NYTE SKY EXPOSE THE EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC WITH THE INTROSPECTIVE SINGLE “DOING TIME”
VANISHING OUT NOW VIA SONIC RITUAL
“Doing Time“ feels like it references our changed lives and all the things we used to do that we don’t do anymore,” says Nyles Lannon of Northern California-based alt-rock band NYTE SKYE about their latest introspective single, “Doing Time,” taken from their ethereal debut album Vanishing, out now via Sonic Ritual. “In this case, the lyrics are actually about Skye and his positive energy, his laughter, and sense of humor despite everything going on outside of our little family bubble,” Nyles explains. “His attitude made it so much more bearable, it made this album possible, it made me sad that he wasn’t able to have the fun times of being a 12-year-old, with his friends, his school, or whatever. We had to create our own fun, and this album was a part of that, and I remember going to Trader Joe’s and talking about what kids were going through with the cashier, she commiserated and said ‘it’s like they’re doing time for no crime’ and it stuck with me.”
Building on the synergistic family dynamic of vocalist/guitarist Nyles (who hails from the celebrated shoegaze band Film School) and his 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 that COVID brought and the boundless creativity that arose from having nowhere to go and nothing to do. “Doing Time” explores the confusing effects the pandemic brought into the world, and in particular, how kids were forced to reckon with high-impact changes to their daily routines. “The lyrics, like so many other songs on this album, are almost stream of consciousness; just capturing the immediate experience of what we were going through,” Nyles adds.
“Doing Time” is a perfect example of the dream-pop, chillwave, and vintage synth blend that characterizes Nyte Skye’s debut album Vanishing. Complimented throughout by bits of experimental quirk, the inviting set features the prior singles “Take Me Up Again,” and “Dream State (I’m Vanishing)” 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; “I’m A Drag” explores more organic musical textures 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 is still a kid in some ways and 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
Vanishing
(Sonic Ritual)
Release Date: January 10, 2023
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