Emerging from the vibrant Toronto suburbs in 2014, the indie-pop band sensation VALLEY could have never fathomed the tremendous growth they would achieve as a band today.
With the release of EPs and singles, the talented band comprising Rob Laska, Mickey Brandolino, Alex Dimauro and Karah James made its mark on the music industry with its highly-celebrated debut album, MAYBE, in 2019. Fueled by coming-of-age themes and cinematic narratives of love and friendship, the band embarked on a musical journey that resonated deeply with fans worldwide. Now, four years later, VALLEY returns triumphantly with its latest creation, Lost In Translation, alongside an exhilarating new world tour spanning the continents of North America, Australia and Asia.
Since its inaugural “Get To Know” moment with Beyond The Stage four years ago, the band’s journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. Its musical odyssey has encompassed the release of three captivating EPs, performances at music festivals such as Governors Ball, headlining tours and sharing the stage with esteemed indie bands like COIN and The BAND CAMINO. Alongside these milestones, the band has also unleashed a multitude of sensational singles on various music platforms, solidifying its presence in the industry.
Yet, despite the surface success, the band emphasizes that the best kind of growth to see was within each other.
“I think on a personal level, we’ve just done a lot of growing. It sounds really broad, but I think there’s been a lot of personal growth in the band and I think we’ve honed in on what we’re trying to bring to the table with what VALLEY is, sonically and emotionally,” frontman Rob Laska said. “I think our live shows have grown a lot too. We’ve put a lot of time into our live shows because that’s where we translate most of what VALLEY is. We’ve worked a lot on our songcraft and I think we’ve really tried to sharpen our pencils a lot with songwriting. We’ve done a lot of self-exploration, band exploration — we’ve done a lot of band therapy and personal therapy. It’s just been a lot of both artistic and personal growth.”
After dropping numerous EPs and singles, the band felt poised to release its long-awaited sophomore album. However, with the global pandemic disrupting life as we knew it, the members made a crucial decision to hold off on the album’s release, prioritizing the listeners’ experience.
“In the state of the world for the last couple years through the pandemic and everything, we were on the edge of releasing albums, but we didn’t want people’s experience with an album to be alone in their bedroom,” said Laska. “We wanted them to be able to go and live their life to our album and soundtrack their life. I think now this record is more about living and soundtracking your life now that the pandemic is over. People are really heavy on going to shows, traveling and doing all the things that they really wanna live, you know what I mean? I think this record is providing that and it’s just the right time.”
Having penned the first album during their late teens and early twenties, Lost In Translation now emerges in their mid-twenties, revealing the band’s remarkable sonic evolution as both individuals and a collective.
“It’s a different world, we’re different people but in a healthy way,” Laska said. “I think there are a lot of similarities that people start to kind of trickle in because it’s still the same people making the music, but nothing’s changed. We still pretty much produce everything, we write everything together, the process has never changed.”
The new album delves deep into the emotional journeys of all four members, as they grapple with their inner searchings and seek their rightful place in the world.
“I think there’s a song for every feeling that we’ve experienced in the last few years between records. I think every experience we’ve had, every relationship, everything we’ve been through — I think there’s a song, like a sliver of each feeling of where we’ve all been,” bassist Alex Dimauro said.
The title track was initially written for the sucks to see you doing better EP, and despite unsuccessful attempts to fit it into the previous EPs, it ultimately found its home as the essence of the entire album.
“I think what VALLEY does really well with is storytelling,” Laska said. I think the album is just a very beautiful short story of just our four lives of where we are right now, and that’s kind of in VALLEY forever.”
As the musical sound evolved and grew, so did the band’s audience. Globally, the band ventured across North America, Asia and Australia playing sold-out shows to tens of thousands of listeners. Among the enthusiastic crowds are devoted fans who know every song by heart and brand newcomers who are just discovering the music.
“It’s been nuts. At the beginning of the tour, people started filming the new songs, putting it online and stuff and now every show, there’s like fans that haven’t seen us live yet and they’re showing up and singing the new lyrics because they’ve watched the Youtube videos,” Dimauro said. “That’s a really cool feeling and it’s really cool to see the reception and the kind of snowball effect of the new songs live.”
And while VALLEY may be “lost in translation” across its album and tour, they’ve managed to find themselves on a path that only leads up.
“I love living in the world we are now musically,” Laska said. “There’s so many positives and it’s incredible that you can put a song online and literally your life could change. We’ve had that and it’s incredible.”
Listen to Lost In Translation here:
All things VALLEY: Instagram | Official Website | Music
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