The Music and Planet Project

Up and Comers has been following the music of Color Palette for about 4 or 5 years now, and we have yet to be anything short of satisfied. We’re happy to report another positive development from the band with their latest release of “Anywhere at All”. Filled with the band’s signature dance beats, synthesizers, and shoe-gazey effects, the track takes a bit of a new turn for the artist by leaning more heavily on gritty distortion in the guitars. Following another minor-key single, “Grateful”, this is the second of the band’s darker-leaning releases in just a few months. Naturally we were led to wonder: had something changed for this cornerstone artist of the DC indie scene?

Perhaps. But no matter where they go artistically, Color Palette sticks to its core components that keep us coming back for more: silken vocals and harmonies, dreamy riffs, punchy beats, smartly placed effects. Even in recent collaborations with artists Jarreau Williams and Little Lungs, the band maintain the smooth character, catchy melodies, and crisp production that we crave from them. Color Palette has always had a handle on what makes a great indie rock song, and fortunately for us listeners, they don’t seem intent on changing that.

The recent single led us to wonder what the band’s artistic process is like, so we took the chance to chat with principal songwriter Jay Nemeyer to get the download on the latest developments and what’s coming next for Color Palette. 

Up and Comers has been following your music for a few years now. For those new to Color Palette, can you share a little bit about who you are and the kind of music you make?

We’re a 5-piece band from Washington, DC. I’d describe the songs as drawing influence from indie rock, shoegaze, and electronic music. I’m Jay the principal songwriter and producer for the group.

The new single Anywhere at All feels slightly grittier than some of the other tracks we’ve heard from Color Palette over the years. Would you say that’s an accurate assessment? Are you moving in that direction with your songwriting?

I think that’s accurate. I’ve been leaning into darker, heavier instrumentation.

What inspires you these days to write? Are you more of an inward-facing artist or do you look to things going on in the external world to generate a song?

Historically, I feel like I’ve been more of an inward-facing artist – however in the last few years, I’ve been much more interested in writing about stuff that isn’t necessarily biographical – ie getting inspiration from books, politics, tv shows, pop culture etc.

What are you listening to these days?

Turnstile, Djo, Nothing, Wavves, and some old Bruce Springsteen…lots more, but those are the top 5!

Can you share a bit about your songwriting and recording process? How does an idea turn into a full song for you?

I usually build a song around either a riff, chord progression, melody, or lyrical theme. It really varies from song to song. I do a lot of recording in my condo, as well as at my production partner’s place (also in Washington, DC).

You’re based in DC. Would you say the city is a big part of your artistic identity? 

Weirdly, no. I love DC, but I don’t draw inspiration from it necessarily.

How would you describe the local music scene there?

It’s a super supportive music scene, and I’m grateful to be part of it. There are tons of bands who play a lot of different styles of music (not only punk!).

What’s next for Color Palette?

We have a single coming out next month, an EP coming out in the fall, and an album coming out next Spring. And we’ll be playing some shows along the way. Pumped to share the new music with everyone!

Stream the new single Anywhere At All and follow Color Palette.