BRONSON by BRONSON

GRAMMY-nominated duo ODESZA and groundbreaking Sydney producer Golden Features have announced their new project BRONSON with the launch of two contrasting singles “HEART ATTACK (feat. lau.ra)” and “VAULTS” out now on Foreign Family Collective and Ninja Tune. The double release serves as the primer to the trio’s forthcoming self-titled debut album, set for July 17. Both tracks offer two distinct looks into BRONSON, embracing an alternate identity for the trio in which they discovered a newfound limitlessness and ability to explore new soundscapes, free from any expectations attached to their respective projects. “HEART ATTACK” finds a weightless dreamy soundscape in lau.ra’s vocals (of Ultraísta), while “VAULTS” explores a gripping intensity by way of distorted basslines and edgier cinematic tones.

On “HEART ATTACK,” BRONSON reflects that it “was the first vocal track we worked on for the record. It was one of those ideas that came together really quickly and felt very natural while writing with lau.ra. Ultimately, it was a confluence between the two distinctive sounds of ODESZA and Golden Features. It served as a turning point in the writing process of the album and an inspiration for the other vocal tracks to come.”

Nearly three years in the making, BRONSON originally formed through the personal connection that ODESZA members Harrison Mills and Clayton Knight shared with Golden Features’ Tom Stell. Out of mutual admiration on a creative level, they formed a digital record box of shared sounds sent across time zones and continents through Dropbox files and FaceTime calls. The product of those collective efforts culminated in 2018 when the trio spent a week, in the remote reaches of Berry, Australia, recording what would later become the first BRONSON album.

Furthermore, “VAULTS” became an anchor in the writing process. As BRONSON observes, “it was one of the earlier instrumentals we completed and it acted as a cornerstone to the overall sound design and aesthetic of the album. The track really proved a departure from each artist's own respective styles and set a definitive change in direction for the BRONSON project. We knew we had something special here and it served as a guiding light for the rest of the record.”

As the debut releases, “HEART ATTACK” and “VAULTS” are indicative of the opposing light versus dark elements that flow throughout the 10 track album. The record strikes a beautiful balance between intense, emotive instrumental-heavy tracks and cathartic, melodic vocal songs, with additional guest features from Gallant and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs. An unexpected yet welcome addition includes Harrison and Tom themselves providing the vocals for “CALL OUT,” a song that lulls the listener into tranquility.

The album reflects on their respective needs to challenge personal struggles, both internal and external. Moreover, the trio recognized that their own battles were merely microcosms of the surrounding world. The hope was to craft a body of work that was reflective of that duality of lightness and darkness inherent to the human condition. The result is a project with an extraordinary profundity and universal relatability. One can connect to it on a deeply personal level and find relief, no matter what they may be confronting in their own life.

ODESZA and Golden Features have combined streaming numbers in the billions and hold multiple gold and platinum singles and albums respectively. They've remixed and collaborated with an array of impressive artists including Sia, Leon Bridges, Regina Spektor, Katy Perry, Charli XCX and others. Both leaders in the live circuit, they’ve cumulatively reached millions of fans on global headline tours, with ODESZA selling out massive venues including Los Angeles’ Staples Center, New York’s Barclays Center, London’s O2 Academy Brixton, as well as headlining world-famous festivals such as Coachella, Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits, Outside Lands and Lollapalooza.