“Found You,” a retrowave hit that sounds like it belongs in a 1980s sci-fi thriller, hypnotizes with cutting synths and funky bass lines that could be the soundtrack to your favorite B movie. “Found You,” a song by independent label Handsome Money that was produced by Kenny Cash (of the bands Goose, Similar Kind), motivated the team to complete a music video challenge in 24 hours while also documenting the process. For a Scream Fan Film that will be released in late 2023, “Found You” has already been requested to serve as the feature soundtrack. Check out the exclusive interview below:
1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?
Evan: I used to be in an Indie Pop band,‘Similar Kind’ and we recorded our records at Factory Underground Recording studio, Located in Norwalk, CT. Kenny Cash is the owner and producer at Factory Underground and that’s where we first met Kenny & I worked closely on songs with Similar Kind and eventually started working together on some tracks that Kenny had and this led to Neon Sines.
2. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘NEON SINES’?
NEON SINES: Neon Sines is heavily 80’s influenced and we incorporate styles like Synthwave, retrowave and vapor soul but we love groups like MGMT, Crystal Castles, Mareux, Tame Impala, and Gorillaz. The name just seemed to fit the music.
3. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
Evan: I tend to add sonar sounds in some of the tracks. I don’t know what it is about that sound but I find it very appealing, and believe it subliminally attracts the listener even though that’s probably not the case at all.
Kenny Cash:The lyrics and themes are always really forefront for me. For instance, “Found You,” is about a dead girl found on the beach that ends up haunting the town where she was found. That’s not your typical topic to be singing about but it gave me a very visual way to approach the music and vibe.
4. You consider your Most recent release, “Found You” as Neon Sines’ “first true single.” Why is that?
Kenny Cash: Our first couple of releases (“Guilty Pleasure,” and “Let Me Down Easy”) were really created during the early stages of the project, when we were just feeling out where things would go. Those were also collaborations with other artists/singers and on “Found You” we decided after listening to Evan’s demo vocals that he could do the job.
5. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
Kenny Cash:
I lost the first hip hop artist I was producing, Lighta, to a car crash when he was driving home from a show. We had just released a video for his Song “I Die young,” which was supposed to be a statement about violence. We shot the video in a cemetery where he was eventually buried. I lost a good friend that day.
6. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as INDIE?
Evan:
I have no formal, and very little informal experience working in a studio, working with audio engineers or producers. I am learning every day when working with Kenny Cash. When writing music and working on demos at home, I believe that I’ve found a formula that works for me. Im comfortable with my writing process but not comfortable enough, to the point that I’d ever be afraid of trying something new.
7. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?
Kenny:
The project is fairly new but from I’m super happy with the reaction that we have been getting from our first true single, “Found You,” we’ve done some light advertising on youtube and I’m pretty impressed with the amount of people that have been reacting to the track
8. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?
Kenny Cash: I think inspiration can come from a lot of places. It could be what’s going on politically or from your favorite tv show. At the end of the day I think it’s best for the listeners to decide what the art means to them and assign their own value to the music.
Evan: I think that it’s important that everyone should be free to interpret songs in their own personal way? Many times, I’ve written songs about 1 topic or idea, knowing it will be interpreted in many directions. It’s fun hearing how they are interpreted.
9. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
Evan: Im proud of what i have done in my life overall and super proud of my son, Eli. As an artist and songwriter, I do have some goals that I would like to hit.
Kenny Cash: For me success in music is a little bit like a drug. Once I’ve achieved one “success,” I’m immediately searching for the next. But some notable things are taking local bands such as the band that Evan used to be in, Similar Kind and Goose and being a part of turning them into national acts.
10. What’s next for Neon Sines? Do you plan on any special promotion or release strategy?
Kenny Cash: Because we are trying to bolster our music licensing catalog we plan on being pretty regular at releasing music. Our next release, “After Midnight,” is set for a 4/21/23 release date. And we have been doing a Handsome Money (named after our label/production team) video podcast with our videographer/photographer friend from The Factory Underground, Guzman Gonzalez and Ben Macnamara from Similar Kind where we tackle various art/tech challenges and document the experiences. It’s been pretty fun and we think it’s pretty funny.
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