Parade of Lights portrays passion through their music

POL_4950The Los Angeles originated band, Parade of Lights, self-released their first song “We’re the Kids,” summer of 2013. Almost immediately, the radio started playing the track. It’s very rare for a commercial radio to play an unsigned artist, but Parade of Lights was quickly added to SiriusXM’s Alt Nation. They proved themselves to be an exception to that rule. The single caught the attention of of Astralwerks Records and the band was signed the roster.

Vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist Ryan Daly and drummer Anthony Improgo met in 2006, when they found that they had a mutual love of the same music. The two began writing together and formed their first collaboration, the band Polus, which didn’t go far. They remained friends, which rooted the seeds which would later become Parade of Lights.


PoL Single Art

Daly and Improgo reconnected when on tour with other act in Australia. They formed Parade of Lights and spend two years perfecting the band’s lineup. They self-released their first EP Born To Live, Born To Love in 2012. It was the next year that bass player Randy Schulte and keys player Michelle Ashley were added to the band.


“It’s very rare that you encounter people you can collaborate with so easily. It almost never happens and that’s why it’s so important that we solidified ourselves as a unit and created Parade of Lights. We feel like this is the beginning of something really significant,” said Improgo.


PoL Golden Art
Since signing to Astralwerks, the band has been putting the final touches to release their future EP Golden. “Golden,” which will include “We’re The Kids,” reveals a range in tone. The title track “Golden” builds a propulsive dance melody with layers of static-laced synth and a hook-heavy chorus. It all leads back to a unified vision that begins when the band first enters the studio.


“All of our songs start and are fully realized in the studio, whether it’s Anthony bringing in a drum loop, me bringing in a vocal or guitar riff, a bass riff courtesy of Randy, or one of Michelle’s synth sounds, they all begin with a single element or defining, recognizable characteristic,” said Daly. “We focus on this particular sound until we feel it’s right, then move on to chords. A great melody set against the right chords can create such a definitive mood that the song rapidly takes shape and virtually writes itself. Others are more groove-based, and tend to require us to laser in a loop until it feels right. Sometimes we get lucky and pull together the best of both worlds.”


The magic is in the collaboration and the connection. The musicians are interested not only in making lasting music but in creating a complete vision around the music.


“It’s taken us a long time to streamline our process. Countless hours and tons of mistakes have only honed our skills, challenged our boundaries, and made us a better band. For every song we finish, we learn something new,” said Daly.

POL_4420

The band has esteemed fanbases in their hometown of L.A., as well as Las Vegas. The band has toured throughout California, Utah, and Nevada. The group has opened up for artists, like Imagine Dragons, Fitz and The Tantrums, and The Neighbourhood. Their place is to tour extensively throughout 2014 to promote “Golden.”


The single “We’re The Kids” was the first time I’ve ever heard of the band. At first I thought they were pretty good. They had that indie-electronic tune that seems to be getting popular every day. But the more I listened to the song, the more it seemed familiar. The beat was cliche and it’s overdone in so many other songs. “Golden” is different story. It’s upbeat and positive, and it doesn’t sound like too much. Yeah, I’ve heard similar, but I think that as they grow and age, their sound will too. They will become Parade of Lights. I look forward to their EP and their first full-length album in the future.

Comments are closed.