Entertainment

Alt-pop electronic band LANY returns to Manila

Philstar.com

August 8, 2017 | 3:26am

Alt-pop electronic band LANY returns to Manila

Jake Goss, Paul Klein, and Les Priest of American alt-rock band LANY.

MANILA, Philippines — If you have not heard of LA-based trio LANY (Lay-Nee) then you are missing out, a lot!

But if you are one of the millions obsessing over their dreamy electro-pop sound with a little hint of R&B and '80s vibe, then you are in the know.

LANY’s success was quite organic and humble, with much of their music recorded in a bedroom in Nashville, Tennessee. When they first began releasing their music back in 2014, they quickly became an underground sensation and when their first EP came out, the three burgeoning musicians Paul Klein, Les Priest, and Jake Goss, skyrocketed to stardom; attracting thousands upon thousands of followers from SoundCloud and music blogs and sent record labels calling. After signing with a label, the band hit the road and started performing from coast to coast, playing in front of sold-out crowds. With a little help from the Internet, LANY has begun to grow a worldwide following and the rest is history.

For the second time, LANY returned to Manila and Manila was part of the band’s world tour this 2017. As part of Ayala Malls’ effort in integrating music, art, and style, which they have been doing for the past 15 years by bringing some of the biggest names in music, mall-goers have been treated to a three-day heart-pumping live performance. Spanning from Glorietta to Greenbelt and Alabang Town Center to Market! Market! and Trinoma being the last leg, LANY did not disappoint as they have once again filled souls with their distinctive, honest, and wistful music.

LANY’s sold out performance at the activity center of Trinoma Mall last August 6.

LANY’s sold out performance at the activity center of Trinoma Mall last August 6.

Authentic, honest, and emotionally-raw music

Combining two of the biggest cities in the U.S, Los Angeles and New York as their official band name, LANY is all about paying homage to the things that inspire their music. After the trio completed their degree in music, they all moved to Los Angeles to continue making music but frontman Paul Klein briefly moved to New York for a modeling stint, hence the importance of LA and New York. Currently, the three of them are living together in LA in one apartment, writing lyrics and melodies that have reached multi-million stream. Since 2016 to present, LANY has been touring all over the states and the rest of the globe, giving fans maturing sound and confidence as artists yet maintaining that authentic, honest, and emotionally raw element that they have always been known for.

“I’ve never been embarrassed for being honest or telling the truth. I think lyrically, we’re here today because of speaking openly and candidly about our emotions and experiences. In fact, I don’t find it scary or daunting,” said Klein about his honest way of putting together the lyrics.

Their refreshing sound, combining 80s’ radio pop, electro-rock and R&B soul in one beautiful package, has catapulted the trio to push the boundaries of contemporary music. More than their infectious-synth driven sound, LANY is all about stripped-down lyrics that can speak directly to someone’s heart. And anyone who has been following their journey knows that they have been sticking to the simplest form of music they could possibly make. It is a no brainer why their hit songs such as "ILYSB," "Good Girls," "Someone Else," and 13 have become so critically and commercially appealing to so many alternative-leaning millennials.

When asked about the true meaning and inspiration behind their new hit single, "Super Far," this is was what Paul Klein said: “I was in a spot in my personal life where I felt like I was way too invested in a relationship. I was giving more than what I was getting back. I wrote fair and candidly about it that day and it’s interesting to think: what are the chances that I would wake up one morning and be walking to that very specific circumstance and experience everything I wrote in the song?"

WATCH: "Super Far" by LANY

YouTube/LanyVevo

When it comes to songwriting, vocalist Paul Klein said that you have to draw inspiration from real experiences to convey the right emotions that can strike a chord. In most cases, however, the words just come naturally. “Some writers aren’t even sure what their lyrics mean until after they’re written, and only then do they attach meaning to it," he enthused.

While Klein contributes mostly with the lyrics, the rest of the songwriting is collaborative, with Goss on drums and Klein and Priest adding different mixes of instrumentals.

Les Priest, Jake Goss, and Paul Klein during the press conference organized by Ayala Malls.

Les Priest, Jake Goss, and Paul Klein during the press conference organized by Ayala Malls.

Reviving the zeitgeist of the late ‘80s

The first EP that the band put out online did not have any cover photo; that was how bare it was. A far cry from how everyone sees LANY now. But good music will never go unnoticed. After an overwhelming response, Klein, Goss and Priest soon found themselves signing with Polydor Records and that is how everything changed.

Tasteful aesthetic has always been part of LANY’s identity. From their visually intoxicating and cinematic music videos down to their album artwork, there is no doubt that the trio is putting a great deal of importance on visuals. You will know that Klein is indeed a visually-driven and artistic person just by looking at his Instagram feed, @pauljasonklein. Majority of these old school inspired looks that LANY’s been feeding fans were captured through Klein’s film camera which further enhanced their music.