Student Produced Album “Chromantic” Makes Waves Around Campus

Peter Rainey|June 1, 2023

“Chromantic” official cover art: Graphic design by Alyssa Hurley.

525. In 2021, it was only a classroom number, but over the last two years, that number has become a movement. West Potomac’s Music & Computer Technology academy class, led by teacher Mr. Luke Alexander Pierce (Mr. P) and carrying the stage name “fivetwofive”, released their second studio album “Chromantic” Friday, May 19. The 16-track album is 100% student-produced with the assistance and guidance of Trilogy Sound Studio in Burke, Virginia.

“Trilogy’s been great; they’ve been our partners now for two years,” said Pierce. “Using their studio, their professional equipment, it’s a tremendous career experience for our students working and creating in their space.”

Following the hype of “Eden,” the class’s first album, which released in May 2022, student enrollment skyrocketed in the new school year. This expanded pool of students and increase in available talent helped fivetwofive improve on their 2022 release, as said best by Pierce: “It’s made the process easier, because now we have different perspectives and they all kind of inspire each other … As a teacher, I don’t have to do as much; I just say what I have to say and then watch them create.”

Zak Sajjad, a West Potomac senior, contributed to fivetwofive’s album for a second year despite never taking the music tech elective course. He cites and credits his love for music and his relationship with Mr. P as chief motivators.

“Mr. P is my mentor,” said Sajjad. “He’s in a place where I want to be when I’m his age; he helps me with my music and with life … Being a younger teacher, he’s more relatable to us.”

You can listen to Sajjad both on the guitar and on vocals as he features on tracks 2 (lead artist), 4, 10, 15, and 16 (lead artist) of Chromantic.

The bonds built between this bunch are tight. To members of fivetwofive, Mr. P is much more than a teacher—he’s a leader, lifeline, and friend. An emotional Adam Purohit, senior, proclaimed at Chromantic’s album listening party (May 15): “He’s not just our teacher; he’s our leader, our family … There’s nothing I can say to fully express our gratitude.” Purohit was one of Chromantic’s executive producers; he also offers vocals on tracks 8, 9 (lead artist), 10, 11 (lead artist), and 15 (lead artist).

“[Brotherhood] is exactly what made [Chromantic] what it is,” said Pierce. “that core energy is the root of fivetwofive.”

“I’m so passionate about this class because it’s grown into a family,” senior Davais Wilborn said. “Working with different types of people and coming together to make art is something beautiful that I’m so grateful to be a part of.” Wilborn has contributed to 16 tracks in his two years with fivetwofive—you can find verses from him on tracks 1 (lead artist), 2, 9, 10, 12, 14 (lead artist), 15, and 16 of Chromantic.

It’s hard to find weaknesses among the album’s stellar vocal performances, catchy rhymes, and clever instrument incorporation, but what really makes Chromantic shine is its advanced production and mixing. At the end of the day, expectations can only be so high for a record created by a group of high schoolers; on paper, there is no way it should sound as quality as it does—yet here we are. This quality is much to the credit of the project’s executive producers: Porter Gilsbach, Simson Marak, Sean Pinkston, Adam Purohit, Jan Rivas Diaz, Will Van Buskirk, and Elias Sorli. Using Mr. P’s guidance, these are the faces behind the album’s beats, also working with Trilogy to mix the album and add effects.

“Melodies just come to my brain; it’s been that way since I was a kid,” said Sorli. “I’ve made some beats in my sleep before, then woke up and made them.”

Chromantic’s top streamed song through the first weekend (May 15-17) is its opening track, “Earnin,” which was executive produced by Sorli; he also adds a brief verse prior to the final chorus.

Chromantic is available for streaming now on all platforms. Below is the full tracklist.