LANY (pronouced lay-nee) is a three piece indie band who have recently become popular in the music industry. The Nashville native trio consists of Paul Klein, Les Priest, and Jake Goss. Meeting in their hometown, the group began recording music off a Windows computer in their childhood bedrooms.

The band claims that they posted the music to the music-sharing website, SoundCloud, simply to have their work published somewhere. However, their sudden rise in success was a shock to them after they received over thousands of streams on their online published songs. Whether it was the mystery that comes with the band’s name or their incredible mixture of dream-pop and electro beats, LANY soon had a fan base across the nation.

The name LANY is an acronym that comes from two of the most famous cities in America: New York and Los Angeles.  Speaking with Yahoo Music, Klein explained that in August he moved to New York for modeling opportunities and was there for about four months. Once the band decided to move into a one bedroom apartment in LA, Klein faced the obstacle of having to travel back and forth between New York and Los Angeles to work with Priest and Goss. While being in a band that has members scattered across the country must have been difficult, the band was able to overcome the restriction which resulted in a unique, successful band name.

The combination of the unique cities created a name that perfectly fits the band’s aesthetic. The luxurious, chaotic city life that buzzes through the streets of New York and Los Angeles ties back to the sound of LANY’s music.

LANY first wrote “Walk Away” and “Hot Lights” while living in Nashville. However, “Walk Away” is a song that was only recently released on their debut EP , Make Out, which was published by Polydor Records in December of 2015. Make Out consists of six songs that are all distinctive but still manage to tie back to LANY’s electric, indie pop sound.

“ILYSB” is the opening song of the Make Out EP. The band’s most popular hit begins with deep electronic piano melodies paired with hand clapping vibrations. The starting lyrics, “Let’s drive around town holding hands,” describe how most of LANY’s records sound. Many of their songs are about being in love in a city, which creates a very cinematic, old school, young love feel. “ILYSB” is the perfect way to begin the EP because it is juxtaposes LANY’s passions and how they portray that with their music. The shimmering beats and contemporary lyric meanings morphed into one song that set the tone for the rest of the album.

“Walk Away” is a slow ballad that begins with soft ringing sounds that are met with Klein’s echoing vocals. There are many spaces of instrumentals in “Walk Away” that add to the intensity of telling the story of a painful love story. “Walk Away” is a hypnotizing song that stands with a catchy chorus and sleek background vocals that make for the perfect heart-felt melody.

“Bad, Bad, Bad” is the next song on the EP. However, it holds a completely different sound from the previous song. “Bad, Bad, Bad” is upbeat and has an R&B influenced feel. Reminiscing on a reckless high school relationship, the lyrics “it was just a crush, but wild and dangerous” are backed with foot-tapping beats that create a lively aura. During “Bad, Bad, Bad,” lyrics are occasionally whispered while the instruments quiet down, which adds variety and playfulness to a song about a first love.

“BRB/Kiss” is one track name that consists of two songs. The first song on this track, “BRB,” holds an eerie persona due to the soft beats and echos that boom throughout the tune. Beginning with the lyrics “LA, LA, where you and I found each other, New York, New York, you’ve stolen my heart,” the two cities in this song mirror the band’s name. “BRB” mentions the two cities that inspire LANY and directly illustrates the inspiration that oozes from living the lavish city life.

“Kiss” begins after “BRB” under Track 4. “Kiss” starts with a jazzy swing mixed with fast R&B beats. Klein’s smooth voice sings the lyrics “The sun is down, you’re not around… Where are you? Just tell the truth, you won’t admit it.” “Kiss” definitely has an 80’s vibe to it, much like LANY’s other songs. But “Kiss” happens to be the perfect balance between old school and millennial.

“ILYSB – Stripped” is the closing song on Make Out and was a great way to close LANY’s debut EP. The stripped version of “ILYSB” is still the same song as Track 1, however the instruments are much slower and quieter, which creates a totally different vibe from the original version. “ILYSB – Stripped” is much more intense with Klein’s smooth vocals drawing out each lyric a little slower with cryptic tones following. Ending the EP with a stripped version is ideal because it proves the talent and diversity that LANY carries as a band. They band took their most popular song, which started off the EP, and ended the record with the same song. However, the stripped version appears to be a completely different song simply by slowing the production of the beats.

LANY is an up and coming band that is diverse, dedicated, and passionate. Their plans for 2016 include touring with British singer Troye Sivan and even headlining their own tour. LANY is currently working on producing a full album, which is anticipated to be just as successful, if not more, than their EPs. Look for LANY this year in the media where their records will continue to be the soundtrack of many teens’ lives.