Austin based bedroom pop mastermind Skateland has just shared his highly anticipated new EP Joyce Howell, How are You? The five track musical collection highlights the artist's ability to blend dreamy indie pop, cathartic synth pop and lush indie rock for a remarkable listen. Single "Sunset Cinema" is a shimmery song all about saying goodbye. Then there is his popular track "Postcards", detailing the relatable and poignant theme of the often toxic comparison that occurs from being on the internet and social media. The song is re-released in a special 2024 remaster. "Autobahn" showcases the ups and downs of love and romance. Musically, the track is a kaleidoscope of sounds filled with captivating synth work, hypnotic beats and delicate textures coexisting with harsh, mechanical sounds. His production often adds layers of complexity that reward repeated listening and his new EP is no exception.
We talk with the creator on his new EP, musical inspirations and funny tour stories. Skateland also tells our readers what is next in his creative life and career.
Hi Skateland, congrats on your new EP Joyce Howell, How are You? Can you tell our readers more about the themes present in the five song musical collection?
Joyce Howell, How are You? is my version of a New Yorker column, and my goofy little take on modern love. Each song is kind of like an entry from a different point in my life over the 2 to 3 years, hitting on stuff like love, longing, jealousy, the honeymoon stage, breaking up, and just relationships overall. After I had a few of these little song entries I decided to package them together almost like a letter, and that's where the idea for Joyce came into play. She's this fictional character that represents the amalgamation of all of these actual people I've known, and in writing to her I'm sort of writing to each of them in a way.
Musically, there are so many different elements in the new EP. What inspired you creatively?
When it comes to my music taste I feel like there are two halves of my brain. One side is obsessed with pop music, and specifically how tight and compact the production style of that genre can be (Solange, Grimes, SZA, Caroline Polachek, The Japanese House etc.). There's a precision in a lot of that music that I love and naturally gravitate towards when I'm working. The other side of my brain is equally obsessed with some of the more raw form stuff that's maybe not as focused on precision/perfection and is more focused on the emotional and tonal side, like Big Thief, Beach House, Alvvays, etc. For this project and for Skateland in general I felt like the goal was to land somewhere in between that, and that push and pull between the two worlds is something I'm always wrestling with. There are a handful of records I love that I feel do that really well and I spun them a bunch during this process…Speaking in Tongues by Talking Heads, "What's Going" on by Marvin Gaye, Women in Music pt. III by HAIM, and Jubilee by Japanese Breakfast to name a few.
How would you say this new EP is different from your past music?
Acoustic guitar!! I played so much acoustic guitar on this EP and that was new for me. I usually start on a laptop, doing a lot of the programming and production stuff first and then chewing on the live instrumentation after I've basically built the entire song or at least a skeleton of it. This time I found myself playing my acoustic a lot, and then treating the digital production stuff like more of an accessory and building around those acoustic songs.
Do you have a favorite track on Joyce Howell, How are You? and if so what is it and why?
"Sunset Cinema" is my one favorite to listen to, but I think the title track Joyce Howell, How are You? barely wins because it was my favorite to make. It was the one song where I allowed myself to completely forget about song structure or a time limit, and just play and arrange what comes to mind as I was doing it. Fun fact if you're into easter eggs and that kind of stuff, the last 20 seconds or so are actually a teaser of what's to come sonically for me :)
You have played some amazing and memorable shows in the last couple of years including performing with Foster the People, Two Door Cinema Club and Day Wave. Can you tell our readers a fun tour story?
I think the funniest thing by far happened during SXSW last year. We're getting ready to play the last song and I tried to take the mic off of its stand so I could move around and do some crowd work, except I pulled a little too hard and I accidentally unplugged it. So the song is going and I'm scrambling to get the mic hooked back up, except I can't really see anything because it's nighttime and I wear sunglasses on stage, and I also have a tremendous amount of sweat in my eyes at this point….complete disaster and it took me like 2-3 minutes to fix it which is a long time on stage. The guys in my live band are total pros so they kept playing while I got my life together, but we laugh about it all the time now.
What is currently on your tour rider?
Topo Chico, avocados, and nacho cheese Doritos all day every day!
You currently live in Austin, Texas and seem to be very connected to your local community. What are some of your favorite places to hang out in the city?
My neighborhood is called Hyde Park and I truly think it's one of the most special places on Earth. Super walkable, lots of local business, and a real sense of community. You can actually see me and my friends riding through it in the Sunset Cinema music video!
Any local acts you think our readers should check out?
San Gabriel, Mune, and Holy Wire are amazing. There's a guy named Claude Imanuel who I'm really a fan of and I think is doing really cool stuff. There's a band called Big Bill and seeing them live was truly one of my favorite concerts I've ever been to…so energetic and crazy entertaining, but also incredible musicianship. Go listen to all of them!
Finally, what's next for Skateland?
More! More music, more visuals, more shows, some collabs. I'm so excited to continue to share what I've been working on and I have a hunch that 2025 is going to be a very fun year.
Connect with Skateland: INSTAGRAM
