The Driver Era has really good timing. Brothers Ross and Rocky Lynch transitioned from their band R5 into a psychedelic pop rock duo earlier this year and since then have released two singles, the neon-tinged “Preacher Man” and the romance-inspired “Afterglow.” The release of their newest song “Low” may have been a surprise to most but with the simultaneous debut of Netflix’s The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, starring Ross as teen heartthrob Harvey Kinkle, the guys have proved they know what they’re doing.
It could be argued that Ross Lynch helped garner much of The Driver Era’s initial buzz following his celebrated portrayal of Jeffrey Dahmer in My Friend Dahmer. But, on “Low,” Rocky has stepped into the spotlight in all the right ways. As the song’s sole writer and producer, Rocky admits that though he’s pretty stoked about the track, he makes it a point to get excited about all of his work. “I think it’s very important to celebrate every single release. It’s kind of healthy to take in those moments,” he says.
Reflecting on special moments in your life may be important to Rocky but on the flip side, he recognizes that there are also going to be those unavoidable low points. It was during one of these less-than-awesome days that Rocky wrote and recorded the chorus for “Low” as a voice memo on his phone. “I was figuring stuff out and shit didn’t feel too good,” he says of the inspiration for the song’s chorus. Ironically, by the time the multi-hyphenate artist revisited the memo, he was in a much more positive state of mind. “The song weirdly has a bipolar feel because of the different situations I was in during the creation process.”
The nostalgic feel to “Low” transports listeners to a retro time period, glimmering with sensual sounds that feel familiar and new at the same time. Plus, with Rocky’s soulful vocals featured on the track as well, there is a unique quality to the song that differentiates it from the last two Driver Era singles, while still maintaining the duo’s electric vibe. “It feels like we change genres on every track we put out,” Rocky says of The Driver Era’s evolving sound. “But, it’s always our own individual energy in the project and that translates into the feel of everything, whether I’m singing or Ross is. It’s still us, putting our brains together.”
With “Low” and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina both out today, The Driver Era is arming us with the perfect combination of music and television to help get us through the weekend.
Main photo credit: Anna Lee
