Mexico City's Rey Pila return with new double A-side single ‘Friend Request’ and ‘Online Soul’.
Mexico City’s finest Rey Pila are back with their new hook-ladened double A-side single ‘Friend Request’ and ‘Online Soul’.
Formed in 2010, the band - comprised of Diego Solórzano, Andrés Velasco, and Rodrigo Blanco - has honed a distinctive blend of dark synth-pop and dance rock, drawing influence from iconic acts like The Cars, Depeche Mode, Aphex Twin, and Boards of Canada.
‘Friend Request’ is a bright, bouncy track that explores our complex relationship with social media. “When I’m sad, when I’m stressed, know I’m depressed / I post, success,” captures the essence of our digital interactions. In contrast, the dystopian ‘Online Soul’ examines the darker side of our internet based existence: “Diet pills pay the bills of control / Online soul.”
“I have a strong preoccupation and interest about the fabricated reality on social media, the internet and AI,”
Solórzano explains.
“I feel that nowadays there’s a thin line fading between real experiences and fantasised ones. The way most people portray themselves online is very detached from human actions and emotions. We live in a time where many realities co-exist and many of these realities are far away from the way we really are. ‘Friend Request’ started off like a dub song, even though it ended up like something else...
We’ve always loved that genre, there’s something about those old dub recordings that make us so happy. Personally, it reminds me of my childhood, when I visited my uncles and cousins in the Caribbean.
I like to think there’s some Mad Professor or Yellowman in the spirit or foundation of the song.
Solórzano continues,
“With ‘Online Soul,’ the instrumental loop was so compelling I didn’t want to transform it into a full song. The sounds and synth melodies evoke strong emotions and remind me of Roman Polanski’s ‘Frantic’.”
Rey Pila has always been about evolution. Their self-titled debut in 2010 began as Solórzano’s solo project. By 2012, they were recording with producer Chris Coady in New York’s DFA studio. After Julian Casablancas discovered their song ‘Alexander,’ he signed them to Cult Records, releasing their album ‘The Future Sugar’ (2015) and the Casablancas/Shawn Everett-produced ‘Wall of Goth’ EP (2017). Their 2020 album ‘Velox Veritas’, produced by Dave Sitek, expanded their sound to include trap, dancehall, and electro influences.
Live performances have been a crucial part of Rey Pila's journey. They’ve toured South America with The Voidz and supported legends like Depeche Mode and The Cure in Mexico City stadiums, as well as Phoenix during their Ti Amo Mexico residency and luminaries like Interpol & Brandon Flowers. Most recently, they supported Justice on their Mexico dates.
Now into their second decade together, Rey Pila seem destined to keep pushing forward once again.
“The main reason we’re doing this right now is because we all want to – we’re in it to have fun and we love doing this together,”
Velasco says.
Long may it continue.
Photo by Conrado Del Campo