Interview: Young & Sick

Hailing from LA, and with quite an attitude and swag under his belt, Nick Van Hofwegen has taken the creative industries by storm. Not only has he been illustrating for some of the most successful artists of the past five years, but his illustrations have become intimate aspects of image and branding for bands like Foster The People & Maroon 5. Beyond that Nick has also dabbled in fashion with Urban Outfitters and Rag & Bone, but it’s his project Young & Sick that raises Nick to public awareness and qualitative highs. A collaborative effort from his two creative brains, Young & Sick is the “music and art project” that dons a stylish sound with a distinctive and enigmatic front man.

It’s a story as old as time- actors becoming singers, models becoming pop stars, we’ve seen it before- but a transition from visual artist to R&B crooner? It’s a little more rare, and it was Nick’s unmistakable album artwork that crafted a bridge. “Since I was young, I’ve drawn all over things. I always really liked doing it. When I was in design school in Holland, a teacher encouraged us to make some art for one of our favorite bands. I sent a single idea to ‘The Velvet Teen’ from California. One day they wrote back asking if they could actually use it for some merchandise. Through their manager, I was connected to Mark Foster (of Foster the People), and Andy Dick. More requests for art came in, and it kind of just happened from there.” On the other side of the project it was the Dutch Punk scene, with little fourteen year old Nick playing guitar in several bands, that led him down a musical rabbit hole. From Punk bands to a guitar mentor to the discovery of Jazz and Soul, Young & Sick is the beautiful result of a very specific course through life.

Weekly Digest

The last few days have me feeling spring fever so hard, with the beautiful tease of an evening with the windows open, and the ludicrous outfits of women who took it too far, I couldn’t help but feel that attitude reflected in some of my favorite releases and finds this week.  Enjoy an array of blossoming artists.

Young & Sick – Glass

Buzzworthy band Young & Sick (fashion, illustration, and music project) is combining a rock band vocalist with chops and charisma and some of the most insanely incredible synthesizer and production ever.  It’s so exciting to listen to -the arpeggio glitching and glittering behind lead vocalist Nick is the money and the selling point for me personally, and when I saw this song performed live, the synth player was giving me LIFE.  I was a little uncomfortable about Nick himself (PS his last name is an elusive find on the internet, but this is HIS *nick’s* project- a little god complexy, no?).  His appearance was Beetle Juice meets Jared Leto & his style slightly narcissistic and overly confident, but I was so enthralled in the harmonies, synths & production that I closed my eyes to remove the disarmingly unattractive visual component of the performance and indulge in the fantastic music.

It’s no surprise that vocalist and mastermind Nick would create something this good.  It’s a thoughtful and modern take on R&B and Soul in this electronically saturated musical climate.  His sensual and old school singing style is mostly successful, too.  It’s also no surprise that he is this confident (it’s part of the sale of the music itself), given his extensive success as an illustrator for album art, fashion houses, and brands (his illustrations are phenomenal).  It’s the kind of runs like at minute 2:04 that turn me off.  It’s part of this trend where any white person interested in doing R&B & Soul influenced music thinks breaking down the riffs is enough.  But soul and runs are not something that translate well as overly prepared.  Inherently in the genre’s name is Soul, and this kind of singing has to have real soul to it.  I’d argue this is the weakest point in the Young & Sick’s presentation, HOWEVER, the music is fantastic and this first cut from the full-length debut is stellar.  Besides, I’m the only person who seems to have this disaffection towards Nick’s persona, so maybe I’m mistaken or my own perspective is jaded.  I suppose I’ll have to watch and see.

On Rotation – January 2014

 

 

There’s no time to waste- as the cogs of the industrial pop system have screeched to a halt in the wake of Beyoncé’s release, the underground world has plummeted forward.  Follow my first playlist of 2014 for a guide to what’s new and worthy of a listen.

XOXO

PS There’s a Beyoncé song on it.

SURFBOARD.

Weekly Digest

Some incredible, promising female artists are stealing this wintery week for me.  Ella Eyre, ARIA, and Frida Sundemo are all winners with brand new music.  These ladies are definitely #whotowatch2014.