Photay: New Album 'Waking Hours' Out June 12th

Songs can take on new or deeper meaning depending on when you listen and the surrounding circumstances. Although all the writing and recording for Photay’s upcoming LP, Waking Hours was done prior to the worldwide pandemic we are facing, the messaging, both sonically and lyrically , take on many more layers of depth at the moment. "Warmth in the Coldest Acre" is a song of firsts and lasts. Rooted in the idea of finding joy, excitement and positivity, no matter the circumstance, it's the first single from Photay's upcoming Waking Hours album. It was also the final track he completed for the record.

It's 2020, and everyone is exhausted. Things are falling apart, and then there's the day-to-day stress of just existing in the modern world. Screens are everywhere, we're all tethered to our phones and social media; trying to keep up with it all seems just as impossible as unplugging altogether, especially when we're all feeling that neverending push to always be productive—inspiration and motivation be damned.

Evan Shornstein is looking for stillness. That may seem strange for a drummer, especially one who's been constantly fidgeting and tapping on things since childhood, but it's absolutely true. Perhaps it's a byproduct of his upbringing. A native of Woodstock in upstate New York, he literally grew up on an isolated country road and spent a significant chunk of his formative years outdoors. At the time, he didn't always appreciate it, but now, as an adult who's spent the past several years living in New York City, he's increasingly drawn to the nature that was so accessible in his youth.

'Waking Hours' is rooted in the chaos of modern life, and specifically our incessant need to stay busy, keep up with everything, and never stop creating. Living this way can be an exhausting prospect, and it's what sparked Shornstein's search for stillness in the first place. On a basic level, the LP is about finding room to occasionally pause and take a breath, but escapism isn't the end goal here. Shornstein is interested in cultivating the mental headspace to question our hectic status quo and simply ask if there's a better way to do things. Musically, it's the most personal and open-minded thing he's ever created, a genre-agnostic effort that impressively builds upon his electronic chops while simultaneously venturing into pop territory and putting his own vocals center stage.

“Finding optimism in the darkest of times. Acknowledging life’s peaks and valleys. Finding comfort within the discomfort. Fleeting moments of sonic refuge within.”