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Today, San Francisco based indie pop duo corner club share their self-produced dreamy, intimate second EP in the rearview mirror out everywhere now. Alongside with the release, the nostalgic track "funny colors" is out now with an official lyric video. The single allows the duo to process the passage of time and look back on fond memories over layered vocals, synth and field recordings. The official EP release show is tonight at San Francisco's Cafe du Nord with tickets available now here.
The pair's self-produced second EP, the sincere, earnest in the rearview mirror out today, sonically paints a poignant portrait of life's highs and lows. It softly and effortlessly flows between songs that carry a familiar warmth and a raw, inviting openness that command considerable, worthwhile attention. Created in the midst of a cross-country move, the EP maintains the intimate story-telling and playful ambience of past releases while exploring new directions in genre, intensity, and emotion, showcasing the duo’s evolving sonic identity.
Over seven stirring, cinematic tracks, the pair dive headfirst into the trials and tribulations of their lived experiences, exploring topics like memories from a childhood home long gone, the generational grief of loved ones passing, and reflections on a slow-burning heartbreak. Impressively, two songs were recorded as live takes including “i’ll never say i love you first again” and “the ezra song.” Several friends pitched in to provide flute, bass, and cello on different tracks, and the project was mastered with their remote collaborator Kevin Tuffy in Berlin at Manmade Mastering.
Vocalist Du says the EP allowed them to reflect on their artistic journey and the life changes that fed their newest music. Du says, "When we think back to where we were the last time we released music–in a different city, in different relationships, and with family having moved on and around–a lot has changed. We tend to write about the feelings that are most biting in the moment, and now that the EP is finished, we've found that some of those moments continue to stay with us and some are no longer relatable, hence the title 'in the rearview mirror.'" The project features more music than they've released before at one time, which gave them more space to expand and explore their sound and vision while maintaining their core identity. Du continues, "With a longer project like this one, we had the opportunity to experiment with new styles while hopefully keeping some of our usual atmosphericness and storytelling."
The EP's opening track and latest release, "funny colors" emerged from a dream of a childhood home that is now long gone. Written like a stream of consciousness, the song recalls the memories of dyeing hair in the bathroom and unfolds as if the listener is watching one's life and memories play out on a flashback highlight reel. Sonically, layers of vocals and synth are punctured by the sounds of scissors, bubbling, and sweeping, with a constant ticking reminding the listener of the passage of time.
Using sounds they found online, the pair were able to channel specific memories and moments in one's lifetime, from bird sounds signifying a suburban upbringing, to scissors cutting hair representing a change in appearance. On the song's cinematic, immersive production elements, producer and guitarist Michael Zhang says, "'funny colors' is probably the most vivid song for us on the EP. Each section of the song conjures really specific imagery for us, so we really tried to make a sonic movie out of it."
The recently shared "when i die" is a playful acoustic tune that imagines all the things the duo will miss when they pass. Vocalist Savannah Du shares of the song's inspiration, "This song starts with a comment my mom made to me after my grandma passed, at a time when I wasn’t excited to be alive myself: 'When I die, scatter my ashes, but not too close to the sea ‘cause I can’t swim.'” Making the track over the several months that followed, the song transformed into a personal reminder of the people, places, and experiences that the duo will miss when they're gone, and has become an appreciation for the little things in life despite the title sounding a little bleak.
Atwood Magazine praised the poignant-yet-playful songwriting approach to what is an otherwise heavy topic, writing, "It takes strong songwriting to handle a heavy topic such as death with such brevity — and without a doubt, corner club succeeds." On the production, the publication added, "Du’s gentle vocals lull listeners into a deep state of tranquility, complemented by Zhang’s breezy guitar arrangements."
The track's accompanying video sees the duo showcase their loved ones singing along to the song in front of some scenic and familiar backgrounds. The idea for the video was born as the pair began preparing for a cross-country move, and developed into a touching ode to their loved ones. Zhang explains, "We hatched the idea of us recording snippets singing the song with all of our friends as we went from New York to San Francisco, with a few other trips in between. By my count, we ended up filming with about 70 of our friends and family, across ten different cities!" It took over nine months to compile, and though not everyone is included, Zhang admits, "It was impossible not to cry the first time we put all the videos together."
The previously released "whenever you're ready," is a petty, biting anthem addressed to an ex and his hypothetical new girlfriend. The track opens simply with, “I hope you’re not ok,” eventually building up to a chorus where nothing is held back: “I hope she’s flawless so you feel insecure.” Throwing punchline after punchline, the song features an indie rock meets bedroom pop style, accompanied by a DIY music video. On the inspiration for the song and the profound honesty heard throughout, Du shares, "We channeled all of the mean energy in our bodies into this song. I would never want to wish truly bad things upon someone I once dated, but would I want them to feel the same insecurity that they caused me? Sure, maybe just a little." Adding a nod to the band's inspirations, Du continues, "We drew inspiration from the likes of Lucy Dacus and Mitski, artists with soothing vocals but sometimes bombastic instrumentals, to play off the simultaneously biting and whimsical nature of the song."
Ahead of the EP release, San Francisco's East Bay Express sat down with the band for an in-depth interview about the project and Sweety High called the duo, "Definitely ones to watch in 2023," and described the track as a "moody bedroom pop track [that] features whimsical vocals and a soft coolness that contrasts with the hilarious and somewhat petty lyrics." Imperfect Fifth added the song, "evokes a storm of bitterness and resentment, painted vividly with the brushstrokes of raw emotions."
Directed by Emily Lin, the track's accompanying video, sees the pair acting out the hypothetical scenarios that unfold throughout the song. Producer and guitarist Michael Zhang explains, "The story of the video basically has Sav following around her ex, watching mischievously as he meets a new girl, only for things not to work out (with the help of a little sabotage from Sav). At the end, there's a bit of a romcom trope, where the new girl meets the old girl and they commiserate over their shared experiences."
Made up of longtime best friends Savannah Du (vocals/piano) and Michael Zhang (producer/guitar), corner club met at a college party through an acapella group at Princeton University. They then moved to New York City and began to pursue their passion together–creating self-produced songs from their bedrooms–ultimately forming corner club at the end of 2018. Today, corner club boasts over 4M streams across platforms and 100k monthly listeners. They landed on Spotify's Thailand Viral 50 with their second-ever single, "Manhattanhenge," and soon after released their first EP, little love lullabies, at the beginning of 2021. The project's lead single, “too good,” was featured on Spotify’s Dope AF playlist and more recently, their single "ok time" was featured on Spotify's Fresh Finds and Fresh Finds: Indie playlists. Since returning to live shows post-pandemic, the pair co-headlined NYC's Mercury Lounge in early 2023 and have relocated to San Francisco.
Earlier this year, the band shared the emotional tune "dreaming (梦中)" was inspired by a family group chat message about a dream Du's aunt had after her grandmother passed. The track and corner club's sound has garnered attention from notable tastemakers, including Atwood Magazine, Earmilk and Mystic Sons. Earmilk called the track "Emotive and ethereal" and wrote, "featuring a stripped-down soundscape of layered vocals and acoustic guitars...the track is melancholic and heartfelt as it draws from personal experiences to deliver a comforting listen."
On the duo's unique, welcoming sound and their 2021 EP little love lullabies, Atwood Magazine wrote, "Casual bits of sound make their way into corner club’s field-like, ambience-heavy repository...Moving with the spontaneity and vicissitudes of life, corner club’s music is of an autobiographical quality..'little love lullabies,' like so, speaks with earnestness." Now, in 2023, the pair are expanding their rich, encouraging sonic universe with their latest body of work that meets them where they are–and captures who they are–today. Through touching lyricism and achingly sweet delivery, the duo invite anyone to join them in their corner.
The self-produced, ethereal second EP, in the rearview mirror, by corner club is out everywhere now. Catch corner club live tonight at San Francisco's Cafe du Nord with tickets available here. Connect with corner club on Instagram and TikTok and stay tuned for more from the rising indie pop duo.
Watch: "when i die" (Official Music Video) | Listen
Watch: "whenever you're ready" (Official Music Video) | Listen
Listen: "dreaming (梦中)"
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