ODESZA. Yup, I am writing about these lovely men again because I am so excited to see them in concert again live! Ah! For this article, I am focusing on the men behind the music. Who are Clay Knight and Harrison Mills? Read on to find out!
Actually, Clay Knight and Harrison Mills met their freshman year at Western Washington University. They did not start producing music until senior year through. This probably had something to do with their extensively different scholastic plans. Harrison majored in graphic design and Clay majored in physics and math! What?! Another instance where college does not matter in the long run! (Jk they probably use the skills they learned in their undergrad today, please don't drop out of school and become a DJ).
Interestingly, Clay is trained in classical piano and learned guitar later in life. These musical skills have definitely contributed to the group's success as their ability to utilize different instruments in their music is evident.Before Odesza, both Clay and Harrsion produced music under different artists names. Harrison was known as Catacombkid. Harrison has said previously that he got his individual name from an Aesop Rock song that is titled Catacomb Kids (link in the name to take a listen). Clay was known as BeachesBeaches. His story is a maybe a little be more spur of moment, "I was high in my bedroom making music one day." If you click the links of their names, you will see why they got together and started producing the ethereal music we know and love today.
The story behind the name Odesza comes from Harrison's uncle's sunken ship, the Odessa. The importance of this was that only one person and Harrison's uncle survived the shipwreck. Fate intervened there. Since the name Odessa was already taken by a Scottish band, they chose the Hungarian version of Odessa, which is Odesza. The meaning of Odesza in Hungarian means "gift from God." Ya damn skippy.
Odesza uses is the icosahedron as their symbol. This geometric shape has twenty faces that are all triangles (war flashbacks to geometry in high school) that is meant to symbolize water. Because it represents water, this geometric shape symbolizes movement, going with the flow and change. Through these, it promotes creative thinking. No wonder they chose this as their symbol They have been changing the game of the electronic music!
Odesza has meaning behind their music. Harrsion and Clay came together to create magical music for the music to rejoice in, Their hard work in college has led them to this moment of great success. They are also very exclusive men who do not share much about their personal lives. Who knows maybe I will be asking them the hard hitting questions someday. Until then, I'll just enjoy and apperciate the sounds they make
