NYS Music 202​0

Tag: pop

  • Brooklyn Duo Fake Dad serve up new single “Breakfast in New York”

    In preparation for a new EP in 2021, Brooklyn group Fake Dad have released a new single to close out the year. Andrea de Varona and Josh Ford found inspiration for their single “Breakfast in New York,” from a very interesting and unusual source.

    Fake Dad

    The song is a mid-tempo electronic/R&B track, inspired by a knock off Jurassic Park ride in the middle country. “Fake Dad” used that exact backdrop for another music video, bringing a new inspiration to the duo. When de Varona and Ford wrote the song, they were fixated on the idea that the things we wish we could change is exactly what make our lives meaningful.

    The Brooklyn duo, Andrea de Varona and Josh Ford, have made music in their tiny studio apartment since 2018. The duo had designated their roles within the band and have worked with a variety of up and coming artists. Andrea and Josh come from different musical backgrounds, but they do share a common goal. That goal is to create something that understands the listener. Both Andrea and Josh wanted to create music that comforted people, especially if the listener had a rough day in life.

    Fake Dad

    “Fake Dad” has received many plaudits from media outlets. The Wild Honey Pie wrote, “Fake Dad take listeners on a trip down memory lane — but it feels closer to a cautionary tale than a fond retelling.”

    EARMILK felt “Fake Dad” knew how to express their concepts with their single “Summer Hill.” EARMILK wrote “I tend to reject the saying, “Life is hard.” Not because it is not, but because it glosses over the very real hardships and struggles that so many of us face, tying it up with a bow in just three short words. I do not want to gloss over it. I want to dig deep and uncover what makes the simple act of existing so challenging for all of us. Fake Dad, comprised of Andrea de Varona and Josh Ford, sonically and visually conceptualize all of these ideas.”

    “Fake Dad” looks to comfort and share their conceptual ideas with listeners, and their new single will surely do that. “Breakfast in New York” is out now on Spotify. To check out more of “Fake Dad” and their work, visit their Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, or Instagram page.

  • CLAVVS take a new approach with their latest single “Dance in Place”

    CLAVVS have released a new single, “Dance in Place,” coming off of rave reviews from the release of their latest EP No Saviors in 2019. Along with an extended version of their EP released in February, CLAVVS are looking to capitalize on these releases with their brand new single. The single is also accompanied by a music video and was shot in their neighborhood in Brooklyn.

    CLAVVS

    They made their own music video, looking to capture the strong presence of the sun and the vibrant colors of the autumn weather. Amber describes the video saying, “For the past few years I’ve been imagining visuals that capture my experience of moving through New York but with this fantastical element of suddenly connecting with strangers in some unexplainable moment of celebration.” Especially in the wake of the pandemic, Amber adds, “Having lived through Co-vid here, we both feel even more bound to this city and our neighbors. So, this video is a socially distant version of that daydream.”

    CLAVVS

    The single represents the criticism of capitalism and “grind” culture. Amber described the song as a call for radical self-acceptance and finding joy in a joyless culture. “I wrote this song in February, so it was super weird when we were all kind of forced to closely examine those things in March,” she said. “We couldn’t have guessed how on-the-nose this song would feel now.” It features great production work and a very catchy hook. “We aren’t taking ourselves very seriously anymore,” said Graham. “We just want to have fun with our band.”

    Going forward from their previous EP, the Brooklyn via Atlanta duo really wanted to challenge their sound. They have shifted from making disruptive pop songs to reflective music. The duo embraces their flaws to reinvent themselves. “The question became, how do we make CLAVVS songs that we can dance to and smile to?” Amber said. “We really wanted to challenge ourselves to make something we had never made before, something that, for a long time, didn’t feel at home to us. We didn’t know how to write happy songs that felt genuine.”

    “Dance in Place” has strongly built on the success of their recent EP. The new song is out now on Spotify, Soundcloud, Bandcamp and various other platforms. Their new single is also accompanied by a music video, which is out now on YouTube.


  • Harry Nichols’ First Release Since 2014 Doesn’t Disappoint

    Alternative Ithaca musician Harry Nichols released a new solo EP, A Spoonful of Sugar, on September 4. Nichols has been influenced by various styles–beachy, punk-pop, folk, indie, and rock, to name a few–but this EP has its roots in electro-pop.

    Harry Nichols

    Harry Nichols started writing music at fourteen. He has been releasing music as an independent artist since 2010, and has several albums and EPs out on Bandcamp, which draw inspiration from Blink 182, The Beach Boys, and Bob Dylan. He has made a name for himself in Ithaca’s concert scene, and has been playing live for years. Many of his concert videos are on the Finger Lakes Music Press YouTube channel. 

    Since his last nerd-life inspired record This Isn’t the Album you’re Looking For…, Nichols focused on contributing to his bands Noon Fifteen and Julia Felice and the Whiskey Crisis. He released a few demos and solo EPs since, but this September, Nichols finally releases his latest solo EP. Nichols considers this easy listening track, A Spoonful of Sugar, his first major release in six years.

    Harry Nichols

    ASoS was written and recorded entirely during the COVID-19 quarantine. The track is much poppier than Nichols’ other work, and the razor sharp melodies match the emotions behind the lyrics. Nichols takes pop punk and soul and blends them into synth and digital drums, as those were the tools he could work with by himself during quarantine.

    Although the lyrics are a reflection on the loneliness of social distancing, the music is upbeat and energetic. Nichols lets the listener momentarily escape from the current sadness and stress and live in this poppy world he makes with A Spoonful of Sugar. ASoS is available for purchase on Bandcamp now.

  • Melanie Penn Shares New Single, Video: “Avenue of The Americas”

    NYC singer-songwriter, Melanie Penn, has released an inspiring New-York centric pop anthem paired with a stunning music video for her new single, “Avenue of The Americas”.

    Avenue of The Americas

    As a native of the big city, Melanie celebrates her ties to New York in the cinematically beautiful “Avenue of The Americas” music video. Melanie’s love for the city becomes more apparent with each elapsing second of the video.

    The song itself outlines Melanie’s climb to success, with lines referencing dreams of one day finding the spotlight in the Big Apple. Crescendoing synths pulsate in the background as “Avenue of The Americas” gives us an intimate understanding of Melanie’s hopes and aspirations.

    Melanie believes now is the perfect time to debut a song that honors both beautiful and humble New York City. At a time where the country is under massive racial and political tension, the uplifting video released along with the single inspires hope and reminds us of our commonalities as New Yorkers.

    The music video and single are a part of a promotional roll out in preparation for Melanie Penn’s upcoming, More Alive Vol. 1, full-length album which is set to release September 25. The album is centered around faith, modern upheaval and, overcoming common struggles. The album, which features 10 songs, has been described by Melanie as a tracklist full of “hopeful pop anthems” that will hopefully inspire a sense of community amongst listeners.

    To stay up to date with future news regarding Melanie Penn and her music, visit her website.

  • Interview: Brooklyn’s Francis Aud Releases FONKY Single

    Brooklyn electro-pop funk artist Francis Aud recently released his newest single “Take Me Home,” blending bittersweet lyrics with an upbeat and unique electric funk. 

    Francis Aud

    Francis Aud started out as a retro-soul artist and released his debut EP Tender Things in July 2017. Since then, his music has evolved into what he calls ‘FONK,’ his own original blend of electro-pop and funk. This refreshing mix gives his music personality and makes his sound memorable. Francis tells NYS Music:

    My biggest inspirations are Al Green, Marvin Gaye, and Sam Cooke. From listening to those guys, I then found Jackie Wilson, James Brown, and then followed the thread of musicians they influenced all the way up to contemporary pop artists like Bruno Mars and Parcels.

    Francis Aud

    What he listened to as a child has been “carried in his psyche,” and he says that listening to “super romantic Spanish crooner music or The Commodores” all the time as a kid still influences his own writing style today. “I almost exclusively write about love, relationships, and desire and I still try to phrase the lines I sing like how a crooner would…old habits die hard I guess!” He’s been releasing several FONKY singles since 2018 in preparation for a bigger release in the future.

    “Take Me Home” looks back on a past relationship with bittersweet nostalgia. “When it comes to lyric-writing,” Francis says, “I’m always trying my best not to write lyrics that aren’t devoid of meaning (if that makes sense.) I think lots of the time when people hear the words ‘pop music’ their mind immediately jumps to this idea of extremely surface level and superficial lyrics that come from lazily relying on overused tropes and clichés. I think good pop music doesn’t have to be devoid of a deeper meaning and there’s lots of proof around me of that.” 

    Francis Aud
    Photo courtesy of Amanda Blide

    Despite its somewhat sad message, the single is in no way a downer. It’s upbeat and dancey. “That comes from my shameless love of 80’s music,” the artist admits. “I seriously, positively, TRULY, love music from the 80’s, especially the movie soundtracks where the arrangements were super over the top and used cheesy keyboard sounds on everything. Because that music makes me happy, I think it’d be worth exploring the juxtaposition between that music and the lyrics and I’m just lucky to call it a success!” The 80’s vibes in “Take Me Home” are clear, but with an original and modern spin that is lacking in some other “cheesy” pop. 

    Francis Aud’s music and website both shine with his positivity and humor. “I don’t think I can ever remember a time where I wasn’t blatantly making terrible dad jokes and puns,” he says about his ever-present humor. “In terms of positivity,” he notes, “I think it comes from both my parents and also comes with the territory of being a musician. With my parents being immigrants and coming to this NYC during the really rough 80s’-90’s, they had to work their asses off to make things happen and they had to have an optimism that things would work out. I think I naturally picked up on that. ALSO, when it comes to being an artist, you almost have to force train yourself to become more positive on a daily basis because there really is no guarantee that your art will be heard or even enjoyed.”

    Despite the global halt brought by the Coronavirus, Francis has been keeping busy working on music: “I’ve been spending most of the quarantine teaching myself more about music production and trying my best to ‘level up’ my home recording set-up,” and “I’ve been working with more getting more comfortable using synthesizers and more of the electronic aspects of music production,” he says, as he can’t record in a full studio with a band right now due to the quarantine. “Aside from that, I’m always trying to hone my writing and working to finding that distinct balance between saying something meaningful and being catchy.” 

    Stream or buy “Take Me Home,” and check out Francis Aud’s other music on his website, Soundcloud, or Spotify. Francis also has a side project where he releases original indie-folk music under the name “stella.”

  • Hearing Aide: Iris Lune ‘Lovelosslove’

    Ella Joy Mier, under the moniker Iris Lune, delivers her debut album ‘Lovelosslovee,’ a poetic and sonic masterpiece that examines the seamless relationship between love and loss.

    The Brooklyn native is a songwriter who came inter her own, via the folk music of her heritage, Israel. Bringing a contemporary take on the sounds she is familiar with, Mier showcases her ability to tie rich, sonic passages along with beautiful poetry and wordplay. She exhibits a palpable mystique focus but diverse mood board throughout.

    After loosing her mother from a six year battle with cancer, Mier has been desperately trying to piece her life back together, trying to survive in a world without her mother’s physical presence. These songs take the audience through that emotional journey.

    The project starts with a well thought-out drum intro, followed by a rumbling, synthesized bass line. Intertwined vocal melodies, textured guitar and well organized percussion hits are a constant throughout the albums track list. With a central theme of love and loss, the tracks on this album mend together creating an emotive and captive tapestry of sound. With a clear knowledge of radio friendly pop structures as well as dreampop-like instrumentation, Mier falls inter her own on this album, creating a space that she is clearly confident in.

    The production lets her vocals shine and remain the focal point from song to song. The album being co-written and produced by Asher Kutz, is full of highs and lows along with dynamic songwriting. Lovelosslove fulfils Miers’ want to let us in briefly to the journey of the endless relationship between love and loss.

    Key Tracks: Midas, Haven, Summer Blue

  • New Jersey Pop Punk outfit FRND CRCL share new single “Loose Cannon” just in time for summer.

    New Jersey’s FRND CRCL (pronounced Friend Circle) comes in hot just in time for summer with their new single “ Loose Cannon” off their sophomore album Internet Noise.

    Delivering their new single with angsty, punk-driven lyrics and catchy melodies reminiscent of early 2000s pop punk akin to the likes of Sum 41 and Blink 182, the track is essentially about embracing the mentality and spirit of punk rock, with lyrics referencing the choice of not selling out in college and even a comparison to the heartbreaker himself, Ben Stiller. FRND CRCL deliver their youthful hooks over crunchy and distorted guitar passages and twinkling lead melodies. If one thing is clear about this group it is that they certainly don’t cut the “pop” out of pop punk. 

    The track is produced by FRND CRCL and Tyler Skye of Monoplane Recording Studios, this is the second single premiering off of the upcoming sophomore album Internet Noise, which dropped May 1.

    Formed in 2018, Aaron Smith (Drums) and Dom Giacalone (Lead Guitar), along with dual vocalists Zac Johnson (Guitar) and Adam Skirvin (Bass), combine their individual musical backgrounds to create a new approach to the genre. Utilizing 2010 era pop structures and punk rock riffage, FRND CRCL is not afraid to incorporate lyrical wordplay, the occasional pop culture reference, and influences from various genres across the board.

  • Premiere: Tiger Darrow releases plot twist single “Brother’s Girl”

    ​Brooklyn-based Pop Creative multi-hyphenate, Tiger Darrow, has released her new single, “Brother’s Girl.” The heavy synth dark pop song portrays a story of forbidden love for the unattainable. 

    The song begins with seductive and fantastical lyrics as the singer describes the feeling of falling in love with someone special, however, they’re unavailable. Darrow enjoys writing her lyrics in a colloquial way full of surprise to her listeners. The poetic storytelling of this stripped song introduces a plot twist to the story when the singer announces the love she has been describing is in fact for her “Brother’s Girl.” Her earthy and smokey vocals over the skittering trap beats create a roguish pop sound filled with infectious melodies.

    Darrow’s musical upbringing began at the age of two when she began learning how to play the violin. Her love for music led her to attend a Performing Arts High School in Dallas, Texas where she learned guitar and cello. Graduating with a degree in Songwriting from NYU, Darrow continued to pursue her passion and built her reputation as a young, multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter and producer writing for other artists, as well as, pursuing a solo career. Opening for artists such as Edie Brickell and The New Bohemians, The Eagles, and Erykah Badu, Darrow also performed as a sideman for Durand Jones and The Indications, Zack Villere, Camille Trust and Wakey!Wakey!

    Darrow’s music has evolved tremendously since releasing her first album at the age of 16. The Dark-Alt Pop Singer is taking a new direction and creating new music with sounds inspired by Billie Eilish, Julia Michaels, FKA Twigs and St.Vincent. In support of the artist’s latest release, Darrow sets out to perform a multitude of shows around the NYC area at prominent music venues.  

  • Premiere: Tiger Darrow releases plot twist single “Brother’s Girl”

    ​Brooklyn-based Pop Creative multi-hyphenate, Tiger Darrow, has released her new single, “Brother’s Girl.” The heavy synth dark pop song portrays a story of forbidden love for the unattainable. 

    The song begins with seductive and fantastical lyrics as the singer describes the feeling of falling in love with someone special, however, they’re unavailable. Darrow enjoys writing her lyrics in a colloquial way full of surprise to her listeners. The poetic storytelling of this stripped song introduces a plot twist to the story when the singer announces the love she has been describing is in fact for her “Brother’s Girl.” Her earthy and smokey vocals over the skittering trap beats create a roguish pop sound filled with infectious melodies.

    Darrow’s musical upbringing began at the age of two when she began learning how to play the violin. Her love for music led her to attend a Performing Arts High School in Dallas, Texas where she learned guitar and cello. Graduating with a degree in Songwriting from NYU, Darrow continued to pursue her passion and built her reputation as a young, multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter and producer writing for other artists, as well as, pursuing a solo career. Opening for artists such as Edie Brickell and The New Bohemians, The Eagles, and Erykah Badu, Darrow also performed as a sideman for Durand Jones and The Indications, Zack Villere, Camille Trust and Wakey!Wakey!

    Darrow’s music has evolved tremendously since releasing her first album at the age of 16. The Dark-Alt Pop Singer is taking a new direction and creating new music with sounds inspired by Billie Eilish, Julia Michaels, FKA Twigs and St.Vincent. In support of the artist’s latest release, Darrow sets out to perform a multitude of shows around the NYC area at prominent music venues.  

  • Premiere: Tiger Darrow releases plot twist single “Brother’s Girl”

    ​Brooklyn-based Pop Creative multi-hyphenate, Tiger Darrow, has released her new single, “Brother’s Girl.” The heavy synth dark pop song portrays a story of forbidden love for the unattainable. 

    The song begins with seductive and fantastical lyrics as the singer describes the feeling of falling in love with someone special, however, they’re unavailable. Darrow enjoys writing her lyrics in a colloquial way full of surprise to her listeners. The poetic storytelling of this stripped song introduces a plot twist to the story when the singer announces the love she has been describing is in fact for her “Brother’s Girl.” Her earthy and smokey vocals over the skittering trap beats create a roguish pop sound filled with infectious melodies.

    Tiger Darrow
    Photo provided by Gramophone Media

    Darrow’s musical upbringing began at the age of two when she began learning how to play the violin. Her love for music led her to attend a Performing Arts High School in Dallas, Texas where she learned guitar and cello. Graduating with a degree in Songwriting from NYU, Darrow continued to pursue her passion and built her reputation as a young, multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter and producer writing for other artists, as well as, pursuing a solo career. Opening for artists such as Edie Brickell and The New Bohemians, The Eagles, and Erykah Badu, Tiger Darrow also performed as a sideman for Durand Jones and The Indications, Zack Villere, Camille Trust and Wakey!Wakey!

    Darrow’s music has evolved tremendously since releasing her first album at the age of 16. The Dark-Alt Pop Singer is taking a new direction and creating new music with sounds inspired by Billie Eilish, Julia Michaels, FKA Twigs and St.Vincent. In support of the artist’s latest release, Darrow sets out to perform a multitude of shows around the NYC area at prominent music venues.