Small Black: Nostalgic, Epic Synth-Pop

On the cover of Small Black's new record, Best Blues, is a photo of a woman walking against a stark, sandy landscape--her face is faded and watermarked and judging from the bell bottoms it might have been taken in the ‘70s. But what’s more, is this picture was found by Josh Kolenik, lead singer of Small Black, after his family home in Long Island was flooded during Hurricane Sandy. The photographer behind the image, Kolenik’s father, doesn’t recall snapping the shot. From this, Kolenik and Small Black were inspired to make an album as an ode to lost memories.

Their third full-length album is about loss and reconstructing forgotten memories, strung together by epic synths and nostalgic melodies. It was written in their Brooklyn home studio where the group: Kolenik (keys, vocals), Ryan Heyner (guitar, keys, vocals), Juan Pieczanski (bass, guitar), and Jeff Curtin (drums) have been recording, writing, and living together. After initial recording, Small Black enlisted mixer Nicholas Verhnes (War on Drugs, Deerhunter) to complete the record. The album comes out October 16 but they're here in the studio to preview Best Blues.

Setlist

• "Boys Life"
• "No Stranger"
• "Back At Belle's"

Small Black plays Baby's All Right November 21.