photo credit: Daniel Cavazos
Like a synesthesia-induced landscape found within the vivid worlds of films a la Tron or The Neon Demon, Austin + Houston duo Night Drive are back with scattered and lo-fi visuals for their track “Rise and Fall“. The group is also thrilled to announce their debut self-titled record, due June 16th via Roll Call Records.
The duo – comprised of Rodney Connell and Brandon Duhon noted, “Rise and Fall is about unexpected change as two people find themselves going in different directions. A sudden and untimely break-up. We wanted the overall sound to be a bit dreamy and distant, which relates to that feeling of your life disintegrating and slipping through your hands like smoke, being unable to hold on to it. But we also wanted an energetic intensity to it, which relates more to the feeling of rushing headlong towards an inevitable tragedy and being unable to avert it, no matter what you do or where you turn.”
Inspired by sci-fi cinematic landscapes, the duo’s modern synth-pop seeks to explore the darker currents of abstract emotion. With infectious melodies wrapped in thoughtful lyrics, layered over pulsing dance beats, the group creates an ethereal electronic world drenched in noir aesthetics. With the handful of tracks and remixes they’ve released, the duo’s dreamy songs have already garnered attention from the likes of SPIN as well as causing a stir from tastemakers in the blogosphere, including myself — I LOVE them!
Night Drive’s self-titled debut album brings to mind the aesthetics of acts like Interpol or The Knife and is an effort best consumed in its entirety. From the John Carpenter-esque stylings of hazy album opener, “Hyperion” to the urgent synth of “Strange Telepathy” or the slow-burning and subtle “Ghost Craft,” from start to finish, the LP is a textured soundscape and surreal journey through sound.
Having recently toured with the likes of CHVRCHES, Austra, Yacht, Robert DeLong, and Miami Horror, Night Drive has several dates coming up in Houston, New York, and Austin.
Musically Amusing 