Ever since he was caught playing on pots and pans to music videos at the age of four, Spencer Black has been surrounded by music. Since then, he has immersed himself in all things music, and his upcoming EP is both a breath of fresh air and a throwback to the music and bands he has loved and grown up listening to since that day.

Black's music is, as he calls it, "rock that pops"; his knack at creating catchy hooks and melodies makes for a modern amalgam of rock, pop, and alternative that transcends generations.

A talented multi-instrumentalist, Black is playing every instrument in his upcoming debut EP, currently being recorded and set to be released sometime in 2025. For more information, email spencerblack@me.com or connect with him at the links below.

Rising up—appropriately enough—from the ashes of the critically acclaimed Dead Young Friends, J. Ströfer promises to deliver in a more raw, straightforward manner his ornate approach to 21st century rock, without sacrificing any of the nuance of his previous incarnation.

A talented multi-instrumentalist who’s main instrument is the guitar and is equally at home with ear-splitting shoegaze as he is with the mellow classic rock of Tom Petty, Strofer can trace his wide palate back to growing up in a musical household and falling for Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors in 1994, at the tender age of 4. 
It wouldn’t be until his early teens but once Ströfer began writing songs his talent started garnering accolades in his native Dominican Republic, specifically in La Romana where he was born and raised. From then on, he’s been exploring an ear-pleasing—and sometimes ear-shattering—musical hybrid, which incorporates influences ranging from Sonic Youth to Springsteen.

Basing Dead Young Friends out of New York in late 2012, Strofer led the band thru various releases and incarnations, performing at numerous venues of note while managing to grab the attention of a fickle scene en route to making a name for the band. Halle is the latest manifestation of Ströfer’s sonic exploration, one that is couched in the simple pleasures of a catchy melody aimed to engage. His debut album, 'Ringo is my Favorite Beatle', will be released later this year.

By Henry Mena

DEAD YOUNG FRIENDS

The brainchild of talented multi-instrumentalist/producer/engineer Jorge Strofer, DYF is rooted in classic rock structures yet heavily indebted to a variety of other influences; from The Cure to '90s shoegaze. A voracious music geek inspired to make music at a very young age--he traces the initial spark to listening to Fleetwood Mac's Rumors in 1994 at the ripe old age of 4--Strofer was born into a musical family from La Romana, Dominican Republic, where he was also raised. Already a known quantity in his hometown during his teenage years, in 2007 he started the band Sonics--its name betraying an affinity for Sonic Youth--releasing the EP Chaotic Situationand promoting it with a series of shows and festival appearances. 

Leaving the Dominican for engineering school the following year, Strofer eventually ended up in Boston, where he started DYF in 2009 alongside his old Sonics bandmate Andres Pichardo. But the reunion would be short lived as Pichardo went on to form Grand Resort, thereby making Strofer DYF's sole leader.

In February of 2012 DYF's debut album Lizards was released digitally. A satisfying platter of aural delight--Strofer is a producer and engineer, after all--Lizards pulls off the nifty trick of sounding reverent but not reactionary, its songwriting steeped in influences ranging from Dylan to Joy Division; from Springsteen to Television, all while never sounding dated or trying to ride an ephemeral trend. 

Now based in Brooklyn, Strofer's new DYF lineup will be out promoting the upcoming Everything You Want Destroys What Others Have album due out in the spring. First single "Going Away from Me" was released in early January 2013.

Followers of J Ströfer