Take a trip to the west coast. Roll the windows down and let the breeze flirt with your hair; stop by the beach and become enamored with its waves. Revel in this California dream come true – feel it vulnerably and deeply – and through it all, let the Los Angeles-based indie pop band LANY be the soundtrack to your experience, as they have created a sound of their own that encapsulates this intimacy.
Interview by Sadie Bell
Photo provided by Management
“I think that’s why music exists,” said lead vocalist Paul Klein of the intimate feeling that music permeates. “That’s why we exist, to have that kind of connection with people.” Klein said, “If we could actually just do that for the rest of our lives, that’s what we would do – just make really meaningful music for people.”
And thus far, that is what LANY has done – their sound very much that of eighties dream pop with alternative modern elements fused with oozing synths, innovative percussion, and sensual vocals expressing the most personal of lyrics. The three-piece band made up of Jake Goss (drums), Paul Klein (lead vocals, keys, guitar), and Les Priest (guitar, keys), has been on the rise since their inception in 2014, making recent waves after getting signed, releasing their most recent EP Make Out, and gaining opening slots for notable artists like Halsey, Ellie Goulding, and Troye Sivan. And the band deserves all of their success and more, as they create genuine music laced with feeling, made in a way that is special and untouched.
“We make all of our own songs. We don’t really work in a studio, we just work out of our little house that we have,” said Klein. Though many people dream of doing nothing but making music with their best friends, few bands have done it as naturally and successfully as LANY. After transplanting from Nashville to Los Angeles, the band found the formula for their success by investing in a home together that also doubles as their recording studio – another element that contributes to the band’s musical intimacy. Though drummer Jake Goss recently got married and moved out, this space is still very much integral to the band. Klein said, “Even though Jake moved out, he still kind of lives with us because we work all day at the house. We’ll always live together.”
“Everything that we do is very much us. It comes from the three of us, so it’s very untarnished and untainted,” said Klein. “I want [our music] to be very aspirational, really idealistic,” said Klein. “I guess it kind of goes without saying, like, you want it to feel good, right? There [are] a lot of songs that don’t make me feel anything and that’s the last thing [that] I want [our music] to be.”
Klein said, “When people listen, I want to give them life or take them from their really mundane place to a more magical [one].” This is exactly what LANY’s music does – songs like “Hot Lights” inspiring feelings of invincible frivolity and “4EVER!” illuminating a similar sensation like the whirlwind of a teenage romance. Klein said that his favorite songs are the ones that touched him and took him to another place – from riding in the shot gun of his best friend’s car to envisioning himself on stage – “That’s the kind of music that I want to make.”
In a way, the music that LANY makes really could only be pulled off by them, their late night pop anthems “ILYSB” and “Walk Away” gushing with the honesty of a diary entry that feel as if they are lyrics that only Klein can genuinely sing, while featuring minimalistic production that could only elevate songs like these with such sincerity. Because of their special, though resonant music, LANY (who is still a small, self described “baby band”) has a very strong fan base that grows after each opening slot and flourishes night after night on the band’s current tour. “It’s one thing playing really intimate songs for people who don’t know you, [and] that’s fine, but to do it for people who those songs also mean something to them – it’s so incredibly rewarding.”
As the band continues working on their debut album and touching more people with their music, a bright future seems to be in sight for LANY. “Sometimes I cannot believe what we’re working on here at this little house,” said Klein, noting in the most humble way that “there are moments where I think, ‘maybe we’re the best band!’” He said, “Les is so good and the Jake is the best drummer in the world. A lot of the time I’m just like, ‘Wow, I love this band!’ My favorite band is my own band!” And rightfully so, as LANY ensures their music radiates intimacy and honesty. Though the band has specific goals for themselves including arena-sized shows and a number one debut album, Klein also notes that they hope to “never have to compromise who we are as creative and how we make music and write. That would be the ultimate goal and mark of success.” While LANY may still be a small California band, influenced by the atmospheric, dreamy romance of place and the rawness that comes with relationships and reality, their sound is soon to be spread far and wide. But for now, it is time to discover LANY for yourself if you have not already. Let their sound take you somewhere, let it feel as if you are truly are driving along the west coast – because even if it is just music extending through your speakers, the intimacy of LANY’s music is sure to take you somewhere.
