Oliver Future Releases New Single 'Flattened' from 'A Year At Home' Album

On February 18, Los Angeles-via-Austin band Oliver Future will return with their first new record in 14 years, A Year at Home, via Peak Dumb Recordings (pre-order). The album was recorded remotely in studios in Austin and Los Angeles during the lockdown of 2020-2021.

Today the band is sharing "Flattened," the latest single to be lifted from their forthcoming release. The song debuted today at Live In Limbo and is available on streaming platforms. On the song Oliver Future's Josh Lit says, "'Flattened' focuses on coping with what we once thought would be reflections becoming an every day reality."

The song follows the band's single "Phases of the Moon" which was released last month. The official video for "Phases of The Moon," which was directed by Sandra Powers can be shared at YouTube and the song is available now on streaming platforms to add to your favorite playlists.

Oliver Future was founded in Austin by Noah Lit (guitar / vocals), Josh Lit (vocals and keyboards), Jesse Ingalls (bass and piano) and Sam Raver (guitar) in 2002. The band made several records in Austin before being moved to Los Angeles by their management company in 2005. The management company (and their stipends) disappeared quickly, and the band found themselves stuck, too poor to move home.

Luckily they met Adam Lasus who had also just moved to LA via Brooklyn and just had a hit record with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. He recorded the band and together they released Pax Futura which was picked up by KCRW and became a critical success. The band was a fixture at Spaceland and The Echo. They toured the country several times over and played Austin City Limits Festival. Additional highlights for the band include performances on Morning Becomes Eclectic, support from NPR Music, high-profile performances at SXSW and a set at Sunset Junction Music Festival.

Then, in a perfect Los Angeles story, just as the band started recording their next record, a famous artist decided to abscond with the rhythm section. Jesse toured the world and won a Grammy, Josh, Sam and Noah stayed home and made another record as Oliver Future, 2008's In Event of Moon Disaster. Shortly after the album's release, they decided to disband and Sam, Noah and Josh found their way back to Austin.

After returning to Texas, Noah and Josh became co-owners of Batch Craft Beer and Kolaches, a popular East Austin destination for craft beer lovers and foodies alike. The successful brothers and business partners were still eager to create new music and in 2019, they asked Jesse if he wanted to come back to Austin to play a show as Oliver Future. The show was a sold out lovefest at The Continental Club. While it was billed as a proper goodbye show, the fun of playing together was undeniable.

Fast-forward to Summer of 2020 as the drudgery of lockdown and the pandemic continued, Josh, Noah and Sam started getting together to jam in their studio. The music instantly sounded like Oliver Future. They contacted Jesse, who remembered two of the songs they were working on before the breakup, Phases of the Moon and I Can't Take It. The rest were written bouncing tracks over email and text. The final touch was bringing Adam Lasus back to mix the record. The result is what the band describes as the most effortless recordings they ever got to do.

The music, just like the band, is a bit of an anachronism. Sam and Noah's electric guitar riffs blaze over Josh's vintage keyboards and modular synthesizers. Meanwhile Jesse's bass keeps the groove along with session playing pro Jimmy Paxson on drums. Noah and Josh trade lead vocals, and blood harmonies. The result is modern but familiar. Sci-fi indie rock played in large empty venues. Album rock in an age of snippets.

Listen to the new single here:

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