Song Review: “No Sleep” by Solo Solo delivers distorted Dream Pop
Self-proclaimed bedroom pop sibling duo Solo Solo arrives on the Austin music scene with debut track “No Sleep”. Released in late September, the song was recorded in a storage unit in Austin over quarantine. The group evolved out of local group Cosmico comprised of brothers Gregory and Jon Denn.
What’s unusual about the rollout of this track was the announcement of each compositional layer to the track, broken down, piece by piece on the band’s Instagram platform. The first post teased a standard drum beat by Jon Denn with a fuzzy bass stem over top. The second post goes into far more technical context and breathes life into “No Sleep” for audiophiles.
The distorted guitar melodies and experimentation with various picking styles and strumming, selecting the Gibson plugged into an Iridium for strummed stems, while picking a Tele for the harmonies, creating a dream pop mood. Moog synthesizers give more depth to the tune. Finally, add lyrics and high pitch vocals: “There is no sleep, no sleep” echoing over itself. “I can’t stop starting, can’t stop starting” verse is catchy and rings all too familiar for those with too many projects working simultaneously.
Inspired by filmmaker, Quentin Tarantino, “No Sleep” rolled out a lofi video of the duo, cruising down the highway in a 1985 Mercedes 300D with expired registrations tags. The driver has one hand on the wheel, bandage over his cheek and cigarette dangling from his mouth. The passenger rides shotgun, elbow resting on window, lightly drumming on the dashboard. The duo created whole personas that will likely shape the band’s image as they navigate into the music scene. “They only speak in movie quotes and believe they’re the lovable anti-hero.” The music video and its unique social media announcement cements itself into the DIY movement.
Expect their debut EP to be released in early 2023. I am curious to see whether or not the duo can banter between sets in solely cinematic references. Check out this track if you are a fan of DIIV, long drives over dusty terrain, or vintage cars. Follow them on Spotify here and stay tuned for updates on new tracks on their website.
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