Nite
Dallas, TX | Established. Jan 01, 2013 | INDIE
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Whether you want to admit it or not, you have danced alone in your room, microphone hairbrush in hand, with reckless abandon at least once in your life. There's no greater feeling than letting all of that bottled up energy out and truly embracing yourself, and there's usually a specific type of music that lets you do that. For me, it's pop with an 80s flare, because it always guarantees a thriving beat and dangerously contagious chorus. Dallas, TX-based twin brother duo Nite's new video for "Dreamer" encompasses all of that, so naturally, I couldn't say no.
"'Dreamer' is the sequel to our song 'The Waking' from NITE's first album, I Am Not Afraid. It is about pursuing your calling, despite having a fear of failure, and coming into your own," the duo told Baeble. We can see that it really is about coming into your own, as the video features shots of people of all ages and sizes dancing to the song freely. One character is a man who is at work in a dull cubicle while another shot shows a young girl in her bedroom. The simple joy each character finds in dancing like no one is watching symbolizes their independence -- their ability to do whatever they want without fear. The video also comes with music to match, as it's bubbly and euphoric, igniting a need to move.
"'Dreamer' adds to the concept of the album, Reborn," the band continued. Reborn is the band's sophomore album and is set to be released on July 28th, you can preorder it here. If you're looking for some new songs to add to your "Private Dance Sesh Playlist" (and we know you have one), Nite is about to come through with some bangers. - Babeble
There’s no denying Nite have a one of a kind backstory as twin brothers from Canada, who are based in Dallas, TX, and make 80’s inspired electro pop. If their origins draw you in, their music will keep you captivated, like their new video for “Godless City”.
Released in celebration of their new album, Reborn, which dropped today, you can catch the YouTube flick exclusively below—but only if you’re ready for karaoke style performances and plenty of neon lights (and hairspray, we’d imagine). - idobi
From an early age, music was a huge part of Canadian-born twin brothers, Kyle and Myles Mendes' lives and beginning at the age of fifteen, the two have been writing and releasing music together. Over the years, their sound has changed and evolved, but the core duo has remained the same. Originally named Nighttime Eyes and later shortened to NITE, the pair finally found the right groove in 80's influenced dream pop and this summer, they celebrated the release of their second album, Reborn.
With a refined sound and a clear vision for NITE's future, Kyle and Myles are ready to take the pop world by storm. Reborn finds the pair at the top of their game as songwriters and performers and they're already looking toward the future. With some shows planned and another new album already in the works, this certainly won't be the last time you hear their names.
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Interview by Shannon Shumaker
Can you tell us a little bit about NITE for any readers who aren’t familiar?
We are twin brothers from Dallas, TX, who create synth, electronic, new wave dance-inspired music.
Ever since you first became interested in music, you two have been writing or playing together in some capacity. Have your musical tastes and writing styles always been similar or have you found yourselves butting heads on previous projects together?
Our influences and goals for writing music have always been the same. I personally feel that our writing styles have been pretty similar for Reborn and our first record. For the most part, we both knew exactly what we wanted to do while making our album Reborn. We're currently working on our third record, and so far we have the same goals, but we're just looking at life a bit differently.
How was it that NITE came to form following your other musical endeavors?
My brother and I have been making music almost our entire lives at this point. Once we finished playing around and writing standard tunes, we were ready to create something more defined.
You’ve been writing and performing as NITE for a few years now. How do you feel you’ve grown as musicians since starting this project?
We have grown a lot since we started NITE. Performing live is where Reborn's sound really formed. Before we left the studio while recording I Am Not Afraid, we quickly realized that not all of the songs on the record were great for a live atmosphere. We re-arranged and re-wrote particular songs to be performed live and that's where we are today with our new album Reborn and how we are as performers and songwriters.
In July, you celebrated the release of your new album, Reborn. What on the album are you the most proud of?
I'm proud that we were finally able to release the record. We hit a few road blocks that hindered us from finishing the recording process. We had most of the songs written for almost 3 years before it was released. In the end, it was worth the wait since we ended up having the opportunity to release Reborn through Cleopatra Records.
Was there anything that you wanted to accomplish on Reborn that you didn’t get to do on I Am Not Afraid?
We wanted more of a polished sounding record with this one and I feel we achieved that. We wanted something more anthemic in our approach to writing, driving beats, pushing our vocals, while being smoothed by glossier synths. We almost sound like a different band, but one thing remains... and that is the concept, lyrically, that we kept throughout both albums.
With a couple of North American tours under your belts and the album out now, what do you have your sights set on next?
We are hoping to tour more and finish writing the next album. We have a few already-booked shows coming up and a good chunk of new songs we can't wait to start performing.
SHANNON SHUMAKER
NITE, Interview - The Prelude Press
There I was at the back of the room of the UT Dallas Art Barn when I heard the opening act for Ana Mana Guchi, Nite. I’m not sure if it was my crave for live music, but this unsigned electronica/pop group of two stole my heart that night. Not only is their music great, but what makes them unique is that these two people are twins. It’s not everyday people encounter an identical twin band. Born in Canada but coming out of Denton, Kyle and Myles Mendes bring lyric/songwriting back into focus with metaphors and music that craves attention. Right from the beginning of “On The Edge of Darkness”, off of their latest album, we hear “on the edge of darkness/you swear they’re never gonna take control/your face among them/everyone will pay their toll”. Not only does it set the tone for the rest of the song, but it screams out what they’re all about. - Your Music Diet
Indie/electro duo Nite originate from Canada but have currently set up camp down in Texas. The music they make isn't what you may expect from your stereotypical southern US band though. The pair of Miles and Kyle Mendes are actually twins, so it's perfectly plausible for them to be on the same wavelength musically, and it seems that their sound of choice is an update of new-wave but with a distinct pop side to it which could see them gain a broad appeal. Single 'On The Edge Of Darkness' is from their recently released album 'I Am Not Afraid'.
It's a competent and confident track that makes good use of the duo's vocal range, splitting between the crystal clear lead and a dreamier, overlaid backing. Musically the song combines an electronic sounding beat that also varies, from a steady pounding to solid thumps, assuring the track has some clout. The electronic side is cut through with guitars that could be from a shoegaze band and the contrast works really well. 'On The Edge Of Darkness' is a solid track, and one that promises much from a pair making their initial steps into the music world at large. - The Sound of Confusion
Recently, the Dallas based duo Nite has been brought to my attention. For that, I am thankful. These guys have a bit of a variety mixed throughout their songs, but it all comes together as one, very clear, cohesive sound. One track may sound a bit more lo-fi than the last, and some tunes are definitely more synth heavy than others. Sometimes Nite is borderline tropical with their use of guitar, and at others it’s dreamy and atmospheric. However, one thing is always guaranteed. Each song manages to break down into a driving, retro synth pop jam at some point, and this is the style that I have come to associate with Nite. So you’re somewhat getting the best of two worlds. If you’re an ’80s synth fan, then Nite is for you. If you’re an indie rock fan, then Nite is for you. If you’re a lover of both genres, then you just found your new favorite band! - The Record Stache
Can't say I'm at this point all too familiar with the work of Denton dream-pop duo Nite. But I do know Denton videographer Jordan Smith, who passes along the below video that he helped shoot of the brothers Mendes (Kyle and Myles) performing a couple of their heavily '80s-influenced cuts in a dimly lit Denton house.
It's a good-looking clip, no doubt about that. And the music? It's pretty darn great, too. Maybe it's just the brothers' dress in the clip -- shot for Smith's new blog, The Down Sessions -- but it's giving me a bit of a Thompson Twins vibe.
Either way, the video's well worth the watch. And the accompanying interview -- off-topic and pug-centric as it may be at times -- is worth a read, too.
Also? Considering that it also features fine-looking clips of similarly Denton-based acts Bashe and Chambers, it's looking like Down, as a whole, is worth a bookmark, if only to see what that crew comes up with next.
Really great stuff, for sure. - Central Track
Nite is the band of Dallas natives and twins, Myles and Kyle Mendes. The two started writing music at the young age of thirteen, but it wasn’t until they were fifteen that they finally acquired all necessary gear to start making electronic music. Since then, Myles and Kyle have come a long way from releasing their own album to several music videos to accompany a few tracks. Their sound is best described as indie electronic with influences such as Interpol, Depeche Mode, and The Cure. Their first album, I Am Not Afraid released this past summer in June. It includes top tracks, “The Waking” and “On the Edge of Darkness.” You can hear some dark tones throughout I Am Not Afraid, but the blend of electronic pop makes for an upbeat album overall. - Radio UTD
A local band called Nite opened the show and their reenactment of the 1980s is eerily accurate. I know, since I’m just old enough to remember all the pretty men in suit jackets the band is aping. The New Wave era had snatched rock and roll’s denim and leather machoness, trading it in for a pressed and starched coyness. The result was that it was nearly impossible to tell who was a cocaine-addict stockbroker and who was a cocaine-addict musician in subways around the world for about 5 years. What a time. Nite did the late epoch a service; immortalizing the older brother who didn’t reject your parents music thirty years ago, when you weren’t even a thought. The band is a welcome and charming addition to any bill lately. - D Magazine
Back inside, Nite was having some trouble. Eventually, after nearly ten minutes of their set had been lost, they decided to play as a duo, as there were some technical difficulties with the drums.
“Hello, everybody. We are Nite, from Dallas,” one of the Mendes brothers announced, as they began to use the remaining 21-minutes they had.
The lead track from their debut album, “Are You Afraid?”, got things going; and I think pretty much everyone in the room felt a sudden primal urge to dance. Not that everyone did, but the music was so catchy that you had to move about in some regard, even if it was just swaying. Their electronic pop mixture was reminiscent of that of the 80’s new wave.
Kyle sat his bass down, while Myles ditched his guitar so they could just focus on their synthesizers (the “stands” for them were a couple of ironing boards, which I thought was pretty inventive). “The Waking” showed off their full electronic side, but they went back to the instruments as they wound things right into “City On Fire”. Even with the instruments, there was a real dreamy sound to the song, though there was also a good moment when the brothers stood next to each other as they jammed for a bit.
“This goes out to all of you, especially King Camel himself,” one of them said, before sending everyone into a frenzy with the unmistakable beginning to Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)”. They pulled of a great rendition of the beloved song; and with each of them doing some singing this night, they were able to do some killer co-singing at times on that one, as well as covering all the backing vocals.
That was definitely a highlight of their set; and now, they found themselves apologizing for their technical issues earlier, and how it cut into things. It was sad, especially knowing that they could have fit another song or two in, but stuff like that happens, and what are you going to do?
“We Were Strong” was another good one, and “On the Edge of Darkness” wrapped things up for them; and it was on that song that Myles found a point he could really get into it, and violently thrashed about.
Nite provided yet another highlight of my day at the King Camelversary. They offered another pleasant surprise; and compared to the other electronic bands, it was a good change of pace to see one who focused on a totally different area of the genre.
It would have been interesting to see them as a three-piece, but even as a makeshift duo they commanded the crowd, entertaining their old fans and making some new ones fall in love with them.
You can find their I Am Not Afraid record in iTUNES, as well as BANDCAMP. If you’d like to see them live, well, they’ll be back here at Dada on September 13th." - The Music Enthusiast
Electronic – Dreampop duo NITE are Kyle and Myles (they are twin brothers) and they hail from Winnipeg, Manitoba, but are based in Dallas, Texas. Their music is bright, compelling and truly evocative (in the best way) of the best of early 80s synth pop music we still love and cherish, with melodic sung harmonies and the important optimistic synth sounds that got us kids through The Cold War back then and are just as necessary in the complex world of today. It’s a great time for this music to thrive, and it’s heartening to know that young bands are taking up this music in a serious way. A lot is created from the duo who perform on both keyboards and guitars as well as share vocals. Catch NITE on tour with The Foreign Resort on the dates listed above and look out for their upcoming new music. - Step on Magazine
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
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Bio
NITE are Canadian-born twin brothers, Kyle and Myles Mendes, based in Dallas, TX. The duo create a unique hybrid of electronic-tinged rock with a nod to 80’s-influenced dream-pop. Kyle and Myles’ powerful dueling vocals might remind oneself of Tears for Fears' Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, with a delivery of tasteful guitar hooks amidst bright synthesizers and throbbing drum machines.
From an early age, music was a huge part of Kyle and Myles’ upbringing. Mesmerized by KISS, the first concert the twins attended, their interest in performance hit an all-time high. Together with the memory of their first concert and the sounds of their favorite bands (New Order, The Cure, Depeche Mode) buzzing about in their heads, the two began experimenting, creating their own vibrant sound. Beginning at fifteen years of age, Kyle and Myles fronted a three-piece band, RadioFire. After a few years, they felt their music starting to take a bit of a different direction, so a new project was born. Originally named Nighttime Eyes and later shortened to NITE, the pair finally found the rhythm that worked for them. Forming a strong-knit team with their manager, Kami Fuller, whom they met before NITE played their first show, Kyle and Myles have been lighting up the stages of Texas and beyond since January 2014.
NITE completed two full tours within North America in 2016 with Seabound (Germany) and The Foreign Resort (Denmark), and also a U.S. tour with The New Division (Los Angeles) in 2018. They have been humbled to share the stage on a number of occasions with artists such as Midge Ure (of Ultravox), Paul Young, Chad Valley, Howard Jones, Clean Bandit, The Griswolds, A Flock of Seagulls, Small Black, The Alarm, Zola Jesus, Blackbird Blackbird, Men Without Hats, Julien-K, Woody Woodmansey's Holy Holy, A Silent Film, ChameleonsVOX, Modern English, De/Vision, ACTORS, and many more. In July 2017, NITE released a new album, Reborn, on Cleopatra Records, which features the songs "Dreamer", "Godless City", and "I Long 4 U", as a follow-up to their 2014 self-release, I Am Not Afraid. Spring 2019 will see NITE release their third album, Sleepless, on Cleopatra.
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