Akurei has released his new EP ‘HAIRDYE’.
The track marks Akurei’s second EP release in 2020 and features three singles, which were mostly written on guitar.
Speaking of the EP, Akurei said: “‘HAIRDYE’ is the second EP I’m sharing this year. This one feels a little
more transparent and rawer for me, which I always admire in the music I love. For the most part, these songs were written and explored on guitar before they hit the Ableton session which I found really refreshing. ‘HAIRDYE’, the focus track, came together on a Saturday night-in. It was a cathartic song to put together, one of the occasions in which I felt I learnt a little more about myself in the process of writing it. The song sat on my laptop for a few months after I finished the demo. It needed something, but I wasn’t 100% sure what it was. I ended up sending it to my friend Rutger (The Nicholas) and within an hour he had sent back like 5 stems that completely wrapped the song up.”
To celebrate his EP release, Akurei has shared 5 tracks that influenced ‘Hairdye’ with us.
Coldplay – Yellow | Listen via Spotify
‘HAIRDYE’ started as a minute or so demo that was the first two verses and the chorus, just guitar and my vocal. I remember coming back to it the following morning and trying to add a drum beat. When I had settled on the beat that is the song as it is now, I remember listening to it and ‘Yellow’ by Coldplay was the first thing to come to mind.
The 1975 – Me & You Together Song | Listen via Spotify
The chorus of ‘HAIRDYE’ is two chords. It floats between them and it feels like it’s holding off on a resolve until it finally does as the chorus ends. I was listening to ‘Me & You Together Song’ a lot at the time and The 1975 do a similar thing during the chorus of this song.
Golden Daze – Blue Bell | Listen via Spotify
I saw Golden Daze last year, in what could possibly be described as the shittest dive bar in LA haha. I hadn’t listened to them beforehand and wasn’t expecting too much, but I was completely blown away by their set, it was so beautiful. I’ve listened to their record ‘Simpatico’ almost daily since, and I was super inspired by the intricate guitar work on ‘Blue Bell’. The layering of parts really inspired ‘HAIRDYE’.
Soccer Mommy – yellow is the color of her eyes | Listen via Spotify
I really love this song. The verses feel kinda emo melodically and I think I was channelling that a little writing the verse melodies for ‘HAIRDYE’.
The Nicholas – Summertime | Listen via Spotify
I’m such a huge fan of Rutger as a human and a creative. ‘Summertime’ is such a beautiful song and the guitar tone has been in the back of my head as a reference for a while and I think that shows in ‘HAIRDYE’.
You can stream Akurei new EP ‘Hairdye’ below: