by brittany and everly ormiston
photo by amber paredes
“The Midnight world is a hybrid of this imaginary time that we are working on in the real time that we live through.” Singer-songwriter Tyler Lyle and producer-songwriter Tim McEwan joined forces 10 years ago to create a project now known as The Midnight. The band may fit in the synthwave box, but aim to stick outside of it as well. They are successful at creating art that is revolutionary and impactful, and have the ability to capture different eras of music and effortlessly make them their own. The center of The Midnight universe is nostalgia. “Nostalgia has always been the fundamental premise of this band to try and capture that fleeting feeling of love, loss, and regret,” explains Lyle. The Japanese phrase "mono no aware" (物の哀れ) is the band’s motto, and has been considered its core from the very beginning. It perfectly encapsulates the feeling of nostalgia, and “a sense of spring as things are fading away.”
“Mono no aware” is the band’s guide, especially during the collaborative creative process. Lyle and McEwan aim to move themselves, and use elements they believe in both lyrically and on a production level. They pull inspiration from very different places, and take a variety of vibes and energies from current artists they are listening to. A track on the unreleased album was created with inspiration from Def Leppard and Whitesnake for the production, and from the late Juice WRLD for the songwriting aspect. “This has all been done before, which is true. But it has not all been done before by you,” Lyle mentions. Over the years, Lyle and McEwan have learned to appreciate and enjoy the process, which in turn brings a great amount of emotional-payoff when everything is all said and done.
The duo have experienced a great deal of emotional-payoff when it comes to their new album set to be released this year. Over the past few years, they had time to dive in creatively and to “digest themes.” McEwan was able to think further about the vision he wanted to create with production, and Lyle decided to jump into modular synthesis to “add production value to their future records.” Thematically, The Midnight’s newest album will include 80’s guitar, production, and background vocals. On a deeper level, it will continue the arc of self-awareness that also includes their other two albums: Kids and Monsters. Lyle explains further, “Tim and I are wanting to tell the story of the arc of how a person grows into themselves, and there are three movements. You gain self-knowledge, then you jump to gain self-love, and that means understanding the boundaries of other people and being able to love yourself. The next record is the other leap from self-love to empathy.”
photo by amber paredes
The Midnight’s newest album will be nothing short of wistful and charismatic. There will be a different level of relatability to the new record as it unveils the stories and struggles of other individuals. Along with the rest of their music, Lyle and McEwan hope the album as a whole will resonate and translate with the fanbase just as it has within themselves. “Our job is to be a mirror… to be able to give back to the fan whatever they are giving in to us,” Lyle shares. This mindset is especially portrayed when The Midnight performs live. Everyone in attendance is there for catharsis and an emotional experience, including the band members.“This idea of collective effervescence; when we all get together, we create a moment that is bigger than the individual ego or the individual self. We are co-creating something that is bigger than all of us,” expressed Lyle.
At their sold-out stop in Indianapolis on their recent tour, Lyle made a short speech before “Comeback Kid,” and highlighted how the audience plays a role in making the magic happen. The perfect example of this magic is when the entire room held onto one another, swayed back and forth, and sang the lyrics to “Lost and Found.” In that moment, you felt free from the burdens of life and truly the most alive. The saxophone solos, especially during “Jason,” were mesmerizing and thrilling at the same time. At one point, McEwan left his drum set and came to the front of the stage to cheer on the saxophonist, Justin. The audience continued to go wild during the chorus of “Los Angeles,” and bounced their arms to the beat of the bass drum. The amount of nostalgia emitted throughout the room was indescribable. The Midnight knows how to throw the most memorable party mixed with a whole lot of nostalgia to last you a lifetime. The beauty of it all is “nostalgia can be any decade... It is specific to your personal experiences and your life experiences,” — Tim McEwan.