Hueston Lays Bare Trauma & Growth in his Explosive Debut EP, ‘Orbs’

Rarely do you find an artist who releases their first solo collection of songs with as much polished swagger as Cory Hueston. 

The former singer for The Blancos, now creating music under the moniker Hueston, recently released Orbs on February 12th. The six-track EP bounces with explosive combinations of lyrics and synths. “In my own artistic weird way, I classify it as alternative ‘sci-fi gospel,’” Hueston told American Songwriter. “It has some very real soul gospel elements with hip-hop sample chop boom-bap undertones, layered in a synth-heavy blanket.”

This effortless layering of sonic elements is a testament to Hueston’s professional and personal journey. “This project is about overcoming depression, addictions, and turning over a new chapter in life,” Hueston clarified. 

He continued, “It’s the waking up from a bad dream, only to realize that you were the one creating it. Each of the songs has an abstract deep meaning that can be easily be left open to the audience’s interpretation. For me, the songs represent overcoming deep traumas, my struggle with mental health, The Blancos breakup and letting go of it all.” 

In just six songs, Hueston leaves everything on the record; all of the pitfalls and triumphs of moving on are laid bare. From the pleadingly electric opener, “Faith,” to the peak breaking point in “Eyes Bleed Water” to the softer finale “Goodbyes,” the progression on Orbs is astounding.

“The whole songwriting experience for this record was definitely incredibly deep and amazing,” Hueston said. “A key moment that stands out is featured on the track, ‘Orbs,’ when we recorded my six-year-old son’s vocals at the end of the song. The experience gave me chills. Another moment that comes to mind was recording ‘Goodbyes’; to me, that was letting go of everything. The closing of that chapter of my life, not regretting it, but honoring it for what it was and looking forward to the next.”

Closing the previous chapter in his life and debuting Orbs did not come with any qualifiers either. Hueston stepped boldly into his new flow.

“I’m super fucking excited to close the door on The Blancos. As much as I loved the experience and would never take it back, my soul has been calling me to make this record and I promise I will far exceed anything I’ve done in the past. I feel like the whole Blancos experience was just leading me to Orbs. Listen to Orbs and you will see how much I’ve evolved. I am the best I have ever been and I will keep getting better. I was born for this.”

Listen to Orbs below, and keep Hueston on your radar. “I’m gonna keep making music, keep creating, and doing it because I love it,” Hueston concluded. “Not for any other reason.”

Photo Credit: Lilia Iza