PREMIERE: Eric Tarlin of Couch The Band Welcomes In Summer With New Solo Effort “Sunset Paradise”
Boston-native Eric Tarlin, saxophonist/vocalist of soul-pop Couch the Band, has shared his new solo effort “Sunset Paradise”. Directing his efforts into a more EDM-inspired style, his new single began as a way to combat his feeling of loneliness and boredom during a year off from college.
“A lot of the time, songwriters draw upon their own experiences for inspiration”, Tarlin shares. “This was sort of the opposite. These lyrics represent a romanticized version of what many of us missed out on as we stayed home, indoors, and mostly alone due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Meeting new people? Spontaneity? Dancing? These felt like mythical concepts in 2020, which made it surprisingly simple to craft the song’s story. It was all one crazy, epic, movie-like summer fantasy“.
With a club-ready bounce and funk-forward bass line, “Sunset Paradise” was inspired by the likes of Calvin Harris, Katy Perry, and Dua Lipa, exploring the fun, dance-inducing powers of pop music. Inspired by artists he’d hear on the radio in middle school, Eric wanted to add in his own organic musicality. “I went through a big EDM phase in middle school, which I think led me to make this track a little bit more aggressive than most pop songs—a thicker kick drum, a more pronounced pulsating/sidechain effect, and some particularly atmospheric crashes and FX. I didn’t use many synthesizers, though, which keeps it from feeling fully rooted in EDM. I relied on bass, piano, strings, and guitar to give the song a more real, familiar sonic palette“.
Despite his soul and jazz training, Tarlin is keeping things light and fun with “Sunset Paradise”, flexing his diversity as a songwriter and fun-loving musical spirit. Listen below:
