Why you need to be listening to Sylvan Esso
Like many things in 2017, the pop-music landscape can be difficult to stomach.
After all, how is it that adventurous singles like Lorde's Green Light have flickered and faded from the charts, while The Chainsmokers' latest frat-boy banger continues to sully the airwaves? It's an unfair world, but one that's made decidedly better by the presence of Sylvan Esso, who return after a three-year stretch this week with sophomore album What Now, out Friday. Here's what you should know about the electro-pop up-and-comers:
So, who are they?
Sylvan Esso is the duo of singer Amelia Meath and producer Nick Sanborn. The pair met at a show in Milwaukee in 2010, where they were playing respectively with trio Mountain Man and solo project Made of Oak. After a couple years of touring and exchanging emails, Meath moved to Durham, N.C., where they started recording music for Sylvan Esso's self-titled 2014 debut album, which featured early breakout singles Coffee, Play It Right and Hey Mami.
But wait, why are they called Sylvan Esso?
The name derives from indie video game Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP, Meath told This Is Our Jam. "In the game, there are these things call Sylvan Sprites and when you’re doing the right thing, they hop out of the trees and when you touch them on the screen, they sing. ... While we were banging our heads against the wall trying to figure out what our name was, I said, 'Sylvans!' and it stuck."
What do they sound like?
A dance-able fusion of folk and pop, marked by glittering synths, hip-hop beats and Meath's lilting vocals. Their eclectic list of influences ranges from Aaliyah and They Might Be Giants, to Cyndi Lauper and D'Angelo, so your pick of descriptors is probably as good as ours.
Where have I heard them before?
Their most recognizable tune is likely H.S.K.T., which has been featured in MTV's Catfish: The TV Show, and commercials for both AT&T and Samsung Galaxy View. Otherwise, the duo hasn't scored much success on the charts (yet). Ironically enough, their biggest song to date is last fall's Radio, a splintering critique of music industry mandates and disposable pop stars that soared to No. 28 on Billboard's adult alternative chart.
Should I listen to that one first?
Radio's certainly a great place to start, with its cheekily infectious chorus and Meath's bumptious delivery of lines like "Faking the truth to a new pop song / don't you wanna sing along?" Of What Now's other nine tracks, The Glow is a punchy, wistful must-add to your summer playlists, while Just Dancing is a jubilant ode to young lust. The sparse Slack Jaw and Rewind close out the album with a mesmerizing one-two punch, but it's Die Young — arguably Sylvan Esso's best song yet — that will leave you reeling with its evocative lyrics of devastated devotion. When it comes to brilliant hooks, "I was gonna die young / now I gotta wait for you, hon" is an all-timer.
How are they live?
Engaging and loose, with a knack for dancing, as they've proven on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and as this reporter can attest from two separate occasions seeing them in both an intimate club venue and on a parking-lot festival stage. They'll be playing more festivals starting next month with Shaky Knees and Boston Calling, before embarking on a summer U.S. tour that culminates with their own Shakori Hills fest on Sept. 30 in Pittsboro, N.C.
Are they worth a follow on Twitter?
If you like The Great British Baking Show, dancing Stormtroopers and GIFs of tiny animals, then most definitely yes.