LEFT HANGING OVER A SEA OF CHANGE,
NEW LUST FOR LIFE IS CALLING IN CERTAIN WAYS
WE’RE LINKED TOGETHER BURNING
SO BRIGHT IT TAKES ME BACK WHERE I BELONG
In the heart of Mexico City, under the cloak of midnight at a screening of Panos Cosmatos’s Beyond The Black Rainbow, Texas natives Rodney Connell and Brandon Duhon’s paths first intertwined. United by their admiration for the film’s arresting visuals and mesmerizing synth rhythms, they unearthed a shared bond — both were musicians, their former bands having recently unraveled. In the crucible of this shared experience and passion, amidst the glimmer of Mexico City nightlife and under the spell of a transformative film, the concept of Night Drive sprang to life. Born of serendipity and a mutual appreciation for evocative imagery and the alluring hum of synth, the duo embarked on their nocturnal journey, armed with shared visions and their love for music.
On a whim, they went to a tarot reader and asked about the future of their band. She told them that they would find the “third member” within 2 years. They did…eventually…when Nick Dudek proved to be the final piece of the machine. “Nick didn’t join until 3 years later,” Rodney explains, “so she needs to brush up on her skills!”
Fueled by the allure of science fiction’s vast cinematic universes, Night Drive’s latest synthpop masterpiece Summerwaves navigates the obscure alleyways of abstract emotion, draped in articulate lyrics, propelled by throbbing dance rhythms that unveil a chic, vibrant sound.
“There’s a strange comfort and excitement that’s connected to the coastline,” says the band. “Summerwaves was inspired by that sense of freedom while also invoking a melancholy feeling of nostalgia. Kind of like the memory of a dream, hazy and vivid, but elusive…just out of reach.”
The video, directed by Robert MacCready with effects by Glass Void, is a glitchy aesthetic feast – a vintage-tinted performance reel that dances seamlessly with fragmented vignettes of dream-like tropical escapes. Amidst this visual symphony, images of palm trees and sandy beaches flicker into view, manifesting like elusive echoes of thoughts – EVPs of the mind, if you will – transmitted directly through the psyche’s wavelength. The resulting film is a mesmerizing fusion of reality and fantasy, a tapestry of pastel dreams against the backdrop of a synth-infused soundscape.
Watch the video for “Summerwaves” below:
Sharing their talent alongside renowned names like Crystal Castles, Ladytron, CHVRCHES, Austra, and The Psychedelic Furs has accelerated Night Drive’s reputation into overdrive. They’ve etched their name into the music scene with their captivating live performances, a dynamic exploration through the mesmerizing terrains of synth-pop.
Their forthcoming album, Position II, holds a place of intrigue in their discography as the second installment in an EP series. The nomenclature of this sequence of EPs finds its roots not in strategy or whimsy, but in the surreal realm of dreams.
“I had this dream that our band was called ‘The Positions’,” Brandon explained. “Since we’d already established ourselves as Night Drive, we had the idea to release a group of EPs named ‘Position I’, ‘Position II’, etc, which would ultimately culminate into a compilation album of the same name”.
Primarily crafted in the urban heart of EaDo Houston, this 22 minute collection of songs emerges as a mirror held up to the peculiar times we find ourselves navigating. Each tune resonates with the shared human experiences of our era – the unsettled whispers of uncertainty, the yearning pull of longing, the resilient glimmer of hope, and the thrill of uncharted discovery. These themes course through the album like lifeblood, infusing each track with a relevance and authenticity that speaks to our collective journey through these strange, transformative times.
To bring their vision for Position II into focus, Night Drive enlisted the expertise of seasoned LA producer Philip Broussard. Broussard carries with him a wealth of experience, having been a trusted aide to industry titans like Rick Rubin. His hand at the mixing console ensured the album’s thematic richness was matched by an equally robust and nuanced sound design.
“He’s worked in so many genres and styles and has an insane amount of experience under his belt, which was obviously very appealing,” Rodney said, “So we flew to LA and spent a weekend in some underground bunker in Venice, just chilling and talking music, and once we discovered his personal taste really meshed with our sort of ‘post-punk blend of synth-pop’, well at that point we were totally sold.”
Position II drops on August 4th. Pre-save the EP here.
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