In SOUND CHECK, we check in with some of our favorite musicians.
Combine Amelia Meath's saccharine, sultry vocals with Nick Sanborn's smart yet playful pop sounds and you get the electronic-folk duo Sylvan Esso. We already have their singles "Coffee" and "Play It Right" on repeat, and the rest of their debut album (set to be released tomorrow) promises even more infectious electro-pop. We met up with the North Carolina-based band earlier this week at Two-Bit's Retro Arcade in the Lower East Side for some beers, games, and conversation. As Amelia played Tetris intently, Nick cheered me on as I kicked major ass at The Simpsons pinball machine. Hanging with the duo felt more like a seventh-grade summer camp than a first encounter (right down to the OG Buffalo platforms that Amelia was sporting). The two oozed zeal for life and music, and as we chatted about songwriting, the North Carolina music scene, and their upcoming European tour with tUnE-yArDs, we got a taste of the bubble-gum charm that permeates their songs.
KATHLEEN TSO: Our band is ______ and our sound is ______.
AMELIA MEATH and NICK SANBORN: We are Sylvan Esso and our sound is that of a slinky.
In the spirit of your single "Coffee," how do you guys take your coffee in the morning?
AM: Drip coffee, shot of espresso, a little bit of half and half; iced when it's hot, and hot when it's not.
NS: Same way, but black. Iced when it's hot, hot when it's not.
There's an element of storytelling in your songwriting. Where does the inspiration come from for your lyrics?
AM: Some of them are personal, some of them aren't. I find that story songs are my favorite kind of songs. I wrote "Coffee" about falling in love over and over again and the nature of human relationships, and how [they're] cyclical. How you're constantly recognizing, or having déjà vu, about feelings that you had in the past. I like to write songs about questions that I have, otherwise I don't know why you would tell the story. I love storytelling and personal mythology.
Where does the name Sylvan Esso come from?
NS: I've always had wood-themed bands and it's based on this character in this video game that we love called Swords & Sworcery. It's an iPhone game and we love it. It costs $4, but it's so worth it. It's this gorgeous game and when you're playing [it], you can tap this tree and this beautiful Princess Mononoke tree spirit comes out and sings to you. And it was just this really beautiful thing we latched onto. Its name was a Sylvan Sprite.
How have things changed since you signed to Partisan Records?
NS: Before we had a small team of people: our manager, booking agent, and press dude. When we signed to Partisan we all just got bigger, and since there is so much more work, there are more people to help out. They have just been so immensely supportive.
Congrats on your debut album coming out tomorrow, May 13. What are you guys going to do to celebrate the occasion?
Combine Amelia Meath's saccharine, sultry vocals with Nick Sanborn's smart yet playful pop sounds and you get the electronic-folk duo Sylvan Esso. We already have their singles "Coffee" and "Play It Right" on repeat, and the rest of their debut album (set to be released tomorrow) promises even more infectious electro-pop. We met up with the North Carolina-based band earlier this week at Two-Bit's Retro Arcade in the Lower East Side for some beers, games, and conversation. As Amelia played Tetris intently, Nick cheered me on as I kicked major ass at The Simpsons pinball machine. Hanging with the duo felt more like a seventh-grade summer camp than a first encounter (right down to the OG Buffalo platforms that Amelia was sporting). The two oozed zeal for life and music, and as we chatted about songwriting, the North Carolina music scene, and their upcoming European tour with tUnE-yArDs, we got a taste of the bubble-gum charm that permeates their songs.
KATHLEEN TSO: Our band is ______ and our sound is ______.
AMELIA MEATH and NICK SANBORN: We are Sylvan Esso and our sound is that of a slinky.
In the spirit of your single "Coffee," how do you guys take your coffee in the morning?
AM: Drip coffee, shot of espresso, a little bit of half and half; iced when it's hot, and hot when it's not.
NS: Same way, but black. Iced when it's hot, hot when it's not.
There's an element of storytelling in your songwriting. Where does the inspiration come from for your lyrics?
AM: Some of them are personal, some of them aren't. I find that story songs are my favorite kind of songs. I wrote "Coffee" about falling in love over and over again and the nature of human relationships, and how [they're] cyclical. How you're constantly recognizing, or having déjà vu, about feelings that you had in the past. I like to write songs about questions that I have, otherwise I don't know why you would tell the story. I love storytelling and personal mythology.
Where does the name Sylvan Esso come from?
NS: I've always had wood-themed bands and it's based on this character in this video game that we love called Swords & Sworcery. It's an iPhone game and we love it. It costs $4, but it's so worth it. It's this gorgeous game and when you're playing [it], you can tap this tree and this beautiful Princess Mononoke tree spirit comes out and sings to you. And it was just this really beautiful thing we latched onto. Its name was a Sylvan Sprite.
How have things changed since you signed to Partisan Records?
NS: Before we had a small team of people: our manager, booking agent, and press dude. When we signed to Partisan we all just got bigger, and since there is so much more work, there are more people to help out. They have just been so immensely supportive.
Congrats on your debut album coming out tomorrow, May 13. What are you guys going to do to celebrate the occasion?