It's been a few months since Brooklyn-based indie band AMFM released its Brevity EP, which features the impressive singles, "This Town" and "The Message." The band is the solo project of singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist David Caruso. As far back as 2016 with its self-titled debut EP, AMFM was already garnering praise from the likes of Pop Wrapped, Music is My Radar, Indie Band Guru and Kill the Music, with several of its singles featured on Spotify's Fresh Finds 6 Strings playlist.
As the band re-enters the musical spotlight with new material, SoundThread Music Blog is excited to premiere AMFM's new single,"Let You Go," a hazy, reverb-filled musical journey that accompanies the song's poignant lyrical theme which touches upon the inevitability of loss in our lives.
Bathed in expansive, lush synths and vocals that elegantly float within the track's musical ether, "Let You Go" is a sparkling soundscape that conjures tranquil cerebral visions that shimmer in hues of violet and midnight blue. Recorded at Brooklyn's Degraw Sound, produced with Harper James (Eighty Ninety), along with Charlie Culbert on drums, "Let You Go" is musically reminiscent of artists like Washed Out and Cocteau Twins at certain moments with its vibrant guitar riffs and panoramic production.
We recently caught up with AMFM's David Caruso to chat about the new single, the songwriting and recording process, and other upcoming news.
We asked David how "Let You Go" came to life. From a musical perspective, David tells us, "I first came up with the chorus on my Juno 106. I really love that synth and I was running it through my guitar pedal board and I immediately heard what you hear on the song today. Lots of delay and reverb. I recorded some drums that night too and sort of had a demo going. I eventually had another friend Charlie Culbert play drums on the song." Lyrically, "Let You Go" took on a theme broader than its origins. David reveals, "The song started off being about my dog and I sung the line 'I would never let you go howling in the wind,' and it fit so perfectly that I wrote the rest of the lyrics to that idea. I think the idea of the song is a reflection on the fear of losing those you love and the inevitability of loss in our lives."
As one can imagine, the creative process for most musicians is anything other than formulaic. David elaborates, "I tend to go through writing phases, so it works well for me to finish something when it feels right. I have a lot of ideas right now that aren't finished yet and its because I'll be working on something and then suddenly discover something else during the process."
In the recording studio, while David plays most instruments, he periodically incorporates additional musicians into the mix. He comments, "When it comes to recording I tend to play everything most of the time. It's a fast way for me to work, although I often talk about getting some other players to come in and track. If I am hearing ideas, it's pretty easy for me to lay them down. But just last week, Harper (James) and I were recording some stuff, and he picked up the bass and laid down a pretty sweet bass line. I am definitely keeping it - it's sick!"
For AMFM live performances, David has performed along with additional musical support, including Dave Scalia and Harper James. Recently, he has experimented with a transition from full band to going solo on stage, remarking, "I also took a different approach and did some solo shows when the guys were away ... electric spacey guitar and a drum machine. I literally got the drum machine the day before the show and learned how to control it on the fly for the shows. I realized that I enjoy the solo shows more that I thought I would. I want to do more of that."
As for what's next for AMFM, David tells us that additional single releases, along with some post-summer live performances are in the works, so you'll definitely want to keep an eye out for all of this.
Thanks to David for chatting with us and providing all the insightful responses!
If you're looking for more AMFM, be sure to follow the band on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), visit the official band website, and find AMFM's music on Spotify, SoundCloud, and Apple Music.