Boise-based synth-pop act Classtronaut showcase a melodic, emotive vein of songwriting on their new single “Chemical Reaction,” released as a double single alongside the track “Gee Whiz.” Resilience and hopefulness emanates throughout the result, a byproduct of personal strife encountered during the creative process. Half of the duo, Brian Fortson, found himself frequently at the hospital, at his son’s bedside during recovery. Creating music was a beacon of hope during the period.
“”Our son was diagnosed at birth with a rare genetic illness,” Fortson says. “In the two years that followed, I found myself mostly sleeping on small couches, squeezed tightly in the corner of dark hospital rooms.” He continues: “During this time, music became a critical outlet to escape the pain that was all around me. I would email Gus new song ideas at all hours of the night. In between hospital stays, we would arrange vocals and instruments.”
“Chemical Reaction” enamors with its driving synth work and radiant vocals. A dazzling assortment of retro-friendly synth-bass pulses, brass-friendly tones, and mellow keys build into a “grand adventure,” lyrical commencement — fondly resembling a cross between Cut Copy and Tame Impala in the vocal entry. “Feels like things are moving faster now,” the vocals aptly admit prior to the instrumentation steadily building up again, diversifying seamlessly between the more key-laden introspection that kickstarts each verse.
Fortson adds: “We wrote this music as an escape, not thinking so much as to whether people would show up to listen to us.”
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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.
