SLEEP HOUSE: INTERVIEW

December 3, 2021

by danielle holian

Sleep House is a four-piece outfit based out of the Philadelphia/South Jersey region. The band formed during their freshman year in high school in 2016. Bonding over the likes of musical artists of The Strokes, Hippo Campus, and John Mayer, this led the combination of two former bandmates and two brothers to begin writing music and playing at local open mics.

To date, they have released two EP's independently, multiple singles, and have toured the east coast. They have recently released their brand new single “Funny, Funny” which encapsulates the feelings of uncertainty and irony that most people have felt over the past year towards themselves and society. In many ways, this new single marks a glimpse at what is yet to come from the band.

We caught up with Sleep House to discuss all things music below.

Who or what are your musical influences as a band?

Sleep House: “The Beatles have always been a foundational influence for us, along with bands like The Strokes and Hippo Campus.”

What inspired your latest single “Funny, Funny?”

SH: “The inspiration came mostly from what was going on in the world for the past year and a half. Mental health, world events, what’s going on in our daily lives etc. It’s an observation on right now.”

Can you describe what your songwriting process is like? And how do you divide the creative process between you?

SH: “Our process has always been really free-flowing. An idea could start with Adam or G$ bringing something to the four of us, or we start jamming something random in the middle of practice, or we just crank out something new in Logic together. Whatever we’re making usually determines what each of us are gonna do, and it’s never the same which makes it a lot of fun.”

How has your sound, taste and energy progressed since the band began?

SH: “I think it’s really progressed with our age. We started when we were 15 years old and all of us had been doing music before that. It’s like the root of Sleep House started when we were 15, and every year we add more influences and life experiences into our sound that make it grow. Now that we’re a bit older we definitely have gotten comfortable being ourselves in every aspect of the band.”

What would you say was your biggest challenge breaking into the music industry?

SH: “Starting out at 15-16 years old and trying to get gigs and figure out how to get there [laughs]. We felt like we had to act more mature than how we really were when it came to playing gigs or talking to people in the industry cause we didn’t want to come off as just a group of kids.”

What do you want the listeners to take away from your music?

SH: “We’re music lovers first and foremost, so everything we make is for the love of the music. We love songs that can transport us back to a time in our life or a specific memory, we hope our songs can provide that feeling as well.”

And finally, what's one fun fact about the band for our readers?

SH: “Adam is 6’4.”

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'HIGH TIDE' / SLEEP HOUSE: PREMIERE + INTERVIEW

August 18, 2020

by emily harris

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.”

Listen to High Tide on Spotify. Sleep House · Single · 2020 · 3 songs.

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.”

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SLEEP HOUSE: INTERVIEW

February 14, 2020

BY ABBY SAMUELSON

Emerging from the city of brotherly love, Sleep House had established their alternative pop rock music within the walls of their high school in early 2016. The band’s edgy and unconventional style draws listeners in from all across the nation, boasting over 100k streams on their song “Her”. Sleep House has continued to expand their musical portfolio with their recent releases “Don’t You Cry” and “Pano-319”, and with many more to come. The band is excited to share their new single “Stephanie” on February 14, 2020. We had the chance for an exclusive interview with the band to dive deeper into their latest release!

What inspired you to write “Stephanie”?

Sleep House: “Stephanie is a real personal one and it’s just about the mix of agony and infatuation that you can feel towards someone who doesn’t love you the same way as they used to.”

How does being in a band make your personal lives flourish? How does the band community add to your life?

SH: “We really just have the band to make music, but the bands we have met and played with since we’ve started have been huge influences on us. It’s always so cool to meet other artists and connect in a way that our friends from home, for example, don’t really get. “

What were some obstacles you came across while writing “Stephanie”?

SH: “Stephanie was difficult to write from the beginning because I was writing it while I was going through those exact emotions. It’s a lot easier to write about something that you’ve felt in the past but when you’re going through something and write about it as you are dealing with it, it can be hard to get a solid perspective on how you feel. The song went through a substantial amount of changes through the recording process as well but I think it couldn’t have ended up any other way and while I always get nervous with these emotions coming out and stuff, we’re all so proud of how it turned out.“

What are hardships you come across while being in the band itself?

SH: “I would say the hardest part about being in a band, and even just being a musician, is that you always strive for absolute perfection but that doesn’t exist. With everything from the music quality, to the stats of your songs, to the crowd sizes, you always strive for more and more. The highs of getting those things are amazing but when you don’t reach the outcomes you expect, it can really take a toll on you. Releasing any art that you put your heart and soul into is really hard but you have to push through and keep going if you really want any of your music to be heard.”

What are you looking forward to/what are your goals as a band?

SH: “We really just want to make this passion that we have for making music and performing live into our way of living. We all love doing this more than anything else and want to reach as many people as we can with our music.”

What were the beginnings of the band like?

SH: “As musicians, we all clicked together really well very quickly and since G$ and I knew each other for a while and Nick and Evan were brothers, we kind of were able to all clique together faster. Writing in the beginning was tough since we were really trying to figure out who we were and, to be honest, we still are.”

Who are some top influencers that inspire you to create music? What about them drives your creativity?

SH: “A lot of the artists who inspire as are John Mayer, The Strokes, Vampire Weekend, and Hippo Campus, just to name a few. I think all of the artists we listen to have never been afraid to change their sound and do something different or unique and we really try to obtain that with our music.”

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'I HATE THAT I MISS YOU' / SLEEP HOUSE: SINGLE REVIEW + INTERVIEW

June 7, 2019

REVIEW BY MICHELLE CASTILLO

INTERVIEW BY CAMI LIBERTY

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This seemingly upbeat song by the New Jersey based band Sleep House deals with the whirlwind of emotions of someone who had just been broken up with. The feeling of hopelessness and anger in their latest single “I Hate That I Miss You” as their love interest moves on to someone seemingly better than them is felt through each word.

The song itself is beautifully crafted with a nostalgic feel. Taking you back to the summer in ‘83 as you dance the pain away in your empty bedroom on a warm afternoon. “I Hate That I Miss You” plays on the Walkman you stole from your Dad’s toolbox. A memory never experienced, but a familiar sentiment nonetheless. Even if you had never experienced a breakup yourself it’ll feel like you did after listening to this song.

A lyric that really stood out was, “what more could I do?” Up until that point the background instrumentals were increasing their complex. The beginning contained a simple drum beat accompanied with a smooth guitar riff. An addition of a lead guitar kicks off for the bridge adding a new twist to the song. Then that line appears. The suspense created by the guitarists and drummer stops bringing emphasis to the line. Immediately after the song picks up, this time with a more energetic composition.

This artistic choice sets up the mood for the entire song. The uselessness that Nicholas Gardyasz, the lead singer, feels as he misses his lost love is made more apparent. It’s this element that makes the song have such a strong impact.

“I Hate That I Miss You” is a beautifully crafted song that should not be overlooked. I can’t wait to hear what else this band has to offer.

You just released your new single “I Hate That I Miss You.” Can you tell us a little about the song and the inspiration behind it?

SLEEP HOUSE: “The song came very quickly and kind of saved us all from a little bit of a funk we were in. We had about a month where we couldn’t get anything clicking and we were all just doing our own things. It felt almost like our spark was dimming, but then this one came around and it just kind of put this energy into us that I don’t think we’ve had before. The song is really just about hating the dread you feel after a relationship with someone ends and wanting to move on as quickly as possible. I think this is one of our most progressed songs we’ve ever had and hopefully the fans love it as much as we do. “

How would you describe the song in three words?

SH: “Fresh, vibey, bright.“

What is your usual writing/recording process like?

SH: “Usually when songs or ideas come into the studio, we end up crafting them pretty quickly. ‘I Hate That I Miss You’ was written by the time it was brought in and everything else came together rather quickly. It’s usually pretty fast for us, it’s the recording that takes a while. We have our own studio, so luckily we have the ability to experiment as much as we want. While this could be both a good and bad thing, we really just try to do as much as possible to the songs while trying not to alter the basis of the song too much.”

I Hate That I Miss You, an album by Sleep House on Spotify

How do you feel your music has evolved since becoming a band?

SH: “Every year, I notice our sound becoming more and more crafted and it really gives all of us so much hope. Although we love and appreciate our old stuff, the writing and recording quality keeps getting better and better, which is all you can hope for. Because we’re still on the younger side, this incline in song quality is hopefully something that continues to happen with us and will help us not give up if we’re ever feeling hopeless.”

Is there anything else we can expect from you guys in the near future?

SH: “We definitely are not gonna stop giving new music and content for the fans, we all are in a mode right now where we just don’t want to stop. This new music we have right now is truly just the best stuff we’ve ever done and I cannot wait for people to hear all of these new songs. Definitely strap in, we aren’t going anywhere. “

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'IN MY HEAD' / SLEEP HOUSE: SINGLE REVIEW + INTERVIEW

June 14, 2018

REVIEW BY EMMA SCHOORS

INTERVIEW BY CAMI LIBERTY

Indie pop effort Sleep House’s new single, entitled “In My Head”, is a tune reminiscent of the many great sounds of the 80’s, yet pushes listeners to the present and future with its modern qualities. This is important in modern music, as we need to all in some ways accept and embrace the past and use it as a tool to feel more in the present and make the most of the future.

The drums move more like waves than impulsive beats, which is not only refreshing, but innovative and fun. This wave-like phenomenon makes way for the vocals’ dreamier tone, which is something that pairs beautifully with the guitars, comparable to Bad Suns or The Night Cafe’s riffs of the same sort. It brings a new twist on indie, which has dominated alternative music as of recently. It brings a dreamier, softer label on powerful songs, showing that you don’t need to be the loudest band with the most grit to get a point across.

The lyrics repeat, throughout the chorus, “I don’t need you in my head”, which lets listeners interpret just how convinced they are of the statement. Is it a self aware sentence, or something that is repeated to knock it into our minds? Whatever the case may be, it’s something that gets us thinking, and that’s often the whole point of music.

Can you tell us a little about your new single?

"Our new single, 'In My Head' is out everywhere. We are very proud of it and we hope the fans love as much as we have for the past few months."

How did you first come up with the concept for the song and begin writing it?

"All the concepts we have for the songs come from very personal experiences and feelings I have whether it’s super happy or super done with everything. I think our songs come out naturally mostly and I strive for them to be songs people can enjoy and dance to but also go to when they feel a certain way about life."

How would you compare this song to the “I’d Die for You” EP?

“'In My Head' is definitely a lot more mature than 'I’d Die For You' and has a more defined sound that people will resonate with and connect to the 'Sleep House' name better."

Do you find that you have the same process when creating music or does it change often?

"Writing wise, it always comes different and you never really know when a song will come to you but what makes this new song stand out a lot for us is that for 'I’d Die for You', we had a lot of outside help and left the producing and engineering to other people. For this new one, we went away into the studio and did the producing and engineering for the whole thing ourselves and we tried to really get down what it’s like to do everything on our own."

Is there anything else we can expect from you in the near future?

"This song is the kickstart for what 'Sleep House' is and means to us. This song is the beginning of the growth of us and we are so excited for what’s to come. We have been away in the studio for a few months now writing and making this new music that we are incredibly proud of and can’t wait to get out into the world. Expect a lot of new music and shows real soon."

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