DETROIT – Nestled in a building in Detroit’s Corktown, a talented group works tirelessly on music, both new and old.
SIAS recently dropped a new track, “Heirloom," but it’s only the start of what Josias Yglesias, Haley Grant and Scott Posada have planned for 2018. The trio spend countless hours inside their windowless studio, writing, mixing and creating in preparation for a year of releases.
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While new music is on the agenda, they’re returning to the archives to see what they can do with songs that were never finished. There’s a chunk of unmixed recordings that they see potential in, so they’re allowing the old sounds to bring them back to a former mindset, before they were so focused on getting things right.
“We didn’t care as much, so it seemed like music flowed more freely,” Scott said.
The recent burst of motivation has the band revisiting songs that go as far back as their high school days, in 2011. Then, they would get bored and move on from unfinished tracks. Now, a new inspiration and a collaborative space to get together, their studio on Rosa Parks Boulevard, has the group more centered on getting songs done. The studio is a second home, where the self-taught musicians who write, perform, mix and produce all of their music, often work late into the night to make sure everything is as close to perfect as possible.
“Nothing’s ever perfect to us,” Josias said.
This year is all about taking the pressure off themselves and releasing as much quality music as they can. And there’s already a lot on their radar, including “Tropical Island,” a fresh, summer anthem about beaches and the ocean. A release date for the track isn’t set yet, but the band said it will be coming soon.
As the band mates work on making new songs and expanding, they’ve already enjoyed successes with their previous work. “Stand Tall,” a track off their 2016 EP, “Origins,” was one of only 23 songs added to a “The Bachelor” playlist showcasing Arie Luyendyk Jr.’s favorite songs.
With fans who have been loyal from the start and a growing following, the band’s unique sound that spans genres and styles has gotten international attention, too.
It’s through social media, such as music streaming service Spotify, that the band has widened their visibility to include a fan base far beyond Detroit. Nationally, Los Angeles and Denver rank as some of the top areas where people stream the group’s music, while their songs are particularly popular in Australia.
SIAS will likely magnify that audience this summer, when it will be featured on PBS’ nationally broadcasted “Backstage Pass.” The trio head to Lansing next month to record the segment, which will feature performances and interviews.
While the band does want to tour around the U.S. and eventually the world, new music is a priority and Detroit is a major part of that.
"We’re all about Detroit,” Josias said.
Being headquartered in the city’s oldest neighborhood, just steps from a thriving Michigan Avenue, allows Detroit to lend much inspiration to their music. Combine their location with a drive through some other vibrant neighborhoods and hidden gems, and SIAS has the perfect atmosphere to create.
The musicians hope to go beyond the scenery and skylines, though, to learn more about the city’s history, including the darker sides of a place that continues to grow and change seemingly every single day. They also have their sights set on releasing an EP inspired by Detroit and collaborating with other local artists.
Though they’ve been told that other cities, perhaps Los Angeles, would give them more opportunities, their base remains. Perched atop their studio’s roof with the downtown skyline on one side and the historic Michigan Central Station on the other, it’s apparent they’re right where they need to be.
Take a virtual look inside the band's studio in the video below.