Blending elements of neo-psych rock with lavish, dream pop melodies, Phase Materia attracts listeners like hallucinatory moths. Their orchestral keyboards swirl around intricate guitars, while a harmonic bass leaps from the rhythmic scaffolding.

Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.

Owen Shartle plays guitar and handles technology, Dustin Cain plays bass, Austin Smith plays drums and sings, and Connor Smith sings and plays guitar. 

For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to Phase Materia? How long has the band been around?

We’ve all played together in many other projects and formations, but there are almost too many to mention. Dustin and Connor met through a former band called The Changing Light, whose members eventually went on to form Cave Paint who is still creating today. Otherwise, brothers Austin and Connor have been writing together since junior high school, along with Owen Shartle and our original bass player, Kody Brown. As Phase Materia, we’ve only been around for under a year, but some of the concepts for this latest record go back up to 8 years or so. Austin also has a solo project called Gypsen Jung, and Dustin plays in other Lancaster local bands called Denny Zinger and Atomic Lovecraft. 

What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?

The name Phase Materia reflects on an idea Connor and Austin have been developing for some time. There’s a heavy emphasis on alchemy and we try to live hermetically. What really culminated the concept was a series of very odd, ethereal experiences we had while forming the band several years back… 

Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?

Most of the songs are entirely written and recorded by Connor, and Austin does some heavy lifting when it comes to engineering. This new record is the first chapter in what will be a long series of narratives we’ve been collecting from the aether. Essentially, the songs play chronologically to lead listeners through their transmutational process…whether they know it or not. 

What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?

Oh so many, it’s hard to choose! We try to create a sound that reflects our own vision for what psychedelic music can become. Maybe it’s not so much other bands inspiring the music, but rather the more organic experiences we’ve had like dreams and other lucid states. Perhaps we’re most inspired by seeing other bands live as well. 

Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?

It wasn’t so much a single band or show, but rather the desire to create unique, aural experiences for ourselves and others. That said, music festivals are a huge part of our inspiration and excitement for the current psych scene. We love the idea of helping to elevate what psychedelic music truly means as a movement.

What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, ect …

Each time we play we try to respond dynamically to the environment. Time and place usually determine what songs will best resonate in that continuum. Most of the preparations are mental because we stay rather relaxed otherwise. 

What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?

So far it’s been releasing this first record. We’ve really gone through quite the process to produce it entirely by ourselves. We made countless mistakes along the way, but it was well worth the time. Another huge highlight was working with Vinyl Williams for the album art! It’s an amazing representation of a world we intend to enter.

If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?

Touring will definitely be on our horizon in the near future and we’re open to suggestions as to how who we might join on the road. We’d love to make it out to Desert Daze and Levitation sometime for our own psychedelic pilgrimages. 

Is there anything else you would like to add?

The Great Work can be done, but is never finished!