J-Surreal has recently released a brand new studio effort: Desire You Most
J-Surreal, also known as Jeff Cook, is an artist, videographer and producer from Clovis, California. He has a focus on creating much that seamlessly blurs the lines between a wide range of musical influences, including R&B, Soul, and Hip-Hop.
His most recent release, Desire You Most, is a massive undertaking, as it features 25 instrumental tracks. Not many artists / producers release such in-depth albums these days, so it’s always fascinating to hear exciting new long-form releases in this genre, especially in a singles-dominated industry. This album the perfect example of how the artist excels at bringing so many different musical influences under one roof, highlighting his personality, while also breaking new ground in terms of creativity and musical explorations with his instrumentals. Some of the stand out tracks are “Instinct Lover, ” “Desire For You,” and “In Time.”
The sound of this production is extremely accomplished and world-class, while there is something special about everything that’s seamlessly falling into place in terms of great sounds and even greater ideas driving the artist’s vision. Given J-Surreal’s videography background, the songs also have a unique cinematic quality, which makes them really immersive and easy to relate to.
Hey J-Surreal! Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for us. Tell us about your brand new, 25 cut album, “Desire You Most.” What inspired you to do so many tracks, and tell us about the recording process.
I started making music again during the Covid-19 pandemic. I hadn’t made any music since 2007, so I had to relearn new software and hardware to get up and running. I produced more than 400 tracks since the pandemic hit and of course not all the songs were good. This was a great opportunity for me to learn and grow while creating. With the help of friends and family I was able to narrow down the song selecting my favorite 25 tracks. What really helped me grow as a producer was just producing what my heart felt like producing at that time. I was searching for my own sound, and I believe Desire You Most shows that. During the recording process, I took two sound production online classes from Waves Audio, which helped me learn how to mix songs and even master my own music.
You are also a videographer. How does your background in video influence your music, if at all?
As a videographer I focus on telling stories with pictures. I try to do the same with my music. Since the music I make are instrumentals, I need to make sure the story isn’t boring and takes you somewhere. There are some tracks on this album that when you listen to them your mind wonders off to a whole different atmosphere. I am proud of that too, because that shows that the music is deep and can transport your mind to another dimension. During the pandemic we were not allowed to go anywhere so turning to music gave me the ability to create, which I need to do. I was not creating any videos at the time and needed a creative outlet, and music allowed that to happen. Once again, I was reunited with music an old friend of mine.
You have a very eclectic sound. Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
My style is vast, and I must admit I am a big Prince fan. Ever since I was nine years old, I have been listening to him. Prince can make all type of music. You can hear R&B, Soul, Pop, and other genres within his discography. I get a lot of my influences from 80’s alternative music as well as the 90’s golden era of hip hop. When you combine these sounds you get my style which I haven’t quite named yet lol.
What artist would your fans most likely be surprised to find out that you listen to and enjoy?
The artists my fans would be surprised to hear that I listen to would probably be Neil Diamond and Bob Seger. Both artists were my parents’ favorites, and I grew up listening to both. I enjoy Neil’s songwriting and Bob Seger’s soulful voice.
What’s next for J-Surreal. What does 2022 have in store, musically and personally?
For the year 2022 I am hoping to continue to make more music. I think this time around, I will not need to record 400 songs to get to where I want to be with an album. I know my sound and that is half the battle.
Thanks for taking the time. Any last shout-outs or words of advice?
The advice I would like to share with people is to make music that reflects your personality. Don’t make music to please others, but to please yourself. It is quite the blessing to make music that represents you and being able to jam to it in your own car. There will be others out there that will dig your music, but you must dig your own first. For those who want to buy the album you can do so at these online stores. Buy J-Surreal Desire You Most on Spotify
Buy J-Surreal Desire You Most on Apple Music
Buy J-Surreal Desire You Most on Amazon
Or simply go to my website and purchase the album at www.cookfilms.co
Find out more about J-Surreal, and do not miss out on his music. This release is currently available on some of the best digital music streaming services such as Amazon, Spotify, Apple Music and can be purchased on his website at https://www.cookfilms.co/