“Thoughts on the Ceiling”: a Cosmic Conversation with Nautics
Written and Interviewed by Eleanor Lindsay
Formed in 2014, Nautics is a four piece indie band from New York City with what they’ve described as, “a genre identity crisis.” Composed of ‘frontman’ and lead singer/guitarist Kenzo Repola, keys and sometimes guitar player Amir Brivanlou, drummer Levitt Yaffe, and bass player Van Cameron, Nautics’ music invites you on a cosmic journey through the highs and lows of coming of age and beyond. From their first album release back in 2015 (IV: The Misadventures of an Indestructible Melancholy City), Nautics gained a loyal following for their charming and nostalgic 2000s indie rock sound. Influenced by alt favorites such as The Strokes and The Arctic Monkeys, the band has grown their fanbase over the last five years with the infusion of catchy pop elements and their own unique and spacey sound.
“It kinda just happened organically,” says Repola when asked about the formation of Nautics. After seeing a friend play at the iconic Webster Hall, Repola immediately caught the performance bug. With little musical knowledge at the time, he reached out to school friend Van Cameron about starting a band. “Levitt, Van, and Amir all knew each other and I just kind of popped my head in,” he explains. Although the first rehearsal may have been a bit awkward, it’s clear to see how well these musicians mesh together nowadays.
Kenzo Repola describes Nautics new single, “Thoughts on the Ceiling’, as “a home-brewed song.” Starting as a Billie Eilish-esque beat Cameron and Brivanlou had been working on, then making its instrumental and lyrical rounds through the rest of the band, and finally being recorded and produced, this song was definitely a team effort. And that effort certainly paid off! With electronic vocals, familiar bright guitars, and a starry, trilling synth, this earworm sees two lovers in the middle of a dispute, repeating over and over “I’ve waited for your love…” Repola elaborates on the songs plot. “It has to do with the moment in an argument when someone’s looking up and away from you and you ask them facetiously, ‘what, are your thoughts on the ceiling?’”
“Thoughts on the Ceiling” was written before Levitt Yaffe had thought about donating, but after seeing his city in need, and the mission statement of Food Bank for NYC, he knew that’s where the songs profits should go. “We’re giving back to the city that has given us so much,” he says. Beyond the excellent musicality of the song, all proceeds from the purchasing and streaming of this single will be donated to Food Bank for NYC. An organization dedicated “to ending hunger by organizing food, information and support for community survival, empowerment, and dignity.”
Fans of Nautics can rest assured that music production won’t be slowing down because of the pandemic. “If nothing comes out that’s just because we’re lazy,” Repola jokes when questioned about next steps for the band. And while mourning the loss of live performances for the time being, Repola spoke on entertaining the possibility of a virtual show that may be in the bands future. It’s clear to see that Nautics musical momentum and passion for community engagement will only continue to to pick up speed, as will their positive impact on other young musicians and listeners worldwide.
Stream “Thoughts on the Ceiling” on Spotify, Apple Music, and Bandcamp