Some bands are born out of harmony; Midnights, on the other hand, was born out of friction. Longtime collaborators Nathan Ehrenfeld and Mat Baker spent years pushing each other into uncomfortable spaces, a creative tug-of-war that often led to tension, splits, and fresh beginnings.
After a lengthy hiatus, the two reconnected with a new perspective: instead of fighting their differences, they chose to embrace them. The result is Midnights, a project built on late-night energy, quiet reflection, and the messy beauty of collaboration.
Their upcoming debut, Everything Will Be Alright, channels that spirit. It’s an album where simple, heartfelt songwriting is elevated into expansive sonic journeys, thanks in part to NYC producer Jason Cummings. Thematically, the record wrestles with finding your center amid life’s ups and downs, often speaking in a tone that feels less like lyrics and more like a late-night conversation with a trusted friend.
The first glimpse comes with ‘Afterthoughts’, a lead single that feels both ethereal and grounding. Conceived during one of Nathan’s late-night treks from New York’s East Village back to Los Angeles, the song first appeared as a hazy soundscape, capturing the neon glow, grit, and endless hum of the city. With Jason refining the arrangement and Mat shaping its melody and words, “Afterthoughts” grew into something more: a cautionary tale about the spirals our minds can slip into after intense experiences.
Sonically, it’s a stunner. Imagine the widescreen shimmer of M83 colliding with the brooding atmosphere of Radiohead; lush strings, hypnotic drones, and cinematic textures that paint a vivid picture of wandering city streets after dark.
It’s a track that captures the band at their most confident and complete – a song that lingers, that glows, that feels like both a warning and an embrace. ‘Afterthoughts’ is an invitation into the world Midnights have built, where late-night wanderings and deep introspection become fuel for something bigger. And if this is only the beginning, Everything Will Be Alright is shaping up to be something special.
