Phantom Handshakes on instinct, mood and success
Phantom Handshakes explores themes of twilight and emotional depth in their latest album Sirens at Golden Hour. The dream pop duo is Matt Sklar and Federica Tassano. They perform live as a 5-piece alongside Meghan Seeberg, Matt Billington, and Brian Alvarez. Sonically, the release expands on their lo-fi soundscapes, while they touch on themes of hope, despair and the climate crisis. We connected with the pair to discuss instinctual songwriting, measuring success and more.
ILTON finds comfort on the dancefloor
Influenced by acts like Dirty Vegas, ATB, and Real Lies, New York electronic artist ILTON makes bangers. His latest EP ‘SAD BOY RAVE’ culminates house, dance-pop, and electronic beats. On the surface, these are dance songs, but dig deeper and you’ll find heartbreak. We connected with ILTON to discuss headlining Coachella, feeling connected to the SAD BOY RAVE brand, sampling as a form of artistic expression, and more
Photo Credit: Bo Apitz
Exploring love and loss in ‘The New Romantics’
The New Romantics, spearheaded by multi-instrumentalist Brandon Biondo, has delved into a spectrum of genres. Since 2013, his solo project has unveiled numerous singles and EPs. However, it wasn't until Biondo experienced the profound loss of his mother that he turned to the album format as a form of solace and distraction. The New Romantics stands as a harmonious collection of sounds, reflecting Biondo's diverse set of influences. In our Q&A with the talented artist, we discuss loss, musical taste, the ability to disconnect from music, and more.
Van Common Looks Inward on Sunstruck
Berlin-based songwriter/producer Van Common set strict parameters before recording his debut album Sunstruck. Instead, the album took shape organically, stretching outside of those restrictions. The result is a mostly electronic, indie-pop dance album on which Van Common looks inward and analyzes the impact of his actions. In our interview with the Dutch musician, we discuss discovering instrumental dance music, the challenges of learning to create music on a laptop, translating the album to a live setting, and more.
Photo Credit: Hannah Aletta
Junatime on capturing the nostalgic sounds of the 1980s
Q&A with synthpop artist JUNATIME.
Photo credit: Jessica Calleiro