Story // Will Bollini
Your debut album DIVE is set to release on September 25th, can you tell us more about the inspiration behind the album and what listeners can expect from it?
Luke- We wanted to create a snapshot into our lives of who we are right now. We wanted it to be something that is authentic to us. I think a lot of the inspiration comes from growing up in San Diego and being apart of beach culture.
You’ve been described as effortlessly blending nostalgic surf-rock with modern indie-pop. How did you come to develop your unique sound, and how does it reflect your experiences growing up in California?
Cole: I think even though most of the time we’re not actively trying to write something that sounds like Southern California it definitely seeps its way in through certain production elements and the overall sound. A lot of the music and influences we grew up on come from surf and skate movies and growing up in a beach town of north county San Diego it’s natural for us to be drawn to a more sunny, bright and happy sound.
The album features themes of youthfulness, love, and friendship, which are beautifully woven into your tracks like “seaside market.” What stories or experiences inspired these songs?
Dawson: I think a lot of these songs have a link to home. Where we grew up, our friends, our ‘spots’ all have been the backbone of where these stories come from.
It’s been a big year for you guys—touring with AJR and preparing for shows across Europe and the UK with THE DRIVER ERA. How have these experiences influenced your music and the creation of DIVE?
Luke – Live shows are a great testing ground for unreleased songs. Its cool to see which ones work and don’t work. We started playing the album track “you look so good” this last year and it had a great reaction with fans. It’s now on the album.
Tell me more about the immersive art and music experience in Los Angeles. What can fans expect from this event, and how does it tie into the themes and vibe of DIVE?
Cole: Our listening event in Silverlake was such a special moment for us. We had such a great time having tons of our close friends and people who’ve been supporting us from day one out to listen to the album and hang out. We had all of the single artwork covers and the album cover shot blown up as big prints on the walls and people could go and listen to individual tracks with headphones while standing in front of the artwork. It was definitely one of those snapshot moments in our career for us that we’ll remember forever.
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