The sound of New York City, this Brooklyn-based band recently released their latest self-titled album via Razor-N-Tape.

Soulful and psychedelic, the collection’s masterful melodies may be hard to categorize, from 70’s underground disco to acid jazz to sugary sweet pop. Its very existence is a protest of the old boy’s club in the music industry. 79.5 is singer, songwriter and composer Kate Mattison, singer and rapper Lola Adanna, drummer Caito Sanchez (Charles Bradley, Lee Fields), bassist Andrew Raposo (Midnight Magic, Hess Is More) and sax player and flautist Izaak Mills.

“The city is always filled with music and inspiration”

79.5 has been around for a decade now, but it took awhile to release your debut album. Would you like to share how it all started for the group?

Kate Mattison: I began playing as a trio under my surname, Mattison, when I first moved to NYC in 2005. And as I was slowly and independently releasing singles, I felt like something needed to change. I named the band 79.5, added a few more members, and that was the beginning. The sound has always had that mellow AM Gold element, with buttery female harmonies.

You recently released your sophomore album in May. What’s the story behind the album? How long did you work on it?

The beginnings of 79.5 started before ‘Predictions’ was released, with the duet featuring Durand Jones, I wrote that in 2016. 3 days after our debut album dropped in 2018, I moved to Detroit to be with my family, and was truly over the music industry, and all that comes with it. The misogyny, the gaslighting and the fame seeking behavior that was coming at me like a never-ending storm had crushed me. But, it was during this time that I wrote the chorus for ‘B.D.F.Q.,’ which is a personal call-to-arms to not give up on music, or myself. I moved back to Brooklyn after a year, and Izaak, Lola and myself got to work heavily on our demos. The entire album is a chapter of life through self-reflection, standing up for one’s self, and breaking barriers. We recorded everything in about 2 weeks, with myself and Aaron Frazer (Durand Jones and The Indications) as producers.

Would it be possible to compare it to your 2018 release?

No comparison.

Do you feel that your home environment of New York City plays a big role in how you sound as a band? How would you describe the city today?

A huge role. Perhaps one of the biggest. Our band has two born and raised New Yorkers, (Lola and Andrew), and the rest of us have been here almost two decades, hailing from the Midwest (myself), Pacific Northwest (Izaak), and Panama (Caito). The city is always filled with music and inspiration if you just look and listen. Often if I’m feeling stuck, I’ll walk to a neighborhood other than my own, take my journal, and just write down what I see and hear. It’s different each day and the city is full of love and energy (and rats and racoons) right now. I love New York. Although the rent is TOO DAMN HIGH!

Last year you released the energetic ‘Club Level,’ how do you usually approach songwriting?

It’s always different for each song, I try these days to not get caught up in references or anything like that. And when working with my bandmates, it’s so inspiring because I’ll never know what’s going to happen. At the end of the day, in my opinion, the best songs are simple, not too thought out, and playful with the lyrics.

Let’s end this interview with some of your favourite albums. Have you found something new lately you would like to recommend to our readers?

‘Something/Anything’ – Todd Rundgren
‘Control’ – Janet Jackson
‘When the Pawn…’ – Fiona Apple
‘Sweetheart of the Rodeo’ – The Byrds
‘Da Capo’ – Love
‘Sings’ – Irma Thomas
‘Fly or Die’ – Jaimie Branch
‘Period’ – City Girls
‘Loveless’ – My Bloody Valentine
‘3 Feet High and Rising’ – De La Soul
‘Deep Shadows’ by Little Ann

And lately “new” there’s this reissue on Melodies International – La’verne Washington 45 ‘I’ve Found What I’ve Been Searching For’ – just a killer song, and Carol Kaye on the bass!

Plus, there’s a wonderful artist Sven Wunder whom I’ve been obsessed with lately.