Los Angeles-based alternative pop artist Jei-Rynn is excited to announce his new EP, viole(n)t dreams, out November 15. Drawing from ’90s grunge, 2000s emo and pop-punk, and 2010s indie, Jei-Rynn’s alt-pop style is both hauntingly nostalgic and strikingly new.
Order it here.
In 2019, he began writing songs as a solo artist for the first time. He released his debut single, “screaming inside,” produced by Alex Newport (L.S. Dunes, At the Drive-In, Bloc Party), in 2022. The song spoke to Jei’s personal feelings of isolation and identity crisis, both as an introverted misfit and as an Asian-American in an era of Asian hate, as well as the isolation of those around him coping in a post-pandemic landscape.
His next singles “walk away” (produced by Alex Arias – The Mowgli’s, Matchbox Twenty) and “still alive” (produced by Marshall Gallagher of Teenage Wrist) spoke to broken relationships, suicidal ideation, and finding the will to survive. On his first EP, titled overreacting, he explored similar themes of isolation and loss in different forms.
2024 will see the release of Jei-Rynn’s next EP, viole(n)t dreams. In his self-directed music videos, he takes inspiration from dark film auteurs such as David Lynch, Tim Burton, and Stanley Kubrick, as he continues to explore complicated themes in a relatable and tangible way.
Today, Jei-Ryan shares a new single, “i’m an octopus, a dark, absurdist look at life in late-stage capitalism. It paints a strange, yet familiar picture, of dystopia, with themes rooted in existentialism and hedonism. The song’s morbid humor is coupled with the track’s signature blend of hip-hop and indie.
Produced by Marshall Gallagher, guitarist and vocalist of Teenage Wrist, and drums performed by Anthony Salazar, drummer of Teenage Wrist, “i’m an octopus” is an eclectic production centered on Jei-Rynn’s lyrics and vocals, which range from delicate whisperings to harsh belting at the song’s climax.
Photo by Haley Giwoff
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