Some collaborations feel obvious only after they happen.
This one lived in my head long before it existed in sound.
I had been collaborating separately with Orange A Boom and Coalescence Cascade, and at some point I caught myself thinking, hmm… I wonder what it would sound like if these two ever worked together? They both have this same easy-going way of making music. Both very talented, both very experienced.
So when they told me about their collab, I was really excited. Breathe feels like one of those ideas that existed in the background for a while, and then suddenly became real.
The track feels like a really natural mix of electronic sounds and real instruments, where both of their influences come through effortlessly. You can hear their individual worlds in it, but also the space where those worlds overlap. That’s what made me even more curious about how the track actually came together, how their ideas moved back and forth, and what the creative process looked like behind the scenes. So I asked them to tell me more about how Breathe took shape, from the first spark to the final version.
What was the first spark or idea that inspired this track?
Orange A Boom:
Once we decided to collab I sat down with my guitar and keyboard and just brainstormed a bunch of ideas. I put together five ideas and sent them over to Josh. There were a few of them he said he was ready to start on, but this was what we worked on first. I believe the working title was called “Chill” before we changed it to “Breathe”.
Coalescence Cascade:
Orange A Boom sent the original idea. I was instantly hooked because the starting point was in a lighter tonal place than I would normally find myself. It was fun to write and create outside of my comfort zone, it’s one of my favorite things about collaborating.
Did you start with a melody, a rhythm, or a concept?
Orange A Boom:
So the rough idea I sent over to Josh consisted of a drum sample, the deep rolling bass line (which I played on my synth), and the keys melody. The original idea didn’t actually have any guitar on it. From there we passed it back and forth a few times and obviously molded the production. Josh did an awesome job of taking the original idea and developing it into the full structure of the song.
Coalescence Cascade:
I received originally what Orange A Boom had recorded. I added the bass and drums first and the violin last. Then Orange A Boom recorded some final accent guitar bits to fill it all out and I did the final mix and master.
Was there a specific emotion or scene you wanted to capture?
Orange A Boom:
Not necessarily an emotion, but I think we naturally kind of produced the idea based on the “chill” style of the original idea. Even in the build up and drop, the song kind of portrays a floating, chill vibe.
Coalescence Cascade:
The vibe always seemed very clear. It felt like it had a direction from the first time I heard the guitar riff, like it just needed to be carved out but was already almost visible. Orange A Boom came up with the name Breathe after it was already finished, and I think that name captures the emotional ethos perfectly.
Which sounds or instruments are most central to this track?
Orange A Boom:
For me, it would be that deep synth bass, because that was the entire premise of the original idea. Of course beyond that it would have to be the violin and guitar. I say this because obviously Josh uses a lot of live violin for Coalescence Cascade, and I use a lot of live guitar for Orange A Boom.
Coalescence Cascade:
Orange A Boom’s guitar playing I think really forms the engine of the track. Everything else was written to envelope that, and I think the relationship between the guitar and my violin playing, and the “conversation” between both elements, form the central core of the piece.
Did you experiment with any new techniques or plugins while making it?
Orange A Boom:
On this one, not really, other than tweaking a lot of the Ableton guitar effects to get the experimental tone for the guitar.
Coalescence Cascade:
I’m always experimenting and learning with each new project. The freedom I find in being a mostly self-taught music producer is there’s a bottomless well of knowledge and techniques you can learn from. Every person you meet has something new they can show you.
What was the most challenging part of producing this track?
Orange A Boom:
Funny enough, I was in Colombia when we got close to the final version. I was still hearing a guitar melody in my head but didn’t have my gear with me. I really wanted to lay the guitar line down that I was hearing in my head, so we had to wait for me to get back to the States. After getting back home it took me a while to re-adjust and start producing again. So long story short, the challenge was more of me being away from my studio and taking all the extra time to get that guitar part recorded. Although, after it was done I think we both agreed it was worth the wait and added a whole new element, especially being intertwined with the violin.
Coalescence Cascade:
Any collab comes with extra challenges compared to making a piece all by yourself. But through the differences of the two artists comes originality neither individual could produce. I think any challenge is just a learning opportunity ready to be figured out.
What do you hope listeners feel when they hear this track?
Orange A Boom:
Hopefully they get a calm, floating type feeling from the smoothness of the song. The track title Breathe kind of implies this also, almost like the calmness you feel after a deep inhale and exhale. Beyond that, I hope the blending of the analog instruments with the experimental electronic and EDM creates a unique feeling when listening.
Coalescence Cascade:
The uplift in the build gives me goosebumps personally, I’m always chasing that feeling in my music. I guess I always hope that someone will experience the same thing when listening to my stuff.
How do you see this track fitting into your broader discography?
Orange A Boom:
Generally speaking, I would say it fits into the Orange A Boom catalog because a lot of my tracks are collabs with different artists who bring a unique sound to each song. This one more specifically fits into the catalog because Josh brings the live violin sound, which is similar in the fact that I usually try and have at least one or two live instruments on most of my releases.
Coalescence Cascade:
It doesn’t really, haha, but that’s the fun thing about this project I’ve been doing. It’s been multi-genre from the beginning, and it’s always been more centered around feelings I have inside than trying to fit all that into a pre-defined genre.
Do you imagine it being heard in a specific setting (club, headphones, car ride)?
Orange A Boom:
I would say this one is perfect for headphones or a car ride!
Coalescence Cascade:
I think this is a road trip track.
Did you change direction during production, or did it stay close to the original idea?
Orange A Boom:
This one stayed pretty true to the original idea. However, once I sent Josh the original idea his production skills definitely kicked it up to the next level. Also, being that Josh brings a stronger EDM influence, he added the build up and drop, which gives the song a lot more structure and movement.
Coalescence Cascade:
I didn’t change much with this track. Like I mentioned, I could more or less see and hear the final product when Dane first sent the original stems. But I have thrown away hours of work on other tracks if I feel I’ve started to lose the plot.
How do you know when a track is truly finished?
Orange A Boom:
That is the age-old trick, haha. Either you know when you know, or you just have to call it at some point because it will never feel done. At least that’s how it is with me.
Coalescence Cascade:
As far as composition goes, I’d say it’s just a decision made between my gut and my heart. It needs to have enough “moments” and be interesting on re-listen to me. As far as mix and master, it’s done when I can listen to it on multiple speaker systems without hearing things that make me mad.
Do you see this track as more of an escape, or a mirror of reality, or anything else?
Orange A Boom:
That’s an excellent question. I would say this one is almost like a pause in your life or daily routine, to take a moment to breathe, be calm, and reflect, if that makes sense.
Coalescence Cascade:
I’d say it’s an escape, mostly to me because of the positive, uplifting vibe. My stuff is naturally much darker. But that’s what’s made this so fun!
For me, hearing this collaboration is a reminder of why I love working with other artists in the first place. Sometimes you just feel that something will work, even before you can articulate why. You follow that feeling, you stay open, and you let the music show you what it wants to become.
Breathe, for me, feels like one of those moments. A pause. A shared inhale. And a small glimpse into what happens when intuition is trusted all the way through.
Thank you so much to you both for sharing your creative process, and hopefully this is just one of many more collaborations to come. 🙂
Special mention to France Charm for the creation of the beautiful artwork that fits very well with the music. France also did the canva on my track Veil Of Shadows.
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Listen to Breathe on Spotify:
— Spacey Panda
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