MIDNIGHT KIDS: INTERVIEW

May 26, 2020

BY MARIAH ESTRAN

On May 22nd, the electronic pop duo Midnight Kids released their new EP The Lost Youth. It is an exhilarating eight-track record that embodies a modern twist on the nostalgia-filled synthwave tempos and drums. But the presence of connectivity through the lyrics and the theme of being free without ever feeling alone is what paints the bigger picture for these two artists. They have created a world within their music, and fanbase that offers comfort in the most isolating times.

Midnight Kids took time to tell us more about their latest EP while expanding on their creative journey, inspirations, extra projects, and the innovative ways they stay connected with their fans.

Tell us more about who Midnight Kids is, and what made you two decide to create music together?

Midnight Kids: “Our names are Dylan and Kyle, we’re both 22 and have been making music for years now. We feel we fill in each other's gaps perfectly. It’s hard to be a completely well-rounded artist who’s good at everything, so having two of us who excel at different aspects of the project has really helped us grow the project.”

Midnight Kids has a very distinct nostalgic sound that’s reminiscent of 80’s new wave. What artists have influenced your sound?

MK: “We love getting lost in music that brings that sense of nostalgia. Artists like Justice, Madeon and Oliver are a few who've influenced our sound. We also love music outside of electronic music that brings that same nostalgic feeling, acts like The Band Camino, The 1975, and LANY.”

Not only do you two make your own tracks, but you also do a lot of remixes. What has been one of your favorites to make?

MK: ”Our favorite remix would probably have to be our Justice - Phantoms Pt.II remix! The sense of tension created in the intro with very minimal production is something that's hard to achieve but we love the way it turned out.”

You have released a new EP, The Lost Youth. How was the creative process? What inspired these eight tracks?

MK: ”Putting together this EP was a journey. We had a few different variations of it — number of songs, songs included vs. not included, track order — but we're super happy with how it came together. We wanted The Lost Youth to feel like a story, something you could listen to from beginning to end. Every track is a little different than the next, and we like that we're able to show different sides to ourselves for this body of work. There's something for everyone, whether it's a song about love, missing someone, going crazy or just having fun with friends.”

You two want to “encourage people to be comfortable with their story.” What new track do you feel really expressed that sentiment?

MK: “They all do! If we had to choose one, it would be ‘Monsters.’ That record is all about accepting yourself for who you are, it’s about making memories that will last and not worrying about what the rest will think. ‘Monsters’ is truly an anthem for the lost youth.”

What do you want listeners to take away after they listen to the new EP?

MK: “We hope The Lost Youth gives everyone a sense of freedom and escape. No matter what somebody is going through, they're not alone and there are others out there who want to help. Everyone should have a shoulder to lean on, during good times and bad. If you feel unheard or unseen, we hear you and see you. It's a message we've been spreading to everyone who's been on this journey with us.”

Due to the pandemic, we are living in a very uncertain time regarding live performances. What does Midnight Kids have planned next when it comes to visuals or other ways to provide content to your fans?

MK: “We have been working so hard on what’s next for us, but can’t share everything at the moment. However, we have been creating an amazing community online for people to feel safe and comfortable to tell their story in. We created a Discord server and Facebook group called The Lost Youth and we’ve met so many amazing people from it. Still to this day we are playing video games with them, hopping on late night group calls, it’s just such an amazing place for us to connect with everyone who’s been involved with the project.”

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CHIEF STATE: INTERVIEW

May 25, 2020

BY EMILY HARRIS

Vancouver-based band Chief State is celebrating the release of their newest EP, Tough Love. The EP features singles “Deciduous,” “Reprise,” and “Biding Time,” each of them with tens of thousands of streams. Each single has its own design artwork that later influenced the EP cover itself. Lead singer Fraser Simpson was able to discuss the process of creating the EP alongside his four fellow bandmates with us.

Hey guys! Congratulations on the release of your sophomore EP, Tough Love. What was it like to get back into the studio following the release of your debut EP, Nothing More Than This, in 2018?

Fraser: “It was amazing, we had been working on these songs for a while and scheduling issues meant that it was a while until we were able to get into the studio again. So, when we finally did, it was not only great to be back getting our ideas down properly but also a big relief after so long away!”

How have you managed to create a cohesive sound while working as a quintet?

F: “Our songwriting formula has stayed much the same and I think that has helped us dial in our sound. Usually myself or Nik will have a mostly fleshed out song with or without lyrics and then everyone else will adjust their parts and add some flare. This way the core of the song remains much the same and not convoluted with too many ideas. For some bands it works to jam out something altogether from scratch but we prefer to not have too many cooks in the kitchen at the initial structuring part of a song.”

As you’ve been featured on three of Spotify’s self-made playlists, how does it feel to be able to reach such a diverse punk audience?

F: “It's fantastic, we're really grateful to reach so many new ears. The hardest part of being in a band is getting heard by an audience that's into your style of music. We've had some decent luck with the Spotify curators, so long may that continue!”

As your songs are filled with powerful guitar riffs and strong drums, how do you find a balance between these sonically-packed songs and meaningful lyrics?

F: “I'm not sure that it's something we're ever that conscious of to be honest. We definitely don't have a set of rules that we abide by, the balance just seems right to us. We write what we think sounds cool and thankfully it seems to work out!”

Where did the idea of a broken heart in an American Traditional overlay come from for the artwork of Tough Love?

F: “We initially had the idea of the album artwork being like a tattoo flash sheet. So, we had a local artist named Chelsea at Ride Fast Tattoos in Vancouver draw up some ideas for us. Each of the seven songs had its own design, you can see some of these on the artwork for the singles ‘Deciduous,’ ‘Reprise,’ and ‘Biding Time.’ The last song on the album was originally called ‘Tough Love,’ and so that's where the design originated. When we saw the flash sheet style design we decided there was a little too much going on so we scrapped that idea, the heart design really caught our eye though so we ran with that and decided to name the EP Tough Love too!”

What made you release “Deciduous” as the first single from this EP?

F: “Our main reason was to do with the time of year. We knew we would be able to get the first single out in the fall/winter and as Deciduous is all about seasonal depression and has references throughout about the shedding of leaves, we decided it would be fitting to release that song first.”

Can you talk us through the decision process for the ordering of the songs on the EP? Did you always know you wanted to end Tough Love with “Peace of Mind?”

F: “We thought first that Peace Of Mind might be a good way to start the EP, but when we heard Try Hard back for the first time it really made much more sense to start with that one. POM has a heavy outro and we thought it would be great to finish the EP on a high so that's what we did. It's always tricky trying to decide on the ordering, we played around with the songs a few different ways, in the end we felt this order had the best flow.”

What was the filming process like for your most recent music video? What made you create an Anchorman-tribute for the single “Biding Time?”

F: “We've always done quite serious videos and we really wanted to show our fun side. Nik had recently watched the movie and thought it would be funny to make a tribute. The filming process was pretty tragic to be honest. None of us knew what we were doing and we did the whole thing DIY. We borrowed a camera, tripod, and green screen, put together a loose script/plot and just had fun with it! It was a funny day, we were all a little out of it for those final shots, I think some people might be able to tell! Editing was just as much of a nightmare, I had a lot of late nights teaching myself how to put together green screen footage. In the end, it definitely looks a little hokey and low budget but that's what we were going for. Overall, we're really pleased with how it came out!”

After quarantine, can we expect the songs from Tough Love to be featured on the setlist when you tour?

F: “Definitely, I think we'll be playing at least five of them along with a couple of old ones. Fingers crossed this pandemic passes in the coming months and we can get out on the road again soon!”

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ROHAN: INTERVIEW

May 23, 2020

BY PANKHURI BHUTANI

With more than 15,000 monthly listeners on his Spotify channel, this artist has gained more than 32,000 streams on SoundCloud. Rohan is one of the upcoming rappers in the industry.

Rohan has Indian origin and hails from Ontario, Canada. Rohan developed the passion and love for music from a very young age. He works with a mix of different genres, from hip hop to R&B. His music is a product of integration between the songwriting that is inspired by his upbringing and the struggle that he faces with the combination of beats that gives a very cultural vibe.

Rohan has so far been successful in achieving more than a million streams from around the world. He is currently working on his first official EP, Stay Off The Internet, and was able to take out some of his time for a short and fun interview!

What was the experience like with your first song?

Rohan: “I remember the feeling of excitement. I was focused to learn and hone a craft that I had such a close relationship with. I had no audio engineer or real access to studios at the time, so I had to record myself and learn that way. I didn't have any expectations; I just wanted to learn, have fun, and be great.”

Was there anything you planned out to do before setting out in the music industry?

R: “Making my presence felt was always a goal of mine. Growing up, I never really imagined I would be able to live this life because of my environment and the perception that it wasn't really possible where I was from. Coming from an Indian background with immigrant parents who had low income, being a musician wasn't really an option or an opportunity that presented itself till much further in life, so I never pursued it growing up. To really top it off, there haven't been any South Asian role models that I looked to in North America — no one had really gotten to an A-list position and sustained it like many of my other role models in music — this always made me feel like I wanted to inspire and motivate those without a voice coming in. No real plan, just pure intention.”

If you could collaborate with one artist of your liking, who might it be and why?

R: “Kanye West, probably. I grew up listening to his music and drew a lot of emotion from his sound, especially 808s & Heartbreak as well as MBDTF. His blueprint helped me shape my path as he also started as a producer and evolved into an artist.”

What are the things that you always keep in mind before creating your music?

R: “Time, integrity, and intention. If it won't stand the test of time or isn't coming from a pure and real place, I don't want to hear it. In the beginning, I wouldn't finish songs that weren't good enough in my eyes — now, I try not to start them.”

Who do you consider as a source of inspiration for your music?

R: “Pharrell, Kanye, Timbaland, Dr. Dre, JAY Z, Notorious B.I.G..”

What is the kind of message that you want to convey through your music?

R: “My name in Sanskrit means ‘to ascend.’ In a way, that is the best answer to that question — my goal is to uplift the spirit of humanity through the colors and textures of my music.”

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COBI: INTERVIEW

May 22, 2020

BY PANKHURI BHUTANI

With over 5.3 Million views on his YouTube Channel and around 450,000 monthly listeners on his Spotify channel, this artist is already climbing up the stairs of fame. Hailing from Grand Marais, Minnesota, Cobi started his solo music career by releasing his first song titled, “Don’t You Cry for Me.” Up until then he had been a part of Boston originated band, Gentleman Hall.

The song was such a huge success that it gained the position of number 1 on the global Spotify chart and he performed it live on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Cobi has since then gained thousands of fans from all around the world and released some phenomenal tracks, some of them including “Goddess,” “Prophet Story,” “Nobody Opened the Door,” and “Underneath.”

Cobi just released his new single, “Don’t Stop” and has dedicated this song to his wife. To talk about the inspiration behind this song, Cobi took out some of his time for a short interview.

What was the experience like with your first song "Don't You Cry for Me"?

Cobi: “The reaction the song got was really exciting. At the time I was on a world tour as a guest singer with Above and Beyond performing amazing venues like the Royal Albert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. Being my debut, it was really cool seeing it take off as fast as it did, going number 1 on the global viral Spotify chart and later landing me a performance spot on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon.”

Was there anything you planned out to do before setting out in the music industry?

C: “Not really, I just wanted to play guitar and rock out.”

What according to you is the best thing that you have experienced so far related to your music?

C: ”Meeting new people on the road and sharing my experience with them through music is so exciting to me. Connecting with people through music is one of the most rewarding things I've ever experienced. It has a way of putting everyone on the same vibrational frequency for a period of time.”

Out of all the songs that you have created, which one is your favorite and why?

C: “Usually whatever song I wrote last is my current favorite so it's always changing and evolving. My favorite songs to perform live change depending on the setting and the audience.”

You just released your new single "Don't Stop". Congratulations on that! What was the inspiration behind it?

C: “I wrote ‘Don’t Stop’ at a pivotal time in my life. My father was passing away and my daughter Kaia had just been born. Losing someone you love is a frightening experience. It’s a wakeup call, letting you know that tomorrow is not guaranteed. I had never needed support more than I did during that time. That experience made my wife and I hold on to each other pretty tight. ‘Don’t Stop’ is dedicated to her for all of her understanding and compassion.”

What was the creative process like and did you face any challenges during the making of the song?

C: “The blank canvas can be an intimidating thing to some people. I think being able to make decisions quickly and going with your initial instinct is really important. There are endless possibilities when it comes to combining words, melody, harmony, and rhythm. Without that as a guide, you can easily get caught up in the trying infinite combinations. Coming up with a concept and seeing it through is a challenge if worked through over and over for many years.”

Is there any particular message that you are trying to convey through this track?

C: “Be grateful for the ones in your life who hold you up. Give love and praise to the ones who help you walk through grief and change. Love the right way every day.”

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HONEY CREEK: INTERVIEW

May 20, 2020

BY EMILY HARRIS

Milwaukee D.I.Y band Honey Creek is defining the alternative space following the release of their debut album A Whole Year in Transit. Following the release of their EP, The Time it Takes, which came out in 2018, the band was able to create a single cohesive and full-flowing record with A Whole Year in Transit. Singles “Green Line,” “The Time it Took,” and “Paper Roses” are featured on the album alongside the title track “A Whole Year in Transit.” The band was able to speak to us about the recent release and what we can expect from them after quarantine.

Thanks for talking with us, guys! Can you tell about the beginnings of the band, as you started out in 2016?

Honey Creek: “Thanks for having us! Honey Creek was formed from a couple Milwaukee D.I.Y. bands. Our original lineup consisted of Donnie (drums), Sam (guitar), and Dylan (bass), as well as our friend Dominick who was our original singer. We put out our demo, ‘I Don’t Know What I’m Doing’ and ‘The Time it Takes’ with various other second guitarists. After about three years of playing basement shows and a couple of Midwest weekend tours, Dominick decided that he wanted to go in a different direction so we went on a short break while we worked on putting together a solid lineup. After a few months we met Chris (vocals) and Ellee (backing vocals, guitar) who were in another Milwaukee band, and settled on this lineup. This lineup has been playing together for about a year now.”

How has the Milwaukee music scene influenced your punk rock roots?

HC: “When we just started getting into D.I.Y. music, Milwaukee had a very thriving house show scene, so we were all brought up on the idea that as long as someone had a basement, we could throw a show. The resourcefulness of the scene and playing music for the sake of building a sense of community and influencing the next generation of musicians are probably our biggest takeaways from our Milwaukee D.I.Y. roots.”

As your plan for being a band was cemented in the notion of playing basement shows, how have you kept to that goal?

HC: “We continue to love basement shows and feel incredibly comfortable in that environment. Honey Creek in general has a very D.I.Y. ethos to it and we always jump at the opportunity to play in those spaces with our friends in the Milwaukee scene and at various spots across the U.S. We’ve met a lot of cool people and many of our closest friends that way. While we feel very comfortable in a basement show environment, we had the opportunity to play a couple of shows on our most recent tour that broke us out of that comfort zone. It was a cool feeling to see some growth in that manner. However, D.I.Y./basement shows continue to feel more like home.”

Your debut album A Whole Year in Transit released in April this year. How did the process of creating a full record differ from that of your earlier released EP, The Time It Takes?

HC: “It was much more challenging as we wanted to bring out a more cohesive and thought out theme via AWYIT as opposed to writing songs for the EP that weren’t as connected to one another. We took a lot more time demoing out songs, listening back on them and reworking things, which we feel gave us a much better understanding of the parts that needed to be changed. This is also our first time writing a release with this current line up and we couldn’t be happier with the result.”

The last single you dropped before the album was “Paper Roses.” Why did this song feel like the perfect last piece of the puzzle before the whole album was released?

HC: “We all felt that the song was one of the stronger songs on the record, but the music video we did for it was definitely our most ambitious music video to date. We spent the course of two months painting the backgrounds of the scenes in our living room and preparing other props and costumes. We rented out a studio at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and set everything up and filmed it with our friend Carter Green for over eight hours. We were very proud of how the video turned out and felt that it was a very good introduction to our music.”

Your single “Green Line” has over fifty thousand streams on Spotify. What inspired the drawn-out guitar and hard drum sound we hear in it?

HC: “‘Green Line’ was one of the first songs written for the record. We wanted to head in the direction of making songs that were a bit punchier and more upbeat, while continuing the energy from our previous releases. It originally was much darker and heavier sounding but we had to essentially recreate it and make it a bit more upbeat to fall more in line with what we felt was the Honey Creek sound. While we had an idea for what we wanted the finished songs to sound like, Derek Moffat at 608 Studios really understood our vision and made that vision a sonic reality.”

The last song on the album is the title track, “A Whole Year in Transit.” Why did you decide to close the album out like you did?

HC: “Originally ‘Fast Times at Farwell House’ and ‘A Whole Year In Transit’ were two halves of the same song. As we were finishing up the record we had the idea of making the first and last song musically relate to each other so the album felt more like it had a hard beginning and ending. The lyrical content of ‘A Whole Year in Transit’ was the last part of the record that we wrote and we grabbed parts from every song on the record to relate to it as a whole. We felt that it gave everything a nice bookend.”

What song would you recommend someone to listen to in order to understand who Honey Creek is, both lyrically and sonically?

HC: “‘Green Line’. The lyrics to that song are very personal to us and we feel like it is a very good representation of the mindset we were in while writing the record.”

Once quarantine is over, can we expect some live shows from you soon?

HC: “1000%. We had a lot of plans for the rest of the year that are unfortunately now on hold, but as soon as it’s safe we want to be back out there playing whenever we can.”

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