This fall the new trio, Red Hearse, hit the scene with their first EP to date. The band consists of Sam Dew, Sounwave, and Jack Antonoff (of Bleachers notoriety). Jack Anonoff has been busy working behind the scenes with many artists over the years (such as St. Vincent, Lorde and many more) but this is the first music we’ve secured from him since Bleachers released their 2017, epitome of summer, album ‘Gone Now’. While Antonoff may be performing under a different name, as well as with different people, fans of prior Bleachers’ discography will not leave this EP disappointed.

With this self-titled project, we can see Antonoff keeping the catchy, 80’s inspired, earworms alive, meanwhile lead singer, Sam Dew adds a nice touch of soul and R&B. With the grand opening of ‘Half Love’ really setting the pace for a feel-good, and very fun 26 minutes. The track has an almost symphonic build up into the first verse, and then manages to keep that energy up for the entirety of the song. We also witness Sam Dew’s vocals here truly at their best. This is, undoubtedly, the best moment on this entire project. Next things start slow down with, ‘You Make It Easy’, a sweet ode to Dew’s love interest, with lyrics that can feel slightly saccharine at times, but Dew’s earnest vocals pull the whole thing smoothly together. This is another feel good track that will keep you groovin for days.

Another song that deserves an honorable mention is the title track ‘Red Hearse’. The production and harmonies on this track are phenomenal, and it wouldn’t be a Jack Antonoff track without the use of some (a lot of) synths. However, the EP does hit a lull on tracks like ‘Violence’ and ‘Honey’, with them feeling like less-flushed out, and tenuous, versions of what better tracks on the EP are already doing. Overall, this trio works seamlessly together to create a mix of genres, and a vibe that anyone can get down with. Sam Dew’s vocal style perfectly complements the synth heavy beats that Antonoff brings to the table, and Sounwave’s overall production style is superb. This is a group to keep an eye out for, because they are definitely on the come-up.

Recommended Listens: 1, 3, 4