It rarely happens like this anymore.
As if conceived in an anachronistic vacuum beyond all the binary and arbitrary metrics, social media noise, and expectations, the music of Evan Konrad invites a primal connection. Locked away in the studio, the singer, songwriter, and producer devoted himself wholeheartedly to making a sonic statement architected and personally produced by hand. The songs remain steeped in true alternative tradition rife with traffic-stopping vocals, an orchestra of synths, guttural guitar, and powerful percussion. For the uninitiated, the best way to describe the music would be Thom Yorke translating Christopher Nolan’s Memento into songs, and even that only scratches the surface.
This signature sound caught the attention of LAVA founder Jason Flom who heard the Soundcloud link on headphones at an underground vegan restaurant in Toronto from Konrad’s manager and personally signed the artist in old school fashion....
“It came out of the blue,” Konrad admits. “I had no preconceived notions. I didn’t expect anything. I just clung to this deep vision for my music. Then all of a sudden, I signed a deal, and now I’m here.”
For two decades prior, he laid the groundwork to manifest such a future. Born and raised in Abbotsford, BC Canada, Konrad vividly recalls watching old VHS tapes of his mom performing on the road (dad served as front-of-house engineer and videographer). As a child, he fell asleep to Mozart, fostering this passion for music at all hours. Growing up, he then eventually learned piano before picking up drums and guitar. Being homeschooled, he maximized his time remaining immersed in creation. With lights from Radio Shack, he would host concerts at home, entertaining the entire family. Catching Rush live alongside pops proved nothing short of revelatory.
By the age of twenty, Konrad formally launched a career in music. Following stints recording with and on the road with other artists, he sequestered himself in the studio for his solo project with just a few collaborators rotating in and out. He commenced work on fashioning a sound of his own, reminiscent of everything from Mozart to Rufus Wainwright and Radiohead.
“The music is very story-driven and theatrical,” he continues. “It’s layered and elaborate. I try to create another world within the sound by using orchestral elements and modern production. I’ll run a string section through an effects chain-all of these layers make up the music for me. I want the vision in my head to come through the speakers.”
It most definitely does on his debut single “Long Way Out.” The push-and-pull of his cathartic falsetto and otherworldly production underscores an immediately infectious refrain.
Musically, it stands at a crossroads between hyper-charged alternative and unexpected pop as unique as it is undeniable.
“It’s actually the first idea that I started at the beginning of the project,” says Konrad. “‘Long Way Out’ took the longest to write. I’ve lived with it for so long. Lyrically, it’s about working through the struggle of emotions as they come out. I wrote it to help myself through such moments. I hope it can be a place of solitude and support for others experiencing the same things.”
Meanwhile, the follow-up “Come On Snake, Let’s Rattle” travels from a choir of analog synths towards another earth quaking vocal display that causes one to stop in their tracks.
“It’s a story about ego and how that can consume a person,” he goes on. “I’m writing about a snake who’s master of this domain. Everybody hangs on to every word. It’s a manifestation of this ego. If this space doesn’t adhere to his whims, it’s total chaos. The song opens up a story of denial.”
In the end, Konrad forges a lasting connection on his own terms, and that’s truly timeless.
“I hope listeners share in this connection and empowerment,” he leaves off. “I want them to know it’s okay to feel these things that we don’t often talk about. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel. We’re building a place where people can be stronger.”