EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Eighty Ninety Talk Sophomore EP ‘The Night Sky’

Featured Photo Credit: Amelia Cordischi

Since the release of their debut EP,  Elizabeth, sibling duo, Eighty Ninety have been making a name for themselves in the indie-pop space. 

Their signature style, which they’ve coined as  “808s and telecasters,” blends storytelling and minimalist production to create melodies that are sure to be on repeat. 

Their sophomore EP, The Night Sky features 8 of those earworms that explore life altering choices and the things that are out of our control. 

We chatted with NYC-based brothers Abner and Harper James about the EP, and more! 

Congrats on the release of your new EP! How has your music evolved since your debut EP Elizabeth

Elizabeth felt to us like a smaller, intimate record that reached for widescreen, cinematic emotions and themes. I think that we’re always trying to create songs that explore the ways in which really personal feelings can seem so huge. Since Elizabeth our sound has expanded — we’ve incorporated more styles, instruments, and influences — but that goal has remained pretty consistent.

You created this EP over the past two years. Do you have any favorite memories from the writing and production process? 

We had so much fun collaborating with our good friend and a brilliant producer Gian Stone on a few of these songs. He helped us create some really exciting, fun and polished pop moments that give the EP a kind of energy that feels totally Eighty Ninety but also brand new.

One of the songs you wrote for the album is the title track “The Night Sky.” What inspired that single? 

As we were writing all of these songs we found ourselves thinking about the idea that some things in our lives are meant to be — and how we make choices that align (or sometimes don’t) with that feeling. We thought that the imagery of the night sky was a great metaphor for that. Some people look up and see destiny written in the stars. Others look up and see the vast expanse and limitless possibilities of an infinite universe.

Do you have a favorite song off the EP? If so, why does it stand out for you?  

That’s a hard question! The Night Sky was actually the final song that we finished for the EP, and we’re really proud of how it came together. We feel like it does a great job encapsulating our goal of creating cinematic songs that also feel really personal and authentic to us.

If you could set fans up in the perfect environment to listen to the EP, what do you imagine it looking like? 

It’s gotta be the image on the cover art – sitting next to someone you love, on the roof of your car, staring up at the universe.

What can fans look forward to next? 

We’re already working on the single that will follow the EP. We’re excited to keep putting new music out!

What is one quote that you have heard or that you go by that you want to ECHO out to the world? 

“Relax: nothing is under control”

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