Kat Harlton
Lead Photo Provided Via PR Team
Alternative duo Retrofile, released their highly-anticipated new single “In Stereo” on April 14th via all streaming platforms.
“In Stereo” was written, recorded, produced and mixed by twin brothers, Luke and Noah Martino, in their home studio in Edmonton with mastering done by Bryan Lowe.
Edmonton based Retrofile first burst onto the alternative music scene with the release of their debut single “Two Words” in 2017. The single amassed hundreds of thousands of streams within months of its release and kick started their career.
With a wave of high energy live shows under their belts and an enthusiastic fan base backing them, Retrofile went on to release their debut EP Heard It All Before in 2019, which saw the duo invigorate their sound and look with a blend of new wave and modern pop sensibilities.
Although the pandemic affected the duo’s plans for touring, Retrofile took the following years to write and record new material for their debut album set to be released later this year. They also accumulated over 750 thousand monthly listeners and over 22 million streams in 2022 on Spotify, and were selected to showcase at Canada Music Week 2023.
Retrofile are excited to be celebrating the release of their new single on April 28th with their first live show in three years at the Kaffa Roastery and Studio in Edmonton, AB. For more information on the show or to purchase tickets, visit here.
I had the opportunity to chat with the duo about their new single, their journey so far and what’s next.
Kat: Can you talk about the inspiration behind Retrofile’s new single “In Stereo”?
Retrofile: “In Stereo” is our attempt at splitting the difference between our New Wave and Pop Rock influences. Luke and I had been looking to write a song that incorporated dance elements with anthemic elements, while acting as a cornerstone in terms of sound to the rest of the music we’ve been recording. The verses pull influence from Dance-Rock icons like Talking Heads, Franz Ferdinand, and LCD Soundsystem; while the chorus leans towards arena Pop-Rock acts like The Killers, Tears for Fears, and The Cars.
Kat: What do you hope fans take from the new track?
Retrofile: Hopefully “In Stereo” further solidifies a distinctive sound that Luke and I have been working towards on our last few releases. Ideally it sounds quintessentially Retrofile with its groovy basslines, dance floor beats, synth/guitar interplay, and soaring hooks! Worst case scenario, Luke and I love it, and everybody else hates it.
Kat: What do you find is the most challenging part of your creative process?
Retrofile: It all comes pretty easy, never had any problems there, why who’s asking?! Just kidding. The hardest part has been learning how to record/produce/mix ourselves. Luke and I work alone in our home studio which helps us achieve singular results, but when we hit a road bump or writer’s block, there is no one else there to help us out of it.
Kat: What has been a career highlight for you so far? What have you learned along the way?
Retrofile: Honestly just connecting with the people that listen to our music and finding out that they love and care about music just as much as we do. We’ve had fans directly reach out from all over the world to come play in their city, sometimes going as far as offering to house and feed us! When we started writing music together we could have never imagined that kind of reach. I think we’ve learned that at a certain point success doesn’t really get better, just bigger.
Kat: What can we expect from Retrofile for the balance of 2023?
Retrofile: We’ve got lots of cool stuff in the works. Retrofile is finally going to return to performing live. With dates booked across Canada, and early planning of a UK tour, we can’t wait to hit the stage! We’ve got a limited edition vinyl coming out this summer featuring hand picked tracks from our discography up until this point. We will also be releasing new music regularly throughout the year so there is certainly lots to look forward to.
Instagram: @retrofile
Facebook: /Retrofile
Website: https://www.retrofilemusic.com