Hypnogaja

This Los Angeles-based band is a touring act, playing almost 200 shows a year across the country. Keyboardist Mark Nubar Donikian confirms that while on tour most of its income is generated by album sales. Donikian says, “CDs have become a memento of our show. But after we left an area, I noticed a spike in our download sales.” As a result, he relates, “We now have downloads available on several music sites, including iTunes and Rhapsody.”

Hypnogaja also receives quite a bit of a media attention wherever the band goes. This band works it… hard. “Every little bit of exposure counts,” Donikian affirms. “In fact, every time we appear in the press, our download sales jump.” Consequently, Donikian states, “Our download sales supplement our income during down times, and are a very good piece of the puzzle for our success.”

Hypnogaja not only had significant song placements in hot TV programs like Courtney Cox’s Dirt and NBC’s Las Vegas, they also received constant press. Donikian adds, “We work MySpace very intensely. It’s the new town square and you can’t ignore it.” As a result, the band has almost 10,000 friends. - Music Connection (Bernard Baur)

Formed by vocalist Jason Arnold (ShyBoy) and pianist Mark Nubar Donikian as a studio project that merged Arnold’s electronica/metal influences with Nubar’s pop friendly piano style, today Hypnogaja is a rock outfit amassing fans across the country due to their unique and diverse sound. Their new album, Below Sunset, is adrenaline rock with a soft side. The pop hooks and electronic flourishes add depth to a grunge palette, which dives into themes of alienation and political discontent.

Was there a conceptual theme to Below Sunset?

Mark: In a way it’s become a concept album because the listener goes on a journey from start to finish. Even the title Below Sunset refers to a couple different things. Almost like being “below sunset” in darkness, and also “below sunset” as in Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles: the above Sunset “bling bling” where everyone’s super rich and then all the rest of us in the trenches, below Sunset. Ironically, I live above Sunset, but not in a very good neighborhood, like in a matter of inches.

What was your influence in writing “Looking Glass?” Was it Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” or Lewis Carrol?

Jason: Actually, both of those are inspirations. I love the “Looking Glass” story. “White Rabbit” has always been one of my favorite songs. I just wanted to dip into some psychedelic stuff and tell the story for a minute.

Mark: You know, the first time that I heard it, I had to sit down for a minute because it was so different than what we were doing and I really like it a lot. I love story songs and I’m always going to be a purveyor of taking the listener on a journey. So I’m glad you like it. I really felt like that was something fun for us to do and it’s a bit different because we’re not a happy sounding band. I think it broadens your audience that way to because we don’t want to limit the people who listen to our music. - Saturday Night (Emily Ackerman)

Hollywood rock band Hypnogaja takes its name from the hazy dream-like state between wakefulness and sleep, known in psychological circles as hypnagogia. “Throughout history, this enigmatic state has been thought to be a heightened period of creativity for the human mind,” says keyboardist Mark Nubar Donikian. “We really connected to the whole feeling of that state — when you really love a song, it’s the same kind of thing.”

The five musicians who make up Hypnogaja churn out guitar-driven, soulful rock with a subtle electronic backdrop using Power Mac G5s and PowerBook G4s, Logic Pro, Steinberg Nuendo and Cubase, and Propellerhead Reason. “Every single thing we do is on an Apple computer,” says guitarist Jeeve. “Whether it’s mixing audio, doing videos or artwork, or writing music on the road with a laptop, we wouldn’t be able to do it any other way.”

Living the Dream
You don’t need millions of dollars in promotion money to build a successful rock band. The guys in Hypnogaja knew that from the beginning and built their band accordingly, promoting themselves with technology. The group began as a studio band, burning tracks directly to CD and distributing them electronically through iTunes and other online music distribution systems.

“We’re kind of a self-contained business,” says keyboardist Mark Nubar Donikian. “It’s all technology based. In the past, you had to have a million dollar recording budget and a $200,000 video — you had to do everything really expensively. You don’t have to do that anymore. Files are the new format.”

“We do a lot of promotion ourselves using things like Myspace and our website,” adds Donikian. “We put together our own promotional materials using Photoshop and book our own tours. We keep track of it all using iCal and Mail. Using the technology, we can be competitive with people who are much further along and much bigger than us. And that’s a big thing for us; we’re able to build our fan base and grow and we don’t need millions of dollars to do it.”

Hypnogaja recently signed with a small Hollywood label — one that understands that CDs and traditional media are slowly being replaced by online music stores. “Union State Records has that ideology,” says Donikian. “They distribute our CDs in mom and pop stores, even big stores like Best Buy, FYE, and Virgin Megastores, but they also really push electronic distribution. They understand that virtual distribution is taking a huge part of the market share away from traditional music stores.”

Driving Tracks
Many of Hypnogaja’s heartfelt harmonies are born within warm, comfortable home studios, but some emerge kicking and screaming while the group is on tour. “When we’re traveling, I’m just doing tracks for the band all the time, recording constantly on the laptop while we’re rolling around,” says Jeeve. “Same thing in the airplane or the train or anywhere.” The guitar player has become the band’s unofficial road recording engineer, laying down tracks in the back of the tour bus between performances. Many tracks on the band’s latest album, “Below Sunset,” began life as a back-of-the-bus demos.

“Jeeve is amazing with the laptop,” says Donikian. “We did an 80-show tour last year from May to November. We were constantly gone, traveling across 17 different states, and Jeeve had his setup in the van, making music the whole time.”

Jeeve runs Nuendo and Logic Pro on a PowerBook G4, recording instruments and vocals directly to the laptop hard drive. He uses a pair of noise-canceling headphones to drive out engine and road noise and simply edits away. “You can do everything on the road,” he says. “I can record bass, guitar, keyboards, program drums, and have a track at the end of a few hours that sounds like a record. It’s unbelievable that I can do all that with a little PowerBook. And it’s so easy to get back home and transfer everything to the studio Power Mac G5.”


Though those demos go through some processing before they are printed or released electronically, “sometimes we keep some of the stuff from the on-the-road demo process,” says Donikian. “There will be some cool sound design stuff or a great part — maybe a guitar riff has something special because it was recorded on the laptop one day on the van. We’ll keep those parts for a signature basis and add things around them.”

Coming Home
When Hypnogaja brings home a demo track from the road, the musicians break it down and work it into tracks and riffs they record in their Hollywood studio, which is tucked away in Jeeve’s home. “Once we’ve written the track or the demo, we use that as a base,” says Jeeve. “We have a template and we’ll just add a click track over the top. The drums have usually been programmed ahead of time, so the drummer can listen to them and decide whether to add something or change the drum track. When it’s time to record, we just mute the original program drums and record him.”

The rest of the band comes in later to add their voices to - Apple.com (Dustin Driver)

The world is not coming to an end before June 30, the day of Hypnogaja's latest album release, 'Truth Decay,' assures its keyboardist Mark Nubar Donikian. The 14-track recording centers on the "world's dramatic, apocalyptic end and how life cycles into new chapters, sometimes with sudden force" reads the capsule comment on the California band's website.

"We're comic book nerds and sci-fi nerds," Donikian admits to Noisecreep. "We have the whole science fiction b-plot that's going on that's not inherent in the lyrics, but is inherent with the cover art. We talked with an illustrator about our concept for the album. There's this scientist and spaceman and a love story intertwined in there. The characters in our songs are time- traveling and there's all this doom 'n' gloom and then there's this whole apocalyptic thing happening."

The song "Worship Me (I'm On TV)" is about pop culture today. How does this fit into the apocalypse, you ask?

"It's about not only is everybody wanting their 15 minutes of fame, but they feel like they're owed 15 minutes, instead of it being a dream," says Donikian.

"The concept of the song is basically the end of the world could be happening outside the window and nobody has even bothered to notice because they're so engrossed in their favorite reality show. And I'm guilty. I watch reality shows, too. It's just a comment on where I think the zeitgeist is at with everybody really engrossed in their own favorite portion of reality stuff."

When Donikian looks at the state of the world today, of course he does feel there are other indicators of the apocalypse, besides 'The Bachelor,' 'Wife Swap,' 'Survivor' and the like. "The music that we wrote this time reflects how we feel about the world either on a real level or on a perceived level," he says. "There are times when you go, 'Oh my god, the world is ending.' There are times when you look at this temperature change that's happening, look at the ignorance that goes on with some of the issues where stuff needs to be done in order for us to be able remain healthy and living here as a species, as a people, and you go, 'If the right combination of wrong decisions are made, it could be bad for everyone.

"So the real answer is yes. It will probably take a very long time for something really big and bad. It's probably going to be an accumulative effect. On the album, we just accelerated that process. That's where the sci-fi part comes in. In a way, it's all very 'Blair Witch (Project).'"

As excited as Donikian is to talk about the 'Truth Decay's' premise, he says his bandmates were equally onboard and behind the storyline that emerged about halfway through the making of the album. Singer/songwriter Jason "Shy Boy" Arnold writes the majority of the lyrics with long-time collaborator and outside songwriter Dr. John Scott Mulchaey, a research astronomer by profession. Guitarist Jean-Yves "Jeeve" Ducornet and Donikian write the music, and Donikian also works with Arnold on the melodies, says Donikian. The rhythm section is drummer/percussionist Adrian Barnardo and newly added bassist Bryan Farrar.

"We're rock/hard rock/alternative, however you want to categorize it," Donikian says. "Our last record [2005's 'Below Sunset'] was a lot heavier and this time, I personally wanted to bring in some influences like Queen and Blondie and things from the 70s and 80s that are really cool, like the stuff Giorgio Moroder did with Blondie was really great, so we incorporated some of those synths, like in 'Worship Me.' We just started doing musical pieces that we all felt went together and when we started writing lyrics, we were like, 'Ok, we want to do a conceptual thing. What are we gonna write about?'

"We knew it would be 'the end of the world' thing, but we didn't want it to be all gloom 'n' doom. We wanted there to be a ray of light because you're so deep into your work as a writer that you need to have some hope yourself, not necessarily for other people - but I want other people to have that too. But I didn't want to have a dark ending."

Check out the album after June 30 to figure out how it ends, and download "Worship Me (I'm On TV)" in the meantime. - AOL's Noisecreep.com (Karen Bliss)

Material: Hypnogaja’s soulful, melodic hooks interplay equally with modern balls-to-the-wall urban-thrash. The songs are extremely dramatic, with the total effect being a wall of sound that is familiar, yet striking. There are hints of Staind and Faith No More, as well as nu-metal and urban affectations, such as sampling, that smack of a kinder, gentler Slipknot. This group covers a broad musical soundscape, yet they manage to stand out within it.

Musicianship: ShyBoy’s moniker is obvious irony. He is a very talented and versatile vocalist with impressive charisma. Nubar’s haunting chords on keys create a texture that the rest of the band can follow. The most remarkable quality, however, is that each member functions so well within this group’s framework that the result is a rock solid unit.

Performance: The very first chord was an assault –– and it was contagious. For the duration of the set, Hypnogaja became an army of musical voices with a sonic force that threatened to break down genre walls. The band’s dynamic stage presence held the crowd in place and moved them at will. When Hypnogaja finally released the reins at the end of their set, the audience was left breathless. - Music Connection (Lauri Shaw)

Critically acclaimed alt/rock band Hypnogaja's new album,Truth Decay (June 30, Union State Records) is a high concept recording with a story arc about star-crossed lovers in a futuristic world where apocalypse and rebirth are looming. - Campus Circle

MODERN ROCK WITH HEART: Singer/songwriter Jason “ShyBoy” Arnold has an expertly crafted album with Truth Decay. Alongside guitarist Jean-Yves “Jeeve” Ducornet, keyboardist Mark Nubar Donikian, drummer Adrian Barnardo and bassist Bryan Farrar, the quintet known as Hypnogaja bucks the soulless modern rock trend on each of this album’s 14 tracks. Then again, given the members’ collective pedigree - Arnold has composed music for the video game Devil May Cry 4, as well as TV programs, while Ducornet has written and produced songs for Carlos Santana - the fact that these songs stick so well doesn’t come as much of a surprise. What does ring pleasantly odd is how well these songs flow, and how much atmosphere and heart can be crammed into each of these tunes. Truth Decay strides the line between dark, almost goth influenced rock, while stressing a mild progressive streak here and there, possessing both commercial appeal and musical acceptability from cover to cover. Arnold’s songwriting doesn’t insult the listener’s intelligence - these songs are catchy and don’t need to drop the lowest common denominator - but rather balances self-indulgence and extroverted sheen in a way that should win over the dourest of skeptics. A Perfect Circle for a new millennium? A poppy Porcupine Tree? Perhaps. Either way, Hypnogaja rocks. - George Pacheco - Outburn

Their music has been featured on everything from America's Next Top Model to 'Sex and The City' but rock band Hypnogaja is still unknown in some circles.

With an album slated for release June 30, Hypnogaja was able to answer a few questions for Urban Pop in relation to their new album "Truth Decay" and other artists they consider influences and/or recording stars who hold spots in their ipods.

Before the group was able to get to the meat of their project, which is currently being promoted through a series of unique daily downloads (here), their group name simply had to be defined out of curiousity.

"We derived Hypnogaja from the terms "hypnagogic," which is basically the state between wakefulness and sleep," the group shared exclusively.

"Scientists and philosophers have long considered this to be a time when the human mind goes into a heightened state of creativity."

While Hypnogaja's music is not necessarily what you might deem urban pop, the group cites a number of popular acts as influences and/or artists who are surprisingly in their playlists. In fact, the group, which includes five members, admits to enjoying Donna Summer and Gnarls Barkley.

"All of us listen to so many different artists and genres of music. On tour, we switch out various iPods we own, depending on who's driving. You get to learn a lot about each other! If you were along for the ride on any given day in the van, you'd hear everything from Led Zeppelin to Portishead, Fleetwood Mac to Tool, Beastie Boys to Donna Summer, Eurythmics to Gnarls Barkley and everything in between."

For more on my exclusive feature on Hypnogaja, stay clicked to Urban Pop (HERE) for Part II. For now feel free to stop by their website to download a free track at hypnogaja.com.

"Truth Decay" is due in stores Tuesday, June 30. - Examiner.com (Njai Joszor)

Earlier this week popular band Hypnogaja (see part 1 here) shared their love of music from different genres including R&B, Hip Hop and Rock as well as their love of music from icons like Donna Summer, The Beastie Boys, and Led Zeppelin. Like other groups, who sometimes have a hard time staying focused or even together, Hypnogaja says the love of music is what keeps them grounded and focused.

Like Daughtry and U2, Hypnogaja consists of five members which brings on five personalities, five dislikes and likes and five ways of handling conflict . When asked how they keep things together, Hypnogaja told Urban Pop:

"The key is communication - to realize it's five different personalities and move accordingly. It's like building a bridge - ultimately, the structure needs some flexibility or it will snap in two. We all love making music and we let that passion center us."

While Hypnogaja remains strong as a group, with music featured on hit television series including 'Sex and the City' and 'America's Next Top Model,' their music, particularly a song titled "Kill The Humans" has raised eyebrows.

For years, there has been some debate as to how music effects pre-teens and teenagers who are oftentimes the leading group of music consumers. Recording artists like Marilyn Manson and Eminem have been at the center of discussion when it comes to the debate over censoring or labeling music due to its lyrics, album titles and graphics or even song titles. Organizations including the Media Awareness Network have been formed to educate parents and teachers about musical content and youth. With this is mind, Urban Pop questioned Hypnogaja's choice of the song "Kill The Humans".

While "Kill The Humans" is a form of expression, its title could potentially spark criticism or prevent a parent from purchasing a cd with the words printed on its case. However, the title of the song does not reflect what you might think.

"It's ultimately a song about Mother Earth and her view of us. The reaction to it has been very positive - and it seems like people are intrigued that the title is so deceptive, because it's really actually a very gentle song," says Hypnogaja.

Essentially, "Kill The Humans" is part of a story conveyed throughout the group's latest album "Truth Decay" (in stores June 30.). Like a novel or play each song tells a story that more often than not connects to the previous song and so on...Therefore, the argument that song titles are reason enough for banning or restricting a form of art is not necessarily valid without taking a look at the lyrics and course of the effort.

"The album, Truth Decay, is a concept album. It's a story about a world not unlike our own, and it's set a bit further in the future. We're huge sci-fi and comic book fans, so the thought of writing an album that could mix music with an overall "action/adventure" story arc (connecting all of the songs) was really appealing to us. In the end, each song is supposed to stand on its own - but together, they all tell the story. In "Kill The Humans," we reach the part of the story where natural disasters and the natural shifting of a world's climate and elements bring about dramatic changes," Hypnogaja confirms.

For more on Hypnogaja and to listen to exclusive cuts of their album "Truth Decay" visit Hypnogaja.com or click here.

"Truth Decay" is due in stores June 30. - Examiner.com (Njai Joszor)

Hypnogaja (www.myspace.com/hypnogaja): This multifaceted four-piece band out of Hollywood is quickly gaining steam, leading up to the June 30 release of Truth Decay. For each of the 13 weeks preceding the release, they’ve been putting up a free download to preview a running narrative centered around “the world’s dramatic, apocalyptic end and how life cycles into new chapters, sometimes with sudden force.” Songs like “Welcome to the Future” and “Sacrifice” vividly showcase the expansive stylistic range Hypnogaja purveys. Published by PEN Music Group, they’ve already scored placements on America’s Next Top Model, Las Vegas, Sex and the City and more. The band’s audience has grown organically through their extensive touring across the U.S. and Canada, and they’re on Twitter (www.twitter.com/hypnogaja) now, with almost 100k followers after just two weeks. You can see them live at the Troubadour this Saturday, and be sure to join them for the release party at The Key Club (June 29) celebrating the much-anticipated album. - Hits (Erica Ramon/Wheels 2.0)

Their music has been featured on everything from America's Next Top Model to 'Sex and The City' but rock band Hypnogaja is still unknown in some circles.

With an album slated for release June 30, Hypnogaja was able to answer a few questions for Urban Pop in relation to their new album "Truth Decay" and other artists they consider influences and/or recording stars who hold spots in their ipods.

Before the group was able to get to the meat of their project, which is currently being promoted through a series of unique daily downloads (here), their group name simply had to be defined out of curiousity.

"We derived Hypnogaja from the terms "hypnagogic," which is basically the state between wakefulness and sleep," the group shared exclusively.

"Scientists and philosophers have long considered this to be a time when the human mind goes into a heightened state of creativity."

While Hypnogaja's music is not necessarily what you might deem urban pop, the group cites a number of popular acts as influences and/or artists who are surprisingly in their playlists. In fact, the group, which includes five members, admits to enjoying Donna Summer and Gnarls Barkley.

"All of us listen to so many different artists and genres of music. On tour, we switch out various iPods we own, depending on who's driving. You get to learn a lot about each other! If you were along for the ride on any given day in the van, you'd hear everything from Led Zeppelin to Portishead, Fleetwood Mac to Tool, Beastie Boys to Donna Summer, Eurythmics to Gnarls Barkley and everything in between."

For more on my exclusive feature on Hypnogaja, stay clicked to Urban Pop (HERE) for Part II. For now feel free to stop by their website to download a free track at hypnogaja.com.

"Truth Decay" is due in stores Tuesday, June 30. - Examiner.com (Njai Joszor)