ETHEREAL POP FATHER/SON DUO NYTE SKYE CONFRONTS THE FEAR OF LOSING GRIP WITH “FADED”
DEBUT ALBUM VANISHING OUT NOW VIA SONIC RITUAL
“I think this one of our most accessible songs,” beams Nyles Lannon of Northern California-based alt-rock band NYTE SKYE about the band’s latest single “Faded” from their celebrated debut album, Vanishing, out now via Sonic Ritual. “It just has a nice flow to it, a softness. The lyrics are probably some of my darkest—during the time the pandemic swept through our country, I had a pretty nasty herniated disc. I was in a lot of pain and pretty out of it, and I started to feel like things were never going to get better. I felt like I was fading away. Great time to do some writing!”
“Faded” sounds very much like he describes—melancholic and spacy… maybe even a little medicated The dulcet tones present a cool contrast to the song’s dark lyrics, which is part and parcel to the album’s overall framework, taking inviting soundscapes and spray-painting their interiors with the worries and concerns that 2020 brought upon us all. Wrapped in the music’s cocoon, as if from inside a grotto, Nyte Skye is able to contend with the truth.
Building on the synergistic family dynamic of vocalist/guitarist Nyles (who hails from the celebrated shoegaze band Film School) and his teenaged son Skye Lannon (who recorded this album when he was only 12 years old) on drums, Nyte Skye was formed of equal parts frustration from quarantined sheltering from COVID and the boundless creativity that arose from having nowhere to go and nothing to do. Letting out their uncertainties about the state of the world during the time, the father and son were able to bond and connect during the songwriting process. “The vibe of this song is everything,” explains Nyles proudly. “I really love how this one turned out.”
VANISHING ALBUM REVIEW
Nyte Skye’s debut album Vanishing has met with universal praise, striking a particularly pleasing chord with listeners that are drawn to the ethereal side of chillwave, shoegaze, and vintage synth-pop with just a hint of post-punk’s dark edge. Complemented throughout by bits of experimental quirk, the inviting set features the prior singles “Take Me Up Again,” “Dream State (I’m Vanishing), and “Doing Time,” alongside tracks that expand the album’s emotional palette. “Guided by a Hand” exudes an air of mystery, tugging at the imagination with undeniable groove, while the mostly instrumental “Moon Rabbit” indulges a penchant for industrial knob-twiddling. The album closes with “Two Wolves In The Heart,” referencing the Native American tale, “The Story of the Two Wolves.”
While the emotional toll of lockdown fades, the creative nucleus of Nyte Skye stays rooted in a similar foundation to that of Film School, building and expanding on it while incorporating elements of other bands that the duo loves: The Cure, Spiritualized, Elliott Smith, and The Police (one of Skye’s main influences is Stewart Copeland), to name a few. “I am so grateful for this connection we have,” beams Nyles. “Do we drive each other crazy sometimes? Of course! Sometimes I have to remind myself that he hasn’t been playing in bands for 30 years like me. Yet, when he plays, he is just a damn good drummer.”
Ultimately, not only did working on music help the duo cope with a uniquely challenging situation, but just being stuck at home helped stoke their creativity. “Music was the only thing I did during the pandemic, besides online school,” Skye says. “It gave us all this time we didn’t have before to make the album.” For Nyles—knowing they might never have that kind of time again—to be able to put out a record with his son is, simply, “a dream come true.”
Nyte Skye is Nyles Lannon (vocals, guitars) and Skye Lannon (drums), with additional contributions from Zach Rogue (Rogue Wave), Nichole Kreglow (backup vocals), lyricist Neil Rodenmeyer (Lupa Rosa), and Ian McDonald (FUTRVST). Vanishing was written, recorded, and produced by Nyles Lannon and Skye Lannon and mixed by Dan Long (Local Natives, Film School, Kevin Devine).
Nyte Skye’s new single “Faded” is out now, and their debut album Vanishing is out now via Sonic Ritual (Queen Kwong, Imaad Wasif, Gypsum) and is available on all streaming platforms. Nyles and Skye are available for interviews.
Nyte Skye
Vanishing
(Sonic Ritual)
Release Date: January 10, 2023
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