The New York City-based A.M. Boys combine the clean minimalism of the post-punk era with a contemporary approach to rhythm and arrangement. The duo, comprised of multi-instrumentalist/producer Chris Moore (Light Vortex/While) and electronic musician/vocalist and lyricist John Blonde (House of Blondes), create and perform using synths, drum machines, space echo, and voice.
Following their 2022 debut, Distance Decay, the electronic duo are announcing their sophomore effort, Present Phase. A large difference between A.M. Boys’ first album, Distance Decay, and Present Phase is an acknowledgement by the duo of a natural tension that exists between their classic pop side and their more experimental tendencies. This is not to say that any tension existed between Blonde and Moore, but rather inside their collective creative mind.
Our first taste of Present Phase comes from lead single and opening track, “Ocean Ocean.”
The tune is melodic and undulant, with a memorable refrain and lyrics evocative of sitting on a beach.
Blonde recalls, “I was staying in California for a few weeks and whenever I’m out there the landscape always knocks me out. I grew up in New York City, so any place with a horizontal horizon is exotic. One afternoon I was alone and decided to just sit and watch surfers on Surfrider Beach in Malibu for an hour. I was hypnotized by them and the waves and the freedom of it all. I got back to my room that evening and wrote the lyrics for “Ocean Ocean”.”
The album was recorded at the duo’s own recording studio, Glowmatic Sound, in New York, so Blonde had to sit with the ideas and write the song in his head until he returned to his instruments and recording equipment.
“It only took me a few hours to put a demo together once I was back at Glowmatic,” he continues. “The key for me was to try to recreate the feeling of the rolling waves, and I believe I was able to do that at the very top of the song. What’s great about being in a band is that you can share your song with someone and connect, in a beautiful and creative way, over what is essentially a private moment. I may have been in a cold basement in New York but the sounds brought me back to Surfrider Beach and the endless possibilities of those waves.”
“Ocean Ocean” is out now on all DSPs. Present Phase is due for release on May 16th.
