The decade of the 80’s music transitioned into a digital age where synthesizers became all the rage in music. Bands like Depeche Mode, Simple Minds, Tears For Fears and many more were strongly leading the way in pop-synth music. Fast forward to the 21st Century and pop-synth music has evolved into sub-genres. There are a few remaining artists whose passion for the style and music of the 80’s still remain. Enter the music of J O and Pink Light. A collaboration that embraces the styles of the past and fuses it with a modern style of productivity that makes this track an addictive tune.
I got ahold of, “Die at Midnight” (video below) and at first listen I was immediately hit with a wave of nostalgia. With a subtle entrance that are the likes of a popular Tears for Fears track, the song segues into a dance pop track that easily makes it on a dj’s roster. J O’s vocals are almost ethereal and mesmerizing as once again I am sent back into that 80’s vibe when the male vocals set in. I absolutely love the production of this song. I was curious about the production of “Die at Midnight” as well as the inspiration for the preservation of musical genre that I exchanged a few pleasant emails with Pink Light. The following interview was conducted via internet and am delighted to share the following conversation I had with Jonathan Kreimerman.
Tell me a little about Pink Light. Its formation, musical style, influences. Where did it come from?
At its core, Pink Light is an indie rock and synth-pop band fueled by 80's nostalgia. It's my personal love letter to all the music, films, and art of the era. It all started when I accidentally discovered New Order while listening to a The Killers playlist on this website that sadly doesn't exist anymore - Songza. New Order's "True Faith" came on and it changed my life. I started to listen to New Order nonstop. I then looked up a New Order playlist on the same site and I discovered the incredible universe of 80's music. I listened to all these songs and artists I subconsciously already knew and loved from A-ha to The Cure, Duran Duran, Tears for Fears, Madonna, Depeche Mode, and many, many, many others. I became somewhat obsessed. I watched every John Carpenter movie, classic Arnold Schwarzenegger movies, and whatever piece of 80's art I could get my hands on. This was around the time 80’s nostalgia was becoming very popular in the mainstream. Brandon Flowers released "The Desired Effect" which is his own personal love letter to the new wave music he grew up with and is also a masterpiece, by the way. Everything made sense and I found who I want to be musically. This is when I decided to create music that both my friends and my parent's friends can dance along to. A few other of Pink Light’s influences are The Killers, White Lies, Interpol, Arcade Fire, and Editors.
How was it working with J O?
Working with J O was such an incredible experience! "Die at Midnight" was my first collaboration and I'm very happy to have done it with one of my best friends. That being said, it was not an easy process. There were a lot of writing sessions, a lot of late nights, and a lot of annoyed neighbors (my apartment in Boston had very thin walls) but at the end of it all, we released a song that we're both extremely proud of. If she asks me to work together again, I would do so in a heartbeat.
Tell me about the production of Die at Midnight.
J O approached me with the idea of writing a song together. She wanted to co-write a song in a style she wasn't familiar with. She wanted me to produce it and gave me full creative freedom with the sound and style of the song. This was a true collaboration and co-write. We came up with the concept by reading through my ever-growing list of song seeds that I have on my phone. J O and I read through it all and came across the line "Living a life without the disappointment of always being lonely but never alone" and instantly knew that's what we wanted to sing about. We both wrote the melody and lyrics together. Her strengths lean towards creating catchy melodies and mine lean towards lyrics so we had a wonderful balance. After we were happy with the song, I started working on the track. This is where my neighbors began to hate me because I would stay up until morning listening to way too much A-ha and New Order while arranging and re-arranging the track. I was attending Berklee College of Music at the time and had access to actual 80s synths like the DX7 and Juno-8. I also mainly used a few soft synths from the Arturia V Collection. Once I finished and J O approved of the arrangement, we went into the studio and tracked both our vocals and Walter Fernandez on guitar. After that, I mixed the song, sent it to get mastered, and now we're here.
What's in the future for Pink Light?
Coming up in the next couple of months, I'll be releasing Pink Light's first three singles. We just finished mixing and while the songs are getting mastered, we're wrapping up the video for "Moon 1", which will be the official Pink Light debut. I'm also collaborating with other LA based filmmakers to create videos for the other two songs. Once those are released, I will focus on putting together a new band and play in LA to build momentum and start working on the first LP I've been writing a lot for. I strongly believe you guys will love what's coming!
Can we expect to see Pink Light live anywhere?
Yes! Since my move to LA, I've been playing a lot of acoustic shows around the city. I've been getting a very warm reception from the singer-songwriter community here. In the near future, I'll be rebuilding the band and playing louder shows where we can all dance in. Following Pink Light on Facebook and Instagram is the best way to stay up to date with all the upcoming shows and releases.
Q6 Where can we find Pink Light's music?
Right now, you can listen to "Die at Midnight" by J O ft. Pink Light on your favorite streaming services - Spotify, YouTube, iTunes, etc! You can also check out the Pink Light SoundCloud and YouTube channel to listen to "unreleased" demos and covers of songs I love. You'll be able to listen to Pink Light's debut single "Moon 1" very, very soon!
The unwavering passion for music is felt in the music of Pink Light. The dedication to a decade of music where experimentation in instrumentation was at its height still lingers over 30 years later. We at The Skeptics’ Review certainly look forward to the future of Pink Light. We cannot sing their praises enough, nor dance enough to tracks like “Die at Midnight”. Be sure to stay close and follow Pink Light on your social media preference. We also thank Jonathan Kreimerman for the submission, the time, and of course the music. Until next time.
-The Scientist
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