Name: Jelani Aryeh
Start: 2024-12-06T21:30:00-07:00
Location: 2501 Kettner Blvd San Diego CA 92101

When Jelani Aryeh set out to write his second LP TheSweater Club due out this June, he was chasing something specific. Insessions, Aryeh called it “anthems.” “It’s difficult to get across in words,”Aryeh explains. “A lot of the music I was listening to around that time hadthis magnitude and pulsing kind of energy that felt so inspiring to me.”
Aryeh’s quest to capture a moment, an energy,authentically is stamped all over his debut album, I’ve Got Some Living toDo, too. Written and recorded during the pandemic, a period of enforcedstillness, it offered an intimate self-portrait into the 24-year-old San Diegonative’s distinct motifs of loss of innocence, desire for love, and the searchfor something spiritual. Released in 2021, the album has been streamedhundreds of millions of times, producing breakout hits, “Stella Brown”, “FromThese Heights” and “Marigold” and cementing Aryeh as one of the most watchedrising artists in music. Dubbed, “buoyant” and “full of hope” byComplex, “A coming of age for all ages” by Atwood and “swaggeringlyearnest” by Flood magazine. Showcasing Aryeh’s creative elasticity, I’ve GotSome Living To Do offered a captivating and complex look at “normal”life after a year of fear and isolation.
Musical stardom can be a relentless rollercoasterthough and Gen Z’s musical chameleon is fighting hard to redefine categoricalgenres. Growing up inSan Diego, within an Afro-Filipino family, Aryeh absorbed all kinds of music.Among his earliest memories, he would watch his uncle rap in a makeshift studioat their home. By high school, he discovered Depeche Mode and New Order throughhis mom and aunt. In between embracing new wave and goth, he spun records bythe likes of Keane, Brian Eno, The 1975, Sonic Youth, Wilco, and The Beatles.Diving into building his own world, Jelani officially introduced himself withthe Helvetica EP in 2019. Zane Lowe personally premiered the single“Patagonia,” eventually reeling in nearly 10 million streams.
Throughout2022 and 2023, the return to live performances was a transformative experiencefor Aryeh, he canvased the country with Hippo Campus, Remi Wolf, and MaggieRogers and delivered showstopping sets at festivals such as Outside Lands,All Things Go, and Smokin Grooves. The experience had a directeffect on 2024’s The Sweater Club’s creative process, Jelaniexplains, “A lot of these songs were made with the idea of a live show in mind,so I’d say they’re a lot more dynamic.” Writing The Sweater Club was aprocess of discovery, one that not only allowed Aryeh space to assert himselfas an artist but also couched in that was a desire to surpass himselfcreatively, too. “In terms of sound, it’s much fuller, more anthemic, evenanxious at times. I think it’s more sincere and less naive.”
Aryehreturned to San Diego to record The Sweater Club marking a significantchapter in his artistic journey. Influenced by a diverse array of artists suchas Wilco, Blood Orange, Joy Division, MGMT, and The Shins, Aryeh sought tocreate a record that encapsulated his growing musical maturity. With ‘anthems’echoing in his mind, Aryeh crafted thirteen new songs for the LP, each imbuedwith a unique sense of sonic depth and introspection. The LP opener,"Sweater Club," sets the tone for the entire project with itsimmediate and unapologetic approach. Aryeh's explains, “Alot of my favorite albums have these drawn intros, but I think my album is lessconceptual in that regard. I wanted to get straight to the point and set thetone of the project from the start. it doesn’t feel too heavy or too light onits feet.” Released in March of 2024 the single “Sweater Club” has receivedcritical acclaim, “featuring chill guitars and hazy vocals, it's a song aboutfeeling apathetic and detached from life while yearning to fully step back intoyourself.” proclaimed, Stereogum.
Through TheSweater Club, Aryeh invites listeners to join him on a journey ofself-discovery and expression, showcasing his evolution as an artist and hiscommitment to creating music that is both authentic and compelling. Giventhe rich sonic textures and the ambient mood of the record, exploring new waysto draw out emotion was integral to its recording. With its blend of catchy melodies,poignant lyrics, and dynamic instrumentation, The Sweater Club stands asa testament to Aryeh's artistic vision and creative prowess.
Aryeh is eager to perform the new songs in a livesetting and is embarking on his first solo headlining tour in Fall 2024,something he says he’s nervous but excited about. But as The Sweater Clubdemonstrates, the 23-year-old is entering a new period of his musical life, onein which stepping out of your comfort zone leads to new creative and personalrevelations, "Inwriting and recording The Sweater Club, I've learned not to take life soseriously and not to take things personally. I self-isolated for a while,thinking I could do everything alone. But I now recognize that I thrive aroundthe right people, and I hope fans enjoy listening to the EP as much as Ienjoyed making it.”
TheSweater Club willbe available everywhere on June 14, 2024.