Photo credit Luka Popp
I will bury all your sins
Cause mine keeping me awake
Invitations for a dance
How come I’m still here, I’ve had my chance
Shortly before the pandemic, while prepping for a comeback tour that would be postponed, Nick & June singer Suzie-Lou Kraft penned some cryptic lyrics in a stream of consciousness. It mystifies her to this day what the meaning behind the words were, but they channeled through her during a need for a change – heralded by the sound of a “small, quirky Casio.” She played around with music, embracing whimsy and playfulness instead of the business of “serious” music making. The resulting song was the soft, fluttering, and dreamlike “Anything But Time.”
“The song was oddly prophetic, as if I had a hunch of what was coming,” Kraft muses. “The beat from the session before was still playing, so I started playing over that and just let my favorite chord do the major C magic.” The song lay dormant until the band’s tour was canceled by the pandemic, when she revisited it with fresh ears.
“Even though we all felt like crying at that time, I played the song again, and it brought a smile to my face,” she says. “Working on it with Nick and our producer Nico, it turned into a full-fledged song which became the opener of the EP Beach Baby, Baby.” The band added it to their live set, which inspired the gorgeously filmed performance video directed by Bernhard Schinn.
Watch the video for “Anything But Time” below:
Encased in a sparkling haze of oscillating synths, subtle percussive throbs, and resonant organ tones, Nick & June navigate a soundscape that is at once ethereal and poignant. Guided by the contrasting yet beautifully intertwined voices of Suzie-Lou Kraft and Nick Wolf, the duo explores the boundaries of euphorically disciplined orchestration and introspective ruminations. Their sonic signature invites easy comparisons to the dreamy pop textures of Beach House and the reverb-drenched serenity of Mazzy Star.
Following the warm reception of their last record, My November My, and after an extended creative hiatus, this indie pair is set to introduce their latest offering, a mini-album titled Beach Baby, Baby, out now. The songs take on a cinematic quality, each one imbued with an atmosphere that is at once expansive yet intimately gritty. The melodies enchant, made all the more compelling by the harmonious fusion of Kraft and Wolf’s vocals, as they deliver evocative lyrical imagery that stirs the imagination.
Listen below:
Whether in the recording studio or performing live, Nick & June move deftly between guitars, ukuleles, glistening mandolins, and resonant bass tones. They flirt with vintage Casio keyboards, reverberating horns, playful percussive elements, drum machines, and even a distorted glockenspiel, creating a sonic experience that is both familiar and delightfully alien.
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