Twin Shadow makes the sort of music that one imagines would perfectly soundtrack the premature but poetic end to an affair. Shimmering, synth-heavy arrangements underpin bittersweet modern soul songs, all of which seem to document some sort of recent or imminent loss.
Brooklyn resident George Lewis Jr, the man behind Twin Shadow, has a number of releases already under his belt. Having released a straight-up electric soul record under his own name in 2007, he has now released a series of demos with a fuller, more ambitious sound.
With vocal hooks apparently culled from a series of lost Simple Minds classics (yes, that is a good thing), unashamedly disco-informed basslines and beautifully gravelly, Bowie-esque backing vocals, the few tracks this writer has heard are a series of eminently enjoyable contradictions.
Download a copy of ‘Castles in the Snow’ below.
Hi George. What are you listening to at the moment?
The Elvis 75: Good Rockin’ Tonight collection, the Girls record, Album….ummm Kate Bush’s Hounds of Love, David Bowie’s Scary Monsters, The-Dream’s Love vs. Money.
Any recommendations?
Yeah, my buddy Noel makes great epic pop and has a new record out. His band is called Hooray For Earth, I think the EP is called Form1.
You recently changed your name, and musically your output has altered quite dramatically since Hold Me. Are the two connected?
I didn’t change my name – still George Lews Jr. last time I checked2. Hold Me was a long time ago, actually. That was more like a weekend impulse project. I tried to see how fast I could write a weird modern soul record (some girl blew my brains out), and a buddy recorded it. I haven’t thought about it since. Twin Shadow is something I have been afraid of for a long time and I am now trying to tackle it.
You are a Brooklyn resident. What would you suggest a first-time visitor should see?
My 1976 Seeburg 45s Juke Box at my house on Jefferson Ave. in Bushwick. And Pumps Bar, a strip club in East Williamsburg (it reminds me of Florida). The bar hand looks half leprechaun, half Dio. Wait, Dio looks like a leprechaun, doesn’t he? Seriously, it is a great spot.
What are your plans for the immediate future?
Make music and money, both as fast as I can….tour.
Any chance of a full-length release?
Yes, for sure. I’m working on it.
Twin Shadow - Castles In The SnowPhoto courtesy of Andrew Strasser.
1. ‘Forms’ is actually a track name; the EP is called Momo. Website. 2. Lewis previously recorded under his own name, but recently adopted the Twin Shadow moniker.
