Poolside is an American nu-disco and chillwave band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2011 by Jeffrey Paradise and Filip Nikolic (Nikolic left the project in 2017).[2] The band currently consists of Jeffrey Paradise with additional touring members of Vito Roccoforte (the Rapture), Mattie Safer (the Rapture), Alton Allen, and Casey Butler (Pharaohs).[3][4]
The band has performed at high-profile festivals like FYF (2013), Primavera Sound (2013), and Coachella (2014). Poolside took a four-year break from touring, before returning in 2018 with their current lineup. And, have since toured the US and performed at festivals like Outside Lands (2018, 2023), Okeechobee (2018), Austin City Limits Music Festival (2023), Lollapalooza (2023) and Life Is Beautiful (2018) in support of their sophomore record Heat (2017).[5] Poolside released their third record Low Season on February 7, 2020, followed soon after by its companion record High Season on May 28, 2021.[6][7]
The band produces a specific version of nu-disco, which they refer to as "daytime disco",[2] the style known for relaxed beats, high vocals and a wash of smooth electronics and the lounge sound overall.[8]
In 2004, San Francisco DJ Jeffrey Paradise met Filip Nikolic (at the time bassist for Junior Senior) at Frisco Disco, one of Paradise's parties in San Francisco.[9] Nikolic then spent time touring with Paradise Boys, a collaboration between Jeffrey Paradise and Bertie Pearson.[9] A year later Nikolic came out to Los Angeles for a few months and the two gathered together in the studio to make a few songs.[10] In 2006, the duo set out to make a disco influenced project; however, they were busy with other projects and their work “never got too serious.”[10]
The duo released their second single “Take Me Home” in October 2011 followed by a video released on Scion Audio Visual in November 2011.[17] The song was used as the first song on Aeroplane's In Flight Entertainment compilation.[18]
Pacific Standard Time (2012)
On July 9, 2012, Poolside released their debut album Pacific Standard Time.[19] The album was put together with no serious goal in mind, only to make groovy, daytime disco. Album track "Slow Down" was named "Best New Track" by Pitchfork,[20] and Pitchfork called the album "a disco album that slinks along with the urgency of a teenager on the first day of summer vacation."[21]
Heat (2017)
On June 20, 2017, Poolside released their second album Heat.[5] On Heat, the band "kept the same core ideas and expanded the pallet [they] worked with – the instruments, percussions, tempos, sounds, etc – but [they] definitely turned up the heat a bit more on some songs with more upbeat tempos, spread out into some more lush electronic vibes, and [they] didn’t shy away from our more guitar based influences that were mostly hiding on the first album."[22] The band performed album track "Everything Goes" for the first time at Outside Lands in San Francisco on August 11, 2018.[23]
Low Season (2020)
On February 7, 2020, Poolside released their third album Low Season.[6] It was preceded by the singles "Can't Stop Your Lovin' (feat. Panama)" and "Around The Sun (feat. Amo Amo)", the latter of which was named a "Song You Need To Know" by Rolling Stone.[24]Low Season is the first Poolside album produced solely by Jeffrey Paradise following the departure of Filip Nikolic in 2017.[2] In 2020, Poolside also released a cover of the Grateful Dead's "Shakedown Street" to mark the 25th anniversary of Jerry Garcia's passing.[25]
High Season (2021)
On May 28, 2021, Poolside released their fourth album High Season. The album is an up-tempo, celebratory companion record to 2020's more introspective Low Season, a loose collection of new original collaborations as well as remixes and reworks of previously released Poolside songs. The album features an impressive list of collaborators, including L'Impératrice, DRAMA, Todd Edwards, Miami Horror, NEIL FRANCES, and more.[7]
Blame It All On Love (2023)
Poolside's 2023 album, Blame It All On Love, marked the debut album release on Ninja Tune imprint Counter Records[26] Anchored by features from Munya, Panama, Vansire, Slenderbodies, Mazy, Ora the Molecule, and Life On Planets, this album was described by American Songwriter as "a nighttime cruise, riding out any regrets through some yacht-rock and funk-lit plays around stories of multi-dimensional ideas of love."[27]
Discography
Albums
Pacific Standard Time / Day & Night Recordings (July 9, 2012)[19][21]
Heat (June 20, 2017)
Low Season (February 7, 2020)
High Season (May 28, 2021)
Blame It All on Love (October 20, 2023)
Mixtapes
Day & Night (2011)
Night People (2011)
Fall Back (2012)
Seasons Change (2012)
Stir It Up (2014)
Contact High (2016)
Singles and EPs
"Do You Believe" (2011), Future Classic
"Take Me Home" (In-Flight Entertainment compilation) (2011), Eskimo / N.E.W.S.
"Scion A/V Presents: Poolside - Only Everything" (2012)[28]
"If We Make It" (2015)
"And the Sea" (July 20, 2016)
"Everything Goes" (2017)
"Feel Alright" (2018)
"Which Way to Paradise (Remixes)" (2018)
"Can't Stop Your Lovin'" (featuring Panama) (2019)
"Greatest City" (2019)
"Around the Sun" (featuring Amo Amo) (2020)
"Getting There from Here" (with Todd Edwards) (2020)