You may be familiar with Josh Conway from the incredible Grammy-nominated band, The Marías, known for their dreamy Latin-influenced psychedelic soul. But now we’re getting the chance to know him a little more intimately via his venture into solo music. Conway’s debut solo album, plum, releases on June 12th, and we’ve been lucky enough to get a peek behind the curtain with two singles: “forget him” and “crumb.”

“Forget him” transports me back to afternoon drives home from school in the 2010s, listening to bands like The Neighbourhood and Passion Pit on the radio. Immediately and unavoidably nostalgic, it starts out groovy, light, and floaty. Eventually, layers of synths and cinematic sound effects are added, tripling the nostalgic vibes and building towards a satisfying finish. Conway’s docile and breezy voice softens audacious lyrics:  “I’ll leave my name on the counter / You forget him, I’ll forget her / Nothing means nothing; it’s all that I know / Every last breath bringing us close.” 

While “forget him” is straightforward to follow, “crumble” takes us on a trip, leaning into true experimentation. Several different drum beats are utilized throughout the song, varying in fill, groove, and style. This gives each section a different feel and keeps listeners on the edge of their seats. In addition to a variety of drum sounds, “crumble” blends glitchy, robotic sounds with repetitive vocal loops. The song feels like an unpredictable game of tag (one that would be super fun to tackle on a dance floor), leaning into house and techno elements you’ll feel all over your body. 

Conway released a visualizer for each tune, introducing a character to coincide with his pivot to solo music. For both visualizers, a very chill animated bear in sunglasses joins us. How it relates to plum or Conway is still unknown to me, but it brings an element of humor and unseriousness to his songs that I don’t mind at all. Writing solo music after being a producer/in a band is a vulnerable act. I look forward to learning more about the bear, whether he’s random, an inside joke, or a metaphor that will unravel soon. 

Much like his production and instrumental work with The Marías, Conway’s solo music is hypnotic and mellow, energy-balancing even. I look forward to hearing the album in its entirety. Be sure to stream “forget him” and “crumble” as we await the release of plum, arriving June 12th.