Quarantunes: A playlist by Run River North

0
Run River North (Photo by Serro Park)

“We’re happiest creating instead of consuming,” Alex Hwang says of how Run River North is handling the coronavirus lockdown. In today’s QUARANTUNES, the L.A. trio, who just released the new single “Pretty Lies,” share a playlist that’s helping two-thirds of the band quarantine in South Korea. On RRN’s horizon: A new album.

THE LATEST FROM RUN RIVER NORTH

On the heels of “Spiders,” released in June as they returned to their independent roots after two albums and four EPs for Nettwerk, L.A. trio Run River North in July released “Pretty Lies,” a track that changes up from alt-pop to rap lite to indie-rock and back all in the space of three minutes. It’s another infectious episode in the catalog of Alex Hwang, Daniel Chae and Sally Kang as they continue to work on a new album.

The new single came out of a writing session with Sir Sly, and, as Alex Hwang pointed out to American Songwriter, “it’s hard not to see some correlation to the news that we’re given and the news that’s actually out there and how sometimes it’s the pretty lies over the ugly truths that we decide to upvote, like and subscribe.”

Serro Park and Chae teamed up to make the video, made during the lockdown.

HOW ARE YOU HOLDING UP AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MANAGE THE ‘STAY AT HOME’ EDICT?

This is a difficult time for a lot of people. We are reading, listening, cooking and learning as much as we can. We’ve also been making a lot of music and finishing up an album. I think we’re happiest creating instead of consuming.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO WHEN THIS IS OVER?

Playing shows! We’ve been fortunate enough to have an amazing fanbase that has been supporting us especially during this time. Also, we’re really looking forward to releasing a new album, hopefully at the end of this year.

ANYTHING WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THIS PLAYLIST?

These are a collection of songs that Sally and Daniel have been listening to while in South Korea. There is a mandatory 14-day quarantine for incoming travelers and this music has been on repeat.