Vassals, Diary

Vassals formed in Brooklyn in the summer of 2011 and quickly found a home in the roving New York DIY scene. The trio began as an effort to expand upon the lofi bedroom recordings of singer/bassist Shay Spence. With the added creativity and energy of Jon Smith (drums) and Jeff Fettig (guitar), the hushed, simple demos became high fraught songs of blown-out fuzz and dark pulsing rhythm.

As the band began to play around NYC, they soon became known for their feral, cathartic live show. Vassals released their debut album In My Dreams I Am A Sailor in 2012 and a festively sarcastic holiday EP in 2015. The band went back into the studio to record their latest effort, Halogen Days, a darker 4 song EP released in April of 2017 that ???brings to mind throwback 90s outfits along the lines of Dinosaur Jr. and Pavement, and (most importantly) is utterly infectious.??? ???All Things Go


Diary is a primarily Brooklyn based group, drawn together by a love of dream pop and guitar music. Founding members Andy Brienza and Kevin Bendis first began writing music together in college near Philadelphia, but only recently discovered a magical connection through the creation of Diary. Recruiting fellow college allum Chris Croarkin and New York confidant Will Banyard to fill out roles at bass and drums respectively, the current iteration of Diary was able to take shape. They have since played venues across New York and continue to write new songs with an 80's tinge, about love, loneliness, and supernatural visions.

Just this Spring, Diary released its debut EP, Love Shadows, a dreamy collection of songs that span an amalgam of genres, from new wave to no wave. Stitched together with themes of wistful longing, despair, and dream-states, Diary connected the dots between their harrowing pop songs. Drawing inspiration from Echo and the Bunnymen, Cocteau Twins, Simple Minds, and others, Diary was reshaped their favorite sounds into a modern context. The songs themselves are drenched shadowy feelings of nostalgia; gazing back at high school daze, and pondering the banality of existence. Premiered through Obscure Sound, the EP has since received considerable positive press.