Music Spotlight: Fly By Midnight

Nov 19

Nov 19 Music Spotlight: Fly By Midnight

Retro-pop duo Fly By Midnight released their new album Rerunning last week, capturing modern romance through their emotive lyrics + dancey, pop sound. We chatted with the duo, composed of singer-songwriter Justin Bryte + producer/songwriter Justin Slaven (aka Slavo), about the album + what’s next. If you’re like us, you’ll have ILYA and just say it on repeat forever.

Asymmetric Magazine: Congrats on your album release. Can you tell us about Rerunning?
Justin Bryte: Rerunning is the first time we're giving the world more a body of work. It's nerve-wracking, exciting and we couldn't be anymore grateful for the response so far.
Slavo: It's been such a wild ride making the record. Each song was created like its own journey, and we hope fans hear it that way.

AM: What was the most challenging part of making this album?
JB: I think we constantly had to remind ourselves not to overthink or second guess anything.
S: Agreed. We always want our music to be as perfect as we can push it to be, but through this experience, Justin and I really embraced being happy with the final product of a song and then moving on to the next.

AM: Tell us about the single, ILYA, off the album?
JB: There's something selfishly heroic about wanting to be there for someone who's going through some shit. Also the phrase "like you a lot" is so non committal. It's like you're too afraid to admit you may be falling for that person but still want to express emotion.
S: We wrote it in LA on an off night. Came together really quickly and effortlessly, too.

AM: How does this album compare to your previous work, including Cover Change?
S: Bodies of work like Cover Charge and The Boombox Series really let us creatively find ourselves. With Rerunning we learned to take risks and explore our sound more.
JB: We never would have had the courage to do that without fans latching onto our previous music. It's all just an evolution.

AM: How would you describe your sound?
S: We like to describe it as retro-pop. Especially with this album, we explore the different ways pop can be expressed in today's industry.
JB: Genre fusions and being eclectic really kept the creative process fun.

AM: What themes do you typically pursue through your music?
JB: I think romance has been the core of our music. We're two dudes in our 20s still trying to navigate how that whole part of our lives is supposed to work.

AM: What other musicians are currently inspiring you?
S: Currently, we're super into Jon Bellion's new album [Glory Sound Prep]—been following him for a long time. LANY's Malibu Nights is also a real mood lately.

AM: Where is one place that you feel completely in touch with your creative self/music?
JB: Our studio in the corner of Staten Island is where we wrote the majority of the album. It feels like home.
S: Justin and I have always embraced being creative in new spaces though. Especially on trips to LA and Nashville, we've become inspired by the rooms we've found ourselves in.

AM: What can we expect to see from you next?
JB: We can't wait to play the album across the states. The first show kicks off in NYC December 6 at City Winery with hopefully more to follow!
S: We're already thinking about 2019. Music. Videos. It's an exciting time for us.