Following the 2010 fracture of Metro Station, Trace Cyrus refused to play it safe. Instead of signing a conventional major-label contract, he created an independent solo electronic-hip-hop crossover project under the moniker Ashland HIGH. Operating entirely outside the corporate pop apparatus, Trace released two full-length mixtapes, Geronimo and Drugstore Cowboy, across 2012 and 2013.
Ashland HIGH blended aggressive synth-pop with trap percussion, party rap, and psychedelic lyricism. Trace funded high-concept music videos himself, directing creative direction, merchandise, and digital distribution through self-managed channels. Rather than chasing radio programmers, he cultivated an underground cult following.
The project served as a creative incubator. Free from commercial label oversight, Trace handled production duties and collaborated with varied underground producers. While Ashland HIGH never replicated the mainstream numbers of Metro Station, it demonstrated his technical adaptability and stubborn preference for creative control over industry conformity.
