New Friends
Toronto artist blog.
New Friends is the first band I'm covering on the platform, and it's a breath of fresh air. New Friends has a band-like team and appearance while not sounding like a typical high school rock band. They have something that the industry appreciates, and their group chemistry feels natural and long-term. The band is made up of the main singer Stefan, songwriter and keyboard player Ayd Miller, guitar player, the man behind a lot of the production, as well as the group's drummer Conrad, and last but not least Cole Wilson. The band has produced some of the best and most mainstream pop music I've ever heard this year. The fact that they can do it at their level is very impressive, and I can already see them performing in massive stadiums and thrilling a massive die-hard fanbase in the coming years. Their discography is one of the most polished and cinematic of anyone I've ever covered. Of course, this should be the case because it's a band with four brains, not to mention their extensive team, but it's impressive to be doing it at their age and level. I can't fully describe their sound because it's a mash-up of many different things like rock, alternative, and pop while also being very fresh and new. The use of a lot of post-production and electronic instruments really distinguishes their sound and makes it something to get excited over. It’s a new concept that I feel might have not been intentional at first but it’s what stood out to me when first listened to their music. Their discography is limited and only goes back to early 2022. Of course, this does not mean they began making music this year, but it is the year that everything really became set in stone for their careers. The first project, titled "The Pilot," was released in February of this year. This project delivered 7 singles, including two that remain their biggest to date, "Little Fires" and "Purple Candy." The project offers a good variety of tracks, none of which feel like fillers or straight skippable garbage that some artists have to fill up a project.
Each has its own distinct voice and place on the project. With this EP, they have a more traditional sound and a more laid-back vibe. It's something a lot more comparable to other existing bands and something that felt very familiar. Their music now just sits in its own lane and that’s what makes them so much better now. With their next release, "That's Whatsup," they began to push their sound into a more unique and exciting direction. The track begins with a very thrilling and loud intro with this effect that sounds like a full stadium is singing the intro. It's a great way to get started and will have you hooked right away. The instruments on this track, like much of their music, are electric. They are a very unique blend of many elements and I feel like New Friends is the future of what bands will look like. Not all acoustic, and not on every track. However, this song has a college-rave party vibe to it. It has a massive sound stage and a larger-than-life atmosphere. This is accomplished through the use of cinematic instrumentals and a unique vocal effect that makes it sound like hundreds of people are singing the chorus. "Doomed," their next release, has a very different vibe and aesthetic than their first single "That's Whatsup." "Doomed" is a very interesting track; it appears to have a very original structure to it that feels refreshing. Their style is both traditional and ultramodern and hip at the same time. I love the energy they bring to each song. It's like the ideal workout or party music. When you listen to their music, you can't help but dance or get lit. "Doomed" has a memorable hook as well as an instrumental riff. Not all memorable moments occur as a result of lyrics. One of the most memorable parts of this song for me is the loud instrumental riff that serves as their hook. This is something that I know a lot of people who don't listen to rock or bands, in general, won't fully understand when they hear it, and I feel like there's a whole different world of music to explore just on the instrumental side.
Their next single “Waste My Time” is what caught my attention. This is one of their best songs yet, and hearing it for the first time made me feel like I was back in high school. It reminds me of Green Day and Blink 182 while not fully sounding like them. It's the energy and emotion their music gives off that just reminded me of the time I used to listen to those legendary bands. “Waste My Time” is the definition of radio and global smash hit-worthy music. You don’t need to speak English to appreciate this track. The accompanying music video captures the excitement I felt when I first heard it. A true masterpiece in terms of production, as well as some of Stefan's more memorable lyrics. Their latest and most exciting release to date titled “Ricochet” comes out with a band. The song has become an instant classic and one of their best to date. This single's music video and overall release were their most exciting and quality release. It's cinematic, with its own aesthetic that extends across its entire social catalog and content centered on the single. I really like the direction they took with this song. The more heavy mixed vocals and the simple yet memorable "LA LA LA LA LA LA" vocal-instrumental are stuck in your head. I like how multidimensional they sound, and their music feels big and full without sounding recycled or repetitive. They have really created their own lane that just feels fresh and exciting while also feeling like you have already felt it before. I’m excited to hear some sort of a project in the near future. A full-length album would be a great direction to go into. A project like that may help them build a bigger fanbase and start reaching larger audiences with a such large quantity of music. Regardless, I’m excited and will be watching their journey from here on out.
Written by Maxim Bayarsky
