Fort Collins-based band artfully combines an unlikely mix of genres

By Kristen Richard

It’s hard to know what to expect when a band says they mold and mesh together hip-hop, funk, reggae, rock and soul. But Write Minded, a Fort Collins-based band, claims to do just that. And as the floor lights dimmed at a show that closed out 2023, the six-man lineup took the stage at Denver’s Globe Hall.

Write Minded
The band promises a busy 2024, and will likely be among the 350 Colorado bands expected at the FoCoMX festival in April. Instagram is the best way to keep up with Write Minded releases and shows.

Despite the fact they were crowded onto a small stage, everyone in the band started moving, dancing or head banging. Each to their own rhythm, yet somehow in sync. The audience, which had largely dispersed during the break, started to quickly file in, beers in hand, eager to see who was playing. By the end of the first song, what started as a fairly empty venue had a large crowd of fans gathered at the stage. It’s easy to see why. Write Minded’s lyrics mixed with approachable beats and melodies seem to strike a chord with everyone in the audience. Their energy was so palpable that even more reserved attendees in the back couldn't help but bob their heads and start to sway along.

“We shine the most live on stage,” says Sam Mouton, founder and lead vocalist. Currently, they have two albums, “Eye Above” and “Pieces of Mind,” and their top song on Spotify, “Perfect Day,” has over 57,000 streams.

He continues, “The vibe (of live shows) is always high. We do a lot of running, dancing, and our bass player is an insane performer who always takes his shirt off and headbangs. Everytime we perform, whether it's for 30 or 1,000 people, we are always so thankful to be up there. We try to give the same energy no matter where you see us.”

The current lineup includes Mouton, the lead vocalist and lyricist who has a hip-hop background; Jesse Neth, the other vocalist and lyricist with a hip-hop background; Forrester Tamkun on guitar with a jam band background; Jarod Ford, nicknamed TurtleBear, on bass with a heavy metal background; Jordan Pasquin on drums with a background in a variety of musical genres; and Wilson Slaughter on the keyboard who brings a hip-hop and EDM background.

Naturally, there are underlying similarities in these genres of music. But in general, the sounds and songs that come out of each clearly fit into their respective categories. Which begs the question, how the heck do you go about blending these genres? And more importantly, how do you go about blending them well?

Mouton describes their songwriting process as “organic.”

“In the past, we’ve written songs by coming together, mindlessly jamming, and experimenting,” Mouton says. “Then one of us will hear just one little idea, or one little riff and be like ‘that has to be a song.’ Then we go with it and everyone adds their own element. We’re also honest with each other on what we think sounds good or doesn’t.”

While this process has worked for the group, Mouton admits that there are pitfalls. For instance, it’s hard to feel like one has complete control over the final product. Even though the band has an eclectic musical taste and appreciation, Mouton admits they haven’t produced an album that everyone in the group is completely proud of – yet.

But in 2024, Write Minded plans to work with a producer in Los Angeles. “To do that, we need to change our writing process to be a little more streamlined and efficient,” Mouton says. “It’ll be our words. It’ll be our sound. But they are going to help us with things like song structure.” (Don’t despair, the jam song writing sessions will still be part of the group’s process).

Currently, the band is mainly focusing on writing songs to bring to the producers. But even if fans won’t see them at many live shows this year, Write Minded still has big plans. To start, they are looking to reconnect with their fans via social media. In addition, Mouton says they are working on creating the “best music that we've ever done.”

Kristen Richard is a drink and food freelance writer based in Denver. When she’s not traveling down the rabbit hole of random esoteric booze knowledge, you can usually find her camping, hiking, hanging with her dog, reading or rocking out to metal bands.