From Philadelphia to NYC, the Alt-Rock and Synth-Pop quartet TIOGA releases their exciting and heavy-hitting single, "Imaginary Friend."
Consisting of Greg Adams (lead vocals), Derrick Dieso (guitar), Austin Paragas (bass & vocals), and Henri Tyler Brooks (drums & vocals), the band continuously embraces goth-pop tendencies into their Alt-Rock and lively Synth-Pop sound.
Releasing their energetic single "Imaginary Friend," what's interesting is how TIOGA managed to supply such electrifying instrumentals while the song's concept surrounds deeper themes of isolation, anxiety, and existential dread.
The tightly-wound instrumentals crash our speakers with supreme power, while Greg Adams' powerhouse vocals tell an unfortunately relatable story. "Imaginary Friend" begins with bright synth melodies, Henri Tyler Brooks' vibrant drum patterns, and Derrick Dieso's electrifying guitar. While Greg Adams begins vocalizing this disheartening theme of questioning where someone was when challenges arose, Austin Parages' gripping bass licks bring the track an overall groovy sensation.
The song's hook is incredibly catchy while lingering around our minds for hours on end; we're genuinely impressed with the depth and energy TIGOA placed into a track with an unfavorable concept. Not to mention the meticulously crafted instrumentals, the overall song swells to this sweltering atmosphere through TIOGA's whopping instrumentals that send us to new planes.
With undoubtedly relatable lyrical content and scorching Alt-Rock/Synth-Pop instrumentals, TIOGA's single "Imaginary Friend" serves vast energy while giving listeners something to help release any pent up emotion and doubt.
Hello TIOGA and welcome to BuzzMusic. We love every aspect of your dynamic single, "Imaginary Friend." Could you tell us what your songwriting process was like when crafting the song's theme and concept?
The songwriting process was cathartic and introspective. We love dance music and love chasing an idea that makes us move, but at the same time there were anxieties and inner turmoil Greg was dealing with in his everyday life, and so the concept of the song is a marriage of those two things. The song is about not being able to be present and in the moment while battling and struggling within yourself with your personal doubts and insecurities, and writing the song helped Greg “dance out” those issues he was working through.
Why did you choose to create such lively instrumentals to support your disheartening lyrical message within "Imaginary Friend?"
We try to juxtapose the subject matter and concepts we tackle in our music with instrumentation that makes people want to dance. It’s our way of addressing issues that everybody goes through in a way that is engaging and accessible to everybody. Many people think of sad or serious songs as subdued and downtempo, so we try to subvert that and invite people to work through some things with movement. For us, we do like to let loose by filling the air with music and filling our spaces with dancing.
Could you tell us about your instrumental creative process for "Imaginary Friend"? Did you begin the process with your instrumentals or lyrics?
Funnily enough, the first idea for the song came from trying and failing to recreate a previous demo on a synthesizer by ear. The original keyboard part from the demo got lost in translation and from there, evolved into the main synth in the song. Everything else seemed to come naturally after that. Henri’s danceable drums contrast with the anxious nature of the song, as he tried to channel all the great tom rolls from our favorite 80s dance songs. Austin’s bassline bridged the gaps between the vocals and beat with a very dirty bass tone to accompany the lush synths and guitars. Derrick’s mid-heavy, gritty guitar tone came to life in the studio unexpectedly and helped to cut through the synth. The idea for the subject matter of the song came from a desire to write about personal experiences with internal struggles and anxieties as a vehicle for working through those issues.
For listeners getting to know TIOGA, what can you tell us about what your brand tends to represent within your music's themes?
Our music is about addressing the universal feelings and experiences that everyone encounters in their lives. We all share stress and anxiety, relief and triumph, personal relationships, and self-discovery. For us, writing music is an emotional outlet, a way to establish connections with strangers over shared experiences, and a way to convey meditations on complex issues in a way that’s enjoyable and entertaining. Our aim is to make people feel and experience those things by listening to TIOGA.
What has been keeping you inspired in 2020?
We’ve been continuously inspired by the ways everyday people have adapted to the realities of the pandemic, become activists in their communities, and held each other through it all. We continue to inspire each other musically by experimenting in our songwriting with new instruments and styles, different recording techniques, and by collaborating and interfacing with other visual and musical artists. Also, our meals. Some of us picked up grilling through the lockdown, some of us are more indoor chefs. But all together, we love sharing photos of our food in our group chat.