You’d hardly know it from the music. ‘Window Shopping’ sparkles, driven by a seriously funky bassline that gives the track much of its character alongside bouncing guitars and polished pop production. Disco inflections run throughout, while Sebghati’s strong, clean vocal rides effortlessly over the groove. Rather than dwelling in its insecurity, Night Talks package it inside something bright, infectious and enormously fun – quite simply, it’s a bop.

The accompanying video plays more directly with the song’s themes, surrounding the band with mirrors as they perform beneath moody lighting. Reflections multiply and fragment across the screen, creating an almost mirrorball-like effect that fits both the track’s disco shimmer and its preoccupation with comparison. Sometimes self-doubt, apparently, comes with an excellent bassline.

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Written with producer Eric Palmquist (Bad Suns, Tate McRae, half•alive)  Soraya Sebghati (vocals) says, “‘People Pleaser’ is a celebratory song about overcoming your tendencies to put everyone else first, and not wasting time with a person who makes you bend for them constantly. Lyrically, we wanted it to be vague whether it’s about a friend or a partner, since this kind of dynamic can apply to any relationship.”

With its funky bassline and baritone guitar loop, Jacob Butler (guitar, synth, vocals) says of the production, “We tried to create something more sparse than songs we’ve done before, with fewer layers that each serve to either be either funky or percussive; even the acoustic guitars feel more like shakers in the track.”

The accompanying dreamy video was shot at the band’s own, Night Talks HQ. Butler says, “We shot on three different cameras, one regular, one with an old TV zoom lens, and a VHS, so that gave the video a bit of a multimedia effect that added to the daydreaming angle.”

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Behind an irresistible rhythm and glittering guitar riffs, ‘Roll On’ captures the collective monotony and idleness that ripped through the world throughout 2020. The subject matter contrasted by the bubbling beat finds slivers of optimism and eagerness that linger and leave a lasting impression. Reflecting on writing this song during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and the inevitable aching comparison that came with it, frontwoman Soraya Sebghati says, “It was a really tough time to be an independent musician with no real infrastructure, especially when looking at other, more successful acts, who were still able to release albums and play on late-night television.” The band powered through the fear and uncertainty that made productivity and excitement difficult to bring this track to life. Sebghati continues, “The only thing we could do was work on writing songs and other small projects, and that’s exactly what this song came out of. We wanted to capture the feeling of what it literally feels like to be stuck inside your apartment, unable to do much of anything.”

The track’s accompanying Twilight Zone-esque video, directed by Julianne Fox, sees Sebghati trapped in a vintage, slightly unsettling house where mystery creeps in. Instead of making a video that reflects the dullness of isolation, the female-led team created a vibrant, eye-catching video. Fox says, “We wanted to craft a vintage, liminal environment for Soraya’s character to run around in, and we had a lot of fun playing with the mysteriously ominous elements of the setting.” Jacob Butler (guitar, synth, vocals) adds, “Our goal was to cram as much color and energy as possible into the smallest, dustiest space we could find.” Inspired by one of Butler’s favorite movies, Evil Dead II, the video playfully messes with Sebghati. Butler acknowledges the absence of the full band throughout the visual and leans into the confusion the video may cause. “‘Why is there a portrait of us on the wall though?” “Whose house is this?” “Is this really happening?’ He continues, “I feel when you only have people for three minutes, you might as well surprise them a bit. Blast ‘em with color and guitar and let them go on with their day asking themselves, ‘What just happened?'”

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