Los Angeles, CA – Payson Lewis has released his new EP, retrospection (19:30), a collection of singles previously shared through the years. Following his 2018 debut EP and a string of successful singles, this indie-pop innovator assembled a collection of heartfelt songs in one place. retrospection (19:30) marks the end of an influential period in Lewis’s life, with a new era on the horizon this coming summer. The EP is available to stream and download worldwide.
retrospection (19:30) chronicles the story of a relationship gone sour, from the painful pang of recognition to the inward strife of sacrificing memories to prioritize your own well-being. Through upbeat guitar work and lavishly catchy pop melodies, Payson Lewis’s collection begs the question: how do we rediscover ourselves through intense periods of change? This EP, produced by Ben Soldate, is the product of four conscientious years of polishing, tweaking, and re-tweaking to perfect the experience he has always felt passionate about delivering. “Revisiting this material and fusing it together in one flow, as originally intended, has helped me reconnect with who I was, even just a few short years ago: a person who simultaneously feels like my long-lost best friend, and also a complete and utter stranger,” explains Lewis. “I’ve learned a lot over these years, and I owe a lot of that growth and knowledge to these songs and the process of creating them.” The EP’s complexly brooding subject matter, subverted by playfully eclectic and often danceable rhythms, extends a figurative confidence that invites listeners into a state of communal catharsis.
Payson Lewis’s immersive sound locks the audience in from the first minute and foreshadows his inevitable conflict through the EP’s opener, “Making Trouble.” With an angular riff and catapulting backbeat, this song blasts past his lyrically reluctant resolution into a blossoming glance inside his head. The resulting emotional turmoil can be felt almost instantly on tracks like previous singles, “Back In Time (feat. Leah Lewis)” and “Nothing to You,” whose defiantly independent perspective is haunted by sentiments of losing oneself forever. His vivacious pulse is carried throughout the entirety of the project, especially on “Hotel Suite,” whose funkadelic hooks and playful content serve as a momentary reprieve and escape from the intimate complexity surrounding it. The EP concludes amicably with two mirrored tracks (“Only Yesterday” and “In Your Heart”) that show Lewis arguing his case first internally, then outwardly.
Los Angeles-based artist Payson Lewis’s creative journey traces back to his upbringing in the vibrantly multicultural city of Philadelphia. Lewis dove head-first into the music surrounding him from an early age, learning to play the piano alongside his brother’s old CDs, and lending his voice to school choirs and theatrical productions. Influenced profoundly by the likes of DAWES, The 1975, and the soulful tones of Lizzy McAlpine, he finds sonic motivation from evocative and catchy guitar riffs and a lyrical arsenal of modern edge to tell the story of his all-too-relatable experiences. His overwhelmingly energetic vocal delivery led to a first major breakthrough on the stage of NBC’s The Sing-Off, securing a spot among the elite Top 4 contenders. Lewis’s artistic versatility continues to open new doors, whether it be performing internationally in Taiwan and Korea, captivating listeners with his theatrical prowess in productions across Chicago and Las Vegas, gracing the soundtracks of major motion pictures, or appearing memorably in a variety of hit television shows including Jane the Virgin and How I Met Your Mother. With features in nearly 100 music publications, such as Hollywood Life, PARADE Magazine, The Honey Pop, and an impressive Spotify stream count soaring above 1.6 million, his musical trajectory leaves an indelible mark on the industry’s landscape.
From anguished indecision to pained reminiscence, Payson Lewis’s retrospection (19:30) is a gripping story of an all-too-real relationship gone wrong. “I’m really excited to share this collection with the world according to my vision,” says Lewis. “I look forward to using it as the foundation for the next phase just around the corner.” This EP is available to stream and download now on all digital platforms worldwide. Be sure to keep up with his future endeavors by following him on Instagram @PaysonLewis.