? Whatever it adds up to, THAT’s the music you should give to the world. dane.zone came from having a bunch of musical ideas that never quite aligned with other artists or writers I collaborated with. I worked for almost a decade just supporting other artists before doing my own thing. Over time I’d have these ideas and it was like oh Nah that wouldn’t really work for this person and wouldn’t work for this person so I’ll keep it tucked away. Over time that kinda helped define the approach I was going for. All the extra bits ended up getting funneled into dane.zone, which in turn grew legs and walks on its own.

What's going on in the Dane.Zone?

Music is life & life is music.

I wake up every day blessed to touch instruments and dial in sounds. I like to keep a fair amount of different creative projects on my plate. I’m working on finishing an album of my own, which is slow going but is definitely coming. I am lucky to often produce/mix/master for awesome artists like Buz, Nappy Nina, Quinton Brock; or with songwriters Lindsay Lucas & Angelis ….man…. watch out for their names in the credits of like….everybody …soon. I collaborate on production a lot with my homie Zeke Mishanec who goes by Cream Wallo. We grew up together in Schenectady, NY. With him, I produce for a slew of great rappers such as Soduh and A$AP Twelvyy. You gotta keep the music flowing man, it will bless you.

How has the current quarantine impacted your creative process?

It’s really only turned the heat up for me. It’s been my own little incubator and I feel like my collaborators have gotten more serious about their craft. It really sucks not being able to perform, and I also feel for the large number of folks in our industry who are out of work without stages being lit. People are really creative and resilient tho and that is very inspiring to me. You can call me an optimist. I’m also very much a studio dweller so its not been that abnormal for me. I did use some of the extra time to get into the visual side a bit more and have been fun making visual work in Blender to accompany my music.

Are you a dog person or a cat person? Neither?

I’ve had both and I’d have to say I’m a dog person. I just got my first dog of my own named Jaco after the amazing artist and bassist Jaco Pastorius. The emotional connection you can form with a dog is unlike any other. Cats are warriors tho, mad respect to cats. I’m an animal person.

What is the last book you read? How was it?

I’m always reading a bunch of things very slowly. I last finished “The Fall” by Albert Camus. Fun quick lil read. The whole book is a one sided conversation with this schmuck who likes to talk about himself too much. I think creative unusual literary vehicles like that are really cool.

What was the creative drive behind your 2020 single “[un]tied”?

I’ve had that beat since 2017 and I think it was too weird for everybody else but I just started experimenting with it and was kinda pulled towards writing about feeling tied to responsibilities and needing money and how that affects relationships and our own drive to do things etc. With my songwriting I’ve noticed I’ll take tangible ideas or things and end up making them poetically vague somehow.

What gear was essential in finding your musical voice as a producer?

Definitely the Roland SP-555. I bought one because I was interested in being able to perform in alternative situations vs just playing the sax at the time. I didn’t even understand how it worked fully for years but I knew the sounds I got when I put any random audio source thru the effects was fire. I’ve always kept it around and kept at it. It’s still one of like 4 pieces of gear I use.

Any final comments? (This is your electronic soapbox for one last answer.)

Eat more vegetables. Get more exercise. Stretch more. Practice Empathy.