New York Indie sensations HOAX shine on singles 'B?' and '5' from their new album!

The musical brainchild of Michael Raj (vocals) and Frantz Cesar (bass), HOAX’s stunningly funky and danceable new singles ‘b?’ and ‘5’ explore the human condition and how to find beauty within sadness. The two musicians met while studying at Hofstra University and have since curated a retro yet futuristic style which they have coined “empathy pop”. Raj has cited Frank Ocean, Kendrick Lamar, 60’s Pop, 70’s Motown and even Ernest Hemmingway as inspirations, and their two new singles serve as fantastic examples of the multitude of influences that HOAX have taken into consideration when moulding their own sound.

‘b?’ has a lot to say and it does so brilliantly by combining elements of Surf Pop such as the uplifting, twangy guitar, with catchy, emotional lyrics that are more synonymous with modern day Bedroom Pop. Just under the minute-mark Raj’s voice is filtered down into this spectral echo, before an impactful breakdown which creates an instantaneous feeling of optimism, making it the perfect song to blast out your car’s windows on a golden summer evening. ‘5’ isn’t quite as grandiose as ‘b?’ but it certainly still demonstrates HOAX’s ability to incorporate multiple inspirations. In the background a groovy guitar, reminiscent of those you would find on a Thundercat song, plucks away and sets a funky melody in place. Then a slew of sparkling synth waves come out to play just after the chorus, adding this wave of hopefulness to the track amidst Raj’s excellent vocal performance.