We are honored to have an ever-growing artist roster of wildly skillful individuals, and recently two of our finest joined forces for a stellar collaboration.

Colton Martin and Manou Rao may be on separate continents, but that certainly didn’t stop them from making one hell of a ruckus.  The two have been scheming over the past few months, waiting for an opportunity to join ranks and create something special.  Well, that time has finally come, and we get to reap the benefits. Together, they have co-written and performed a driving track that is sure to create a stir.  Their affinity led to a special convergence of multiple styles and influences, seamlessly fused into one intercontinental production.  Per usual, the track comes with a visual accompaniment, as is custom for Martin’s distinct ability to pair the two.

Manou Rao has long been a member of the Vola roster.  The French-Indian guitarist started making waves in the musical scene at a young age, capturing the attention of many with a tasteful and colorful skillset.  At the surprising age of four, he started playing the tabla, eventually shifting gears and gravitating towards the electric guitar.  David Gilmour, Slash, Bumblefoot, Jimmy Page and many others inspired him to start learning the guitar at the age of 7. From there, the sky has been the limit. His influences have grown and developed from a diverse palette of musical spheres, many of which have achieved legendary status at this point. All this to say, his influence on this track shows a supreme dedication to technique driven practice over the years.  He proves to apply an assortment of various approaches on the OZ RV TNC, which seems to be a match made in heaven. The guitar perfectly compliments his mindful solo over the ripping backing track in its midst. Speaking of which, there can be no epic solo without a sturdy musical spine to support it… Enter Colton Martin.

Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Colton joined the Vola artist family earlier this year and has been a driving force on our team ever since. Formerly of the band Relics, Martin has carved his own path lately as a solo artist, and the fruits of his labors have clearly paid off. Martin has recently received a wealth of endorsements from some heavy hitters in the industry, including pickup titan Fishman Pickups, as well as Paralleled Lives, the makers of exceptional impulse responses.  Having years of performance, music production, and video editing under his belt, the multi-talented savant rooted himself in a powerful backing track to set the tone for this alliance.  Martin has a seemingly endless supply of creativity, churning out memorable hooks and grimace-inducing riffs like it was his first language.  That innate ability is well-complimented by an OZ 24 RV SRM at his disposal.  After equipping it with a sturdy set of Fishman pickups, the level of tonal dominance only increased, leading to a memorable experience overall.

Filled with sonic propulsion, chromatic queries, and melodic retorts, this collaboration further solidifies our belief that we are surrounded by immeasurable talent.  This time, it comes in the form of two inquisitive minds seeking to bridge the gap of the deep seas between them.  Needless to say, their efforts have been advantageous, and we are honored to have these two representing our guitars, and furthermore, representing our brand.  Do yourself a favor and spin their new track several times over!

You can watch their performance HERE.