Artist Spotlight: Melt
It’s always a great time when you discover a band that has a sound that you can’t help but groove along to. And this is definitely the case for NYC-based indie-soul group Melt, who’s dreamy saxophones, keys, bass, and guitar are mixed with powerful vocals that you can’t help but vibe to.
Melt, comprised of Veronica Stewart-Frommer on lead vocals, Eric Gabriel on keys and vocals, Marlo Shankweiler on guitar, Lucas Saur on bass, and Nick Sare on Sax, released their first single, Sour Candy, in 2017 when they were still in high school, and the song was a quick success. The song was filled not only with soul, but mixed in was jazz, pop, and rock, and the sounds all mix like Kool-Aid, crescendoing into the climax filled with vocals so strong I can’t help but want to sing along- despite not being able to reach the notes.
After Sour Candy, Melt released more singles: Inside, Oh Brother, Stupid in Love, and Shy, which all prove to be great soul hits as well, though the next thing in store for the band was even better: an EP. Released in 2021 after 3 singles from it, West Side Highway comprised of 6 amazing songs of various tempos, all sharing the distinct soulful Melt sound.
While Stewart-Frommer does vocals for most songs, Gabriel’s lead vocals on songs like Stupid In Love and Never Be Alone are just as soulful and fits the vibes of the songs so well. This is seen the most in the band’s latest single, Fade Into You, released this past September. The song is so fun and magical that it’s become one of my favorite songs of 2022.
Melt calls themselves a live band first and foremost. Along with their original songs, the band covers classics like Neil Young’s Harvest Moon or Bill Withers’ Ain’t No Sunshine, and they provide such life and youth to these already amazing songs. While I haven’t seen them live, their energy is so strong you can feel it just from the Reels they post to Instagram or the videos uploaded to YouTube. The band just wrapped up their fall tour, but are scheduled to appear at Summer Camp Fest in Chillicothe, IL this Memorial Day Weekend, an event I hope to not miss.
Song Highlights:
