by emily harris
photo courtesy of sleep house
August 18th is a day set in the history books for alternative pop band Sleep House. It’s the day New Jersey natives, Nick Gardyasz, Adam Mink, Evan Marcinko, and Nick Marchinko, are set to release their newest EP, High Tide. High Tide — their most dynamic and wide-ranged release yet — is centered around the notion of hope and becoming able to accept changes in life. Originally formed in 2016, the band themselves have firsthand experience in growing and changing within the music industry. This three-track record comprises the third studio-release for the band following their Valentine’s Day dropped single entitled “Stephanie.”
High Tide fully encompasses the 70s inspired rhythm and chilled-out vibe the band is known for. It’s no surprise the band is fans of The Strokes, John Mayer, and The Beatles. Their intricate lyricism follows the pattern of that of John Mayer, their guitar riffs follow that of The Strokes, and their simple yet swelling choruses remind you of those found throughout The Beatles’s discography.
The EP’s leading track, “Skydiving in Dubai,” begins with a thirty second musical interlude, fully letting the lyrics soar when they kick in. The vocals are almost silky and easily puts the listener at ease with the easily remembered chorus. This precedes the second song, “Clementine,” a mellow song with lyrics that clearly paint a beautiful storyline — of one person telling their older self that life gets better. The EP ends with “You’re Still My Favorite Thing.” The third and final track is truly the underdog of the EP. Although starring the band’s usual sweet-sounding guitar riffs, the chorus booms with the melodious addition of a stronger guitar presence than usual. The EP ends on a simplistic note, fully bringing the EP into one cohesive image.
I’ve come to decide that their sound fits perfectly as the soundtrack to a scenic drive. Its simple and wholesome melodies allow you to focus on everything around you and put you at utter peace. If you’re looking for a band to put you at ease, look no further than Sleep House.
Prior to the release, I had the chance to talk to the band about High Tide and what their plans are for the future!
Congratulations on the announcement of High Tide! Can you tell us about what you want fans to take away from this new release?
Sleep House: “Thank you so much! We hope our fans love this record as much as we do. Coming to the studio every week to work on this EP is what kept us going during these hard times, so we hope this EP can be there for our fans too.”
What was the inspiration behind the EP title, High Tide, and the artwork of this release?
SH: “The artwork was inspired by a painting Nick M. found while he was in Arizona last summer. The music for High Tide felt very spacious and raw to us, so we wanted the artwork to reflect that. Our friend Rob hand painted the artwork himself.”
As this is your third EP, how does it feel to be releasing new music again?
SH: “It feels very refreshing! This is the longest we’ve spent working on a release, so it feels incredible to finally show everyone what we’ve been doing.”
As this EP centers around the notion of changing and growing, how do you think you’ve grown from the creation of the band to this newest release?
SH: “We’re all completely different people now! We started when we were 15, and now most of us are about to be 20 now. Our music tastes are a lot bigger than before, and the music we make has grown to sound more mature as well. One thing that has stayed intact is the joy we have making music with each other.”
What was the writing and recording process like for the first song of the EP, “Skydiving in Dubai?”
SH: “This song came really fast, writing wise, and we really felt like we could do a lot in the studio to it to spice it up more. It’s definitely the most energetic tune on the record and in our discography and I’m really proud of that one.”
What is the backstory behind the second song of the EP, “Clementine?”
SH: “Clementine was originally a song called Grace that I had written as a love song for an ex-girlfriend back in the beginning of the band. We never did much with it and kept it in our pocket until it came time to figure out what we wanted this record to look like, and because of it’s summertime feel to it, I felt I could rework it and make it a more unique and interesting song. Out came Clem, which lyrically is almost a response to the old version and telling my old self that things and life gets better as life goes on.”
Can you talk a little more about the placement of the songs on the EP? Did you always want “You’re Still My Favorite Thing” to end the record?
SH: “‘Skydiving,’ because of the high energy, we felt would be a good starter to the record, and ‘Clementine’ after it allows for the energy to stay but also brings it down to a chill vibe a bit. We definitely knew ‘Favorite Thing’ was a special one and would be a perfect ending for the EP from the beginning. The progression from high energy to complete chill vibes we felt was a perfect order for the EP to be in.
What new things can we expect from you after this EP drops?
SH: “We have lots more surprises with High Tide to come, as well as shows hopefully sometime soon, and we’ll definitely be releasing more music down the road.”