Chris Emond debuts with EP ‘Oh yea! Dance, boogeyman!’
“His work is the embodiment of everything the label represents, visually: with an abundance of film photography and camcorder videos, overlaid with doodles; sonically: through its freedom of genre non-conformity. It’s truly eclectic, with influences coming from all over the place” - Medium.com
“The return to his artist project has eclipsed every expectation” - Fashionably Early
‘OY!D,B!’ Album cover - Photo credit: Claire Richards // HI RES DOWNLOAD
Photo credit: G.W. Sailor // HI RES DOWNLOAD
February 23, 2024—Today, San Jose Singer-Songwriter, Producer, and Multimedia Artist Chris Emond has released his debut EP ‘Oh yea! Dance, boogeyman!' via Orange Label Records—listen/share here.
Self-produced, and engineered by new collaborator Steve Vealey (Phoenix, Full Body 2), the 6 song project puts 22-year-old Emond's experimental mashing of folk-rock and minimal IDM on full display, planting his flag in the bog of modern independent music. Each single release was paired with a self-directed music video—watch videos for “Harmony”, “Obituary”, “counting Western preference”, and “The wart is you…………”
Demo recording for 'Oh yea! Dance, boogeyman!' began around Emond's move to Los Angeles in pursuit of writing and scoring opportunities. From a back house in a decaying 5 bedroom home, the then 19-year-old Emond found himself creating music from both extremities of his influences. A handful of inebriated nights, locked in the garage with a 4 track Tascam cassette recorder, resulted in raw, guitar forward confessions and ballads; an obsessive study of vintage synthesizers and effects plugins, contrarily, led to instrumentals and scores that recall pieces of the electronic psychedelia of the early 2010s.
Indietronica tracks "Harmony" and "The wart is you..........." are reminiscent of "twee" era acts like Freelance Whales, The Postal Service and MGMT that top Emond's extensive CD collection. Featuring synth lines from a Roland SH-101 synth purchased from Neon Indian's Alan Palomo, toy-like arrangements from frequent collaborator Garrett Winston (carwash, Postcard Boy), and project-wide violin by Zachary Paul (Chanel Beads), the EP's textural soundscapes provide a strong backbone for Emond's introspective songwriting. “Harmony” saw support from Spotify’s Anti-Pop and Fresh Finds Indie playlists.
“Obituary", co-produced and written with Jeremy McLennan (Orchin), is a driving country-rock tune heavily inspired by his grandfather, an aspiring folk/country songwriter and gas station clerk from Oklahoma who never got around to recording. Written as a tribute to a late friend of Emond’s, “Obituary” was featured on Spotify’s Fresh Finds Folk playlist.
The lead single from the project, "Medium demons", features past roommate Bennett Coast and has amassed over 650K streams.
“Warm Gush Death” a stripped back acoustic cut, hums with the rawness of a voice memo; “counting Western preference” contrasts, with a full band arrangement that aspires to the stylings Broken Social Scene or Big Thief. On the project, Emond notes, “This thing was smattered, sheared, picked apart and put together again. It has figured me out. I am indebted to it as much as it is to me.”
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Born in New York and raised in San Jose, California, Chris Emond had already released two projects on Bandcamp and founded Orange Label Records by the time he enrolled in college, aged 18. Building a budding scene around his off kilter electronic and folk influences, Emond championed local acts by directing and shooting music videos. Through his eclectic blend of folk-rock and minimal IDM, Emond is bringing notoriety to San Jose music nationally.
TRACKLIST
The wart is you………
Medium demons (feat. Bennett Coast)
Harmony
Warm Gush Death
Obituary
counting Western preference