HOAX

Long Island, NY – There are some songs that you fall in love with when you first listen to them. A song that recently took my breath away is “Beach House” by HOAX, an indie pop rock five-piece out of Long Island, NY. First off, the beautiful, relaxing intro the song sets it up for the following 2.5 minutes. The beat and melody is simple but with the vocals, “Beach House” has a bit of the tropical R&B vibe going on that is as groovy as a beach wave. Towards the 2:00 minute mark, HOAX kicks it up a notch with the drums getting louder and the just amplifying everything, which is a nice break in the tropical groove but they also bring it down to a nice finish at the end of the track.

One of my favorite things is the lyrics. The lyrics flow wonderfully and there’s a bit of a structure to them. But, if you really want to full effect of the lyrics, I would highly recommend going to http://www.thestoryofbeachhouse.com/ because it gives you the full background and story behind the track. Without knowing the backstory, the lyrics seem like a light track with soft lyrics but after you go through the website, each line of the track has a deeper meaning. - Abduction Radiation

HOAX - Indian Summer: upbeat indie rock, catchy rhythm and sweet lyrics, summer-loving lyrics and vibe - Abduction Radiation

Long Island, NY – Start your Friday morning off a little mellow with Hoax’s new track “Pretty”. The song alternates between mellow indie rock and more lively verses. I love the soulful rock vibes of the vocals and the instrumentation is gorgeously crafted. It’s almost like a more indie version of Kings of Leon, which I am all about! - Abduction Radiation

Because I’ve discovered so many memorable releases this year, I’ve taken it upon myself to curate a list of my top 25 favorite songs of 2017! Browse through the array of underground indie groups, established pop punk bands, and big name pop artists (or click on the Spotify playlist at the end of this post) to find which songs best compliment your music taste!

1. “Barely” – HOAX (Words That End with Wh(y))
2. “Bower” – Inner Wave (Underwater Pipe Dreams)
3. “California” – The Growlers (Album N/A)
4. “Come On, Hello” – Otherkin (OK)
5. “Cool with You” – Her’s (Songs of Her’s)
6. “Decadent Days” – Gay Nineties (Decadent Days)
7. “Don’t Walk Away from Me” – The Elwins (Beauty Community)
8. “Ender” – GROVES (Not for Nothing – EP)
9. “Feel It Still” – Portugal. The Man (Woodstock)
10. “Forget Me” – Born Ruffians (Album N/A)
11. “Happy Judgement Day” – Neck Deep (The Peace and the Panic)
12. “Hell No” – Staying For the Weekend (Growing Pains)
13. “I Don’t Like You” – The Wrecks (We Are The Wrecks)
14. “I Love You” – Wavves (You’re Welcome)
15. “Kiwi” – Harry Styles (Harry Styles)
16. “Notice Me” – SPINN (Album N/A)
17. “On My Mind” – Public (Sweet Lemonade – EP)
18. “Sick of Being Told” – Grace VanderWaal (Just The Beginning)
19. “Summer” – The Hunna (Album N/A)
20. “Televised” – HUNNY (Windows I)
21. “Vacation Town” – The Front Bottoms (Going Grey)
22. “Vines” – Hippo Campus (Landmark)
23. “Wallspace” – Royaljag (Chameleon)
24. “Weekend” – Decorator (Album N/A)
25. “Witches” – Good Kid (Album N/A)

So there we have it… my top 25 favorite songs of 2017 (though there are plenty more tracks that didn’t make the cut)! With the end of this year quickly approaching, I’m super excited to hear what groovy tunes 2018 has in store! Feel free to leave your top 2017 picks in the comments section below, and follow my blog for more music posts! - ALIIISA

FROM FREEPORT, NEW YORK COMES “HOAX” A BAND DESCRIBED AS BEING A MIX OF “HIP-HOP, ALTERNATIVE, AND INDIE MUSIC.” - Astr0mag

"Beach House" by Hoax
It's a tale as old as time: hip hop meets indie, falls in love, they get married, and nine months later this beautiful baby of a song emerges. Classic. - Buzzfeed

Hoax’s Sway is a winding road to the obvious end. Desires, ecstasy, boundless love and hate – it’s dirty, it’s alright.

The Freeport NY band is very ‘unassuming’ in a sense. They’re there.

But just kicks butt, making fantastic work and are the opposite of ‘unassuming’.

That would make them alright, in our book.

The soulfulness is just drenching-ly sexy.

Combine that with the exclamation mark of a voice by Mike Raj, and the song puts some serenity into what’s called ‘love’.

Tell it like it is. Tell it as it’s always been.
Infinity, and forever green.
Don’t crumble, into that new world.
Foreboding, and intricately cynical and wild.

They’re a fab change of pace, and we dig.

You should too.

Kudos. - Come Here Floyd

HOAX – “Beach House”
This is a clever, sweet song. It’s about taking it easy with a lover, even if it’s probably not that great of an idea. I feel like this is the hazey anthem that will resonate with a lot of people making fateful mistakes this summer. But the song is just so stylish and chic. It gives me a vivid image of some early 20-something beautiful people partying away the summer, much to the chagrin of their elders, trying out some substances and behaviors they may later regret. But gosh, what a beautiful panorama of color and light for those glorious moments of bliss… - Ear To The Ground

HOAX – The Truth

Kicking things into high gear! I just love The Truth revealed from Hoax! Loads of fruity guitar licks, a great drum beat and smooth vocals spurting out the heat of the night from the backseat of a conversation. The song is about the breakdown of love, as they state, “in the end, it is just hoping that someone is thinking about you as deeply as you think about them. A death to the self. Simple selflessness”. I’ve also just finished watching “13 reasons why” today and I could imagine it playing in the background if there was a S02. They have a great taste and you can follow them around for all updates on the social media pages…But hey, we have more giveme5 tapes to come…. - Give It A Spin

Hailing from Long Island, NY, the five-piece indie suit HOAX. Consisting of Michael Raj (vocals), Frantz Cesar (Bass), Kevin Lopez (Guitar), Jacob Lopez (Drums), and Paul Brower (Guitar), the band met and formed at Hofstra University.

HOAX has that unrepeatable sound in their music indeed, as we hear “Scooby” there’s that deep and permanent bass line which resonates within our chest and immediately works its way down to our dancing feet. Combine the bassline with the creative pop dynamics in the vocals, and you get a soulful and passionate track.

“Scooby” is like a genius experiment, it has that one of a kind sensation to it. Right off the bat, our hips will most likely start to sway in sync with the music that we are hearing. - Impose Magazine

Hailing from Long Island, NY, the five-piece indie suit HOAX delivers tongue in cheek lyrics and breezy riffs on their latest single, “Sway.” Consisting of Michael Raj (vocals), Frantz Cesar (Bass), Kevin Lopez (Guitar), Jacob Lopez (Drums), and Paul Brower (Guitar), the band met and formed at Hofstra University. Their brand of indie rock is reminiscent of cool, melancholic moments created by Bad Suns and Sticky Fingers. On “Sway,” Raj’s vocals shine, oozing with a beachy nostalgia, enhanced by well-crafted instrumentals.

“Sway” is sure to stick in your head, and your toes– it’s hard not to move to the boys’ catchy track. - Impose Magazine

We are loving HOAX's new song "Beach House." Prepare to kick back and relax while envisioning some beautiful waves. Want to know the story behind it? Well, good because they created a whole website to explain it to you: http://www.thestoryofbeachhouse.com/ #newmusic #HOAX #indiepop #indiemusic - Indie U

TODAY’S FAVOURITES: 23RD DECEMBER 2016

My favourite track today is ‘Can We Fix It’ by Juveniles. I have chosen this track today because I like the sound of the main bass synth used in the song as well as the clever use of multi tracking. The chorus of the track is also very catchy and the verses build well into these choruses. My other favourites today are ‘Indian Summer’ by HOAX and ‘Chariot’ by Nodaway. - Ioan's World of Music

Ironically released this song on the last day of summer. A year ago HOAX learned that an Indian Summer is an abnormal period of hot weather that follows the summer months. This became a metaphor for three stories in their life where Hoax was involved with someone where the connection should have ended much sooner but didn’t. - Kaboom Magazine

“Pretty” is an observation. I wrote the song after going to multiple bars, clubs, enviornments and seeing how mistreated women are (in almost every sense, and how collectively its kind of a norm (WTF). From my experiences, a lot of times woman are rated based on their physical appearance first, and then (if given the chance) on their actual personalities (intellect, passions, everything that makes them - them, etc.) second. The second verse is more about how I think that people are to being boxed into preconceived categories (especially women), when in reality we are all complex creatures and its not fair to be bogged down by someones desire to compartmentalize and index us into something that is understandable, on their terms. Someones inability to understand us should never be a determinant of who we are. - Mike & HOAX - LA On Lock

When you put “HOAX band” into the google search bar, a metal band that was described as “abraisive,” comes up instead of the new self-proclaimed Indie Alternative Soul band that is going to take over the Alt-rock world. Soon, the tides will change.

Currently, HOAX is mess of singles and one EP. To which I say, trust the process. They are working on getting their music out there, dangling on the edge of making it a career. The band is off to a good start with what they have so far, sinking into the ambient kind of surf rock category. They are a little bit tropical, with their music and their minimalist mango Album cover. HOAX is in the vein of Jack Garratt and Kygo. Though comparing them to another artist seems unfair, as they are so uniquely their own.

Their sound is a unique blend, guitar, drums, etc mingling with some distant electronic. The lyrics are soulful and aim to inspire. The skill and cohesiveness is impressive for a band that originally formed, according to an interview with Purple Melon, as a backing band for a few songs written by front man Mike Raj.

“Pretty,” the most recent single, “Is an observation,” according to the aforementioned article. In our culture we rate people (mostly women) on their physical appearance before their personalities. HOAX is with it.

HOAX is from Freeport New York. Their debut EP “The Truth and Other Lies” is out now. Hopefully big things will come of HOAX, and we will get more soon. - Lemonwire

Mike Raj stumbled upon his seemingly predestined career in music in a way that will make you believe in destiny. He sat down in Accounting 102 next to bassist Frantz Cesar. Raj experienced the struggle everyone who has ever sat down in a classroom has felt. Picking a desk is a decision you have to live with for the rest of the semester. Little did he and Cesar know, where they sat down might have changed the expected course of their lives. “It was one of those serendipitous moments where if one factor had changed, we probably wouldn’t have been a band,” Raj explained over the phone.

“It was one of those serendipitous moments where if one factor had changed, we probably wouldn’t have been a band,”
Raj was making music at the time but was “working on producing and making beats for hip hop artists in the Long Island scene” or privately writing with no way to get his music out there. He was a finance and marketing major with no connection to any other musicians, wondering if he wanted to, how he would get his music out there.

Frantz Cesar was a musician with a burning need for some accounting in his life. Maybe it was just a burning need to fulfill a certain class requirement, regardless, it brought the two musicians together. Raj noticed their similar taste in fashion and struck up a conversation, trying to connect with a classmate. What if Cesar had decided to fulfill his business credit with a finance class? Or, had decided to wear sweatpants that day? HOAX as we know it might not exist. The discovery that they were both musicians led to a jam session and the subsequent formation of the band.

“One of the coolest things about our band is our diversity,” Raj says. His parents were both born in India. The band is rounded out by Kevin and Jacob Lopez both Ecuadorian, on guitar and drums respectively, Paul Brower – – who is Sicilian and German, as the third guitarist and Frantz Cesar, the bassist, who is Puerto Rican and Haitian.

“Musically, it challenges us and opens us up to new ideas,” Raj explains. Their diversity and love of travel drive their music. Traveling has given Cesar and Raj a focus and purpose when writing. Experiencing new cultures, both through his bandmates and through traveling to other countries, has shown Raj that everyone has a different perspective. In the US we need to have more empathy towards others and their cultures.

“We came back from our trip to India with a new found mission for HOAX’s music, to install that empathy in everyone who listens, or at least get them in touch with their emotions and that human side we don’t always get to focus on,” Raj explains,“We want people to understand the basic core of humanity is empathy.”

“We want people to understand the basic core of humanity is empathy.”

HOAX aims to connect with listeners above all else, to empathize with them and show that everyone has the same thoughts and feelings at their core, that they are not alone. At live shows, the band pays attention to what the audience is connecting with in an effort to understand what people hold onto the most. “If we don’t know why people connect [with the song] at the time it just means we need to study it out more, because it will make us a better band and just better humans,” he says.

When Raj writes a song, he takes a “really strong core idea” and goes from there. He doesn’t write down lyrics until they are finalized. “When you write relying on memory it forces you to write a different way than when you’re writing on paper,” he explains. “It forces you to say things you mean in a way that you will remember.”

The same idea allows for the line between song and interlude to blur or even blend giving audiences these wonderfully unique one-and-a-half-minute songs that leave you wanting more rather than wanting to skip ahead.

“We used to get a short song and we would try to add this part and this part to make it longer,” Raj said. But as they got settled as a band they decided “This is just not who we are, this is all we have to say, we don’t want to give anyone an add-on-false-bridge, we just give them the core thought.”

The short songs also “mirror how people think.” Raj points out. “[You never] get a full thought in your head or a well thought out plan just sticking out, it’s usually just fragments. You have to piece them together to make one idea, plan, or entity that is ‘something.'”

They decided to write fragmented songs creating the album as the real whole and the songs being thoughts or ideas. Raj says the short songs “Became engrained in our style.”

“I would try to understand why it’s so beautiful the way they write. It’s not beauty for the sake of beauty it’s beautifully meaningful.”

The style is a rhythm HOAX naturally fell into, but Raj is proud of its uniqueness as he hopes to “add something to the tradition of American songwriting, instead of saying the same thing [as everyone else]. We often see a great melody “that is not backed by anything that has purpose.”

Raj grew up reading and being inspired by the writing of authors and poets, “I would try to understand why it’s so beautiful the way they write. It’s not beauty for the sake of beauty, it’s beautifully meaningful.”

The EPs that HOAX has released accomplish being “beautifully meaningful,” set up with empathy at their core and backed by soulful lyrics. Raj is also- like many writers- a fan of the hidden meaning. “Words That End With Wh(y)” is full of mysteries to uncover and creates a puzzle for the human mind it aims to emulate. The most obvious is every track name (Sway, Lay, Barely, Looney, Plainly, Scooby, Pray) ending with the letter “y’” and rhythmically, they go together like any one of the songs on the album.

The meaning behind the album art is a little less obvious. Raj was originally inspired by The Smiths and their tendency to sneak flowers into their live shows and music videos. Because of the British indie band’s approach, “flowers became something meaningful to HOAX” Raj explains. Flowers represented the style and became the face of their “dichotomy of a beautiful sadness.”

HOAX’s first EP, “The Truth and Other Lies,” hosted the first of many fruits that would represent their EPs the way flowers represented singles. Raj says the fruit on their album cover is meant to represent the idea that in “the biblical creation story, we don’t actually know what the fruit is.” According to an article from NPR about Milton’s “Paradise Lost,” the forbidden fruit being an apple is nothing more than a Latin pun or an act of symbolism because the word “malus” means both “apple” and “evil.” The album cover is meant to represent how in something that is meant to be considered universally “true” there is a lie built into the way we perceive this truth.

“Words That End With Wh(y)” featured a lemon because both the album and the taste of a lemon can be summed up in one word – – bittersweet. “That’s the emotion that is drawn up when you think of the question ‘why am I here?'”- which is the core idea of the EP, Raj says. “It’s kind of a bittersweet answer. Half of it is hopeful and half of it is dreadful.”

“What I have learned from design and songwriting in general… is to get rid of the extraneous and just get to the core right away, I think that is what we try to do with our album artwork and our music in general,” Raj says, summing up.

HOAX is like an iceberg, what you see on the surface is just a small representation of all the hard work and thought they have put into their minimalist style. Something that seems simple and clean is actually a complex representation of the human mind in an attempt to get everyone to tap into their humanity.

Check them out in concert:
January 19th: The Creative Corner (Hempstead)
February 10th: Amityville Music Hall (Amityville)
February 16th: SoFar Sounds Session (NYC)
April 30th: Live from Studio A (Hofstra University)
May 12th: Pianos (NYC) - Lemonwire

Hello everybody, today I am back with the latest in my ‘Artist of the week’ series. Of course, this series is the one where I share with you an artist I have been loving over the past week in less than 400 words. I’m happy to say this week’s artist of the week is a fantastic alternative five-piece known as Hoax.

Hailing from Long Island the band is made up of Mike on lead vocals,frantz playing bass, Paul and kevin shredding the guitars and last but not least jacob on drums.

To describe their sound best I would have to say, if you put pop, R&B and Hip-hop in a blender, blended it and sprinkled it with smooth indie rock sensibilities you will have Hoax. Their sound is very distinctive and feels as if they have played around with the balance of the influences over time and I feel they have just hit the right recipe.

These guys are pretty new to the scene only having been releasing since 2016 however, in the last year they have racked up an impressive 850,000 streams across their string of singles and EP ‘Words that end with wh(y)’.

The latest single from the boys comes in the form of a track called ‘Barly’ taken off of the debut EP. Opening up about the meaning behind the song, Mike said ‘it’s about finding the cure to the epidemic that we all live in. No one person has the same exact opinions and perceptions as another, yet time and time again, the destructive notion that we all “barely” become what we want to be continues to persist’

These guys have got a really bright future ahead of them and I’m super excited to follow them on there journey, and if you wish to as well then I recommend following their socials, all links below:

TWITTER:twitter.com/hoax_band
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/hoax_band/
FACEBOOK:facebook.com/realhoaxband/ - Lucy McCourt

Hi gang, hope you’re alright.

You know the drill, here are a couple of songs that I have been enjoying recently. (Look at me not writing a whole paragraph about random facts that nobody needs to know before actually getting into the important things).

Barely – HOAX
This song is from on HOAX’s debut album which is called “Words that end with Wh(y)”, what – in my humble opinion – is such a clever concept for an album and I have never seen something like it before (if you have please make sure to let me know).
The band has stated that the song is “about accepting one another for our individualities.” It addresses tensions that arise when you feel treated unfairly and like your dreams are being put down.
With its soulful vocals from lead singer Michael, and the retro sounding guitar and bass, HOAX make a very relatable topic seem very bearable. - Meeting Sounds

The moment we have been waiting for, another live interview! We hit a couple of technical difficulties with this shoot, with the loss of a camera and audio information but still managed to put something together for ya’ll.

Hoax, is an alternative/indie rock band from Long Island, N.Y. I support this band 110% and you should give them a listen! - Music Trending Now

Indie alternative soul band HOAX releases words that end with wh(y), a 7-track album exploring the dichotomy between “doing” and “being.” In the last year, the band has accumulated over 600,000 plays on Spotify, made a guest appearance on Ebro’s Beats 1 Radio show, and played over 22 venues in New York City. “Barely”, the lead single on the album, was featured on Spotify’s Indie Songs For Slackers playlist within its first week of release.

About the album, Mike Raj (lead vocalist) explains, “I learned through a wise conversation that all the answers are inside of us. We do not have to sit around and wait for a Deus Ex Machina to come save us - we are the machine.” He continues, “You cannot connect to anyone until you have accepted that you will never be the same as somebody else. Fall in love with this reality. If you don’t, you might be alive, but just ‘Barely.’”

words that end with wh(y) explores humanity’s obsession with doing instead of being. “I realized that to truly understand what it means to be (simply exist), you cannot start your question off with ‘what’. Rather, the question needs to start with ‘why,’” Mike adds. “Barely” is about finding the cure to that epidemic we all suffer from. (LYRICS) The song reflects on tensions, arguments, and frustrations that result from being forced to feel ashamed of our dreams, emotions, and ourselves. The rest of the album conveys similar themes of eternalness, empathy, and afterlife.

Formed from the halls of Hofstra University, HOAX is a 5-piece indie alternative soul band hailing from Long Island, NY. Obsessed with Maj7 Guitar Chords, vintage bass, and soulful vocals, HOAX found a unique sound centered around introspective lyrics. Comparisons have been made to other great alternative rockers such as Kings of Leon and Young the Giant, but HOAX likes to experiment with elements of pop, R&B, and hip-hop and layer this under alternative and indie-soul roots. The band’s sound is as eclectic as its members but is best summarized by a friend who described their music as “the sound of beautiful sadness.” - Music Update Central

Alternative rock band HOAX from New York released the new single 'Pretty' released on 2/28!

It is Kings Of Leon, who approached soul · R & B, or this sound is ringing because there is a sense of this member, it is such a wonderful one. - Niche Music

Despite being released on the final day of summer, HOAX’s “Indian Summer” is melodically bright and contagious enough to properly exude the sun-basking vibes of our recently passed season. “These days, it’s not easy, easy, easy / ‘Cause you say you don’t need me, need me, need me,” the first hook goes, absolutely irresistible with the fleeting tropical guitar tones and overall delivery. As those words show, the track details an over-extended relationship, one that started nicely but – like a lingering season – overstayed its welcome. “A year ago I learned that an Indian summer is an abnormal period of hot weather that follows the summer months,” says HOAX vocalist Mike Raj. “This became a metaphor for three stories from my life where I was involved with someone where the connection should have ended much sooner but didn’t.” His vocal tone reminds me somewhat of Future Islands’ Samuel Herring, who captured similar more synth-infused vibes on “Seasons (Waiting on You)”. - Obscure Sound

If music mends broken hearts, then the sumptuous sounds of HOAX can alleviate the most wounded souls. The relatively anonymous Long Island, New York quintet should be on your radar if you fancy melancholic, saccharine indie-rock that stirs up the deepest of emotions. The five-piece collective, who formed while attending Hofstra University, aren’t concerned with trifling matters of life. They’re absorbed by the concepts that warrant deep contemplation and that hold the highest degree of merit. I say this proudly: HOAX isn’t just another tiny drop in a crowded sea of indie groups. They’re the calm before the storm, and then they’re the storm that comes afterward.

HOAX is comprised of vocalist Michael Raj, bassist Frantz Cesar, guitarist Kevin Lopez, drummer Jacob Lopez, and guitarist Paul Brower. The troupe made some waves in 2016 with two singles—“Beach House” and “Indian Summer.” The pair of songs has accumulated over 351,000 and 251,000 streams on Spotify, respectively. The aptly titled “Beach House” is a dreamy, ethereal composition. The soulful vocals of Mike Raj compliment the group’s aptitude to craft subtle R&B-induced tones within their alt-rock elegance.

The five-piece’s sound has been labeled as a mash-up of Young The Giant and Kings of Leon, just with pop and R&B elements tucked stunningly underneath it all. However, these comparisons should only be taken at face value. While the resemblance is transparent at first listen, we should know the real assessment takes much more time to uncover. That’s why with repeated listens to HOAX’s repertoire, you’ll realize their eclectic resonance offers so much more than sheer similarities to other established acts.

In 2017, HOAX released their first EP albums in the summer and fall—The Truth and Other Lies followed by words that end with wh(y). On the latter endeavor, “Barely,” served as lead single on the record, and was featured on Spotify’s “Indie Songs For Slackers” playlist within its first week of release. Once again, Mike Raj displays his vocal prowess to the fullest here as he sings with much fortitude. The band exhibits a cool, crisp, and aesthetically pleasing to the ears indie rock soundscape. It’s such a departure from the echoes of “Beach House” that you become astounded by HOAX’s artistic skillset so early in their trajectory. My favorite line from “Barely” is “Why you always want tomorrow without today?” – such a universal statement capturing the zeitgeist of today’s youth culture.

On the themes for words that end with wh(y), frontman Raj stated, “I learned through a wise conversation that all the answers are inside of us. We do not have to sit around and wait for a Deus Ex Machina to come save us - we are the machine. You cannot connect to anyone until you have accepted that you will never be the same as somebody else. Fall in love with this reality. If you don’t, you might be alive, but just ‘Barely.’”

On the latest EP’s lead track, “Sway,” Raj’s vocals gleam, oscillating in delivery, but conjuring true beauty at every turn. With lyrics such as “We’re moving at the speed of light/(In the wrong direction),” “Sway” is contemporary and relatable on so many levels. On the other side of the coin, the musical component is allusive of a beach-y, breezy, indie rock sonic direction, but feeling as renewed as ever. Their music will warm your heart, enrich your spirit, and give you those “feels” we all long for everyday. To say the least, the band is Chicken Soup For The Soul.

Listen to HOAX below and experience it for yourself. - Ones To Watch

This is taking a step towards alternative-soul with less of a signature POP aesthetic, but emerging indie alternative soul band HOAX has my attention with their single “Sway.”

Lifted from their words that end with wh(y) EP, “Sway” is a blissful indie gem filled with introspective lyrics, electrifying melodies, and soulful vibes. The band has an incredibly radiant sound comparable to Kings of Leon, The Antlers and Young the Giant. And with an irresistible voice like that, this one deserves to be on your radar. - Pop On And On

Hey guys, where did the new single come from?

Someone once described our music as a feeling of beautiful sadness. I think they were right. We like to create music that feels like a thought. Often times with lyrics I like to keep them as unadulterated and as close to the emotion as I can. For “Brown (interlude)” the emotion was familiarity. Intimate deja vu. Meeting someone for the first time, and all throughout the conversation feeling like you know this person already because of the connection. Sometimes you see into the relationship further than just the moment you are at then (meeting the person). And sometimes you think that a relationship is going to go into a direction that it actually never goes. Whatever the case is there is this underlying phantom motion of familiarity that guides you throughout the whole conversation. And it is beautiful.

Is there more content in the pipeline?

We are releasing a new song called “Pretty”.

“Pretty” is an observation. I wrote the song after going to multiple bars, clubs, environments and seeing how mistreated women are (in almost every sense, and how collectively its kind of a norm (WTF). From our experiences, a lot of times women are rated based on their physical appearance first, and then (if given the chance) on their actual personalities (intellect, passions, everything that makes them – them, etc.) second. The second verse is more about how I think that people are to being boxed into preconceived categories (especially women), when in reality we are all complex creatures and its not fair to be bogged down by someones desire to compartmentalize and index us into something that is understandable, on their terms. Someones inability to understand us should never be a determinant of who we are.

We are also working on our Debut EP “I AM DRUGS – EP” and will release one more single before the release of the project later this year. Also a music video is in the works for our newest single, and we will be playing shows all throughout the NYC area in preparation for the release. (We also release covers of our favorite songs frequently)

What’s on the horizon for you?

If our music accomplished one thing, it would be to inspire people to do what they truly love. Never settle, never stop. As for the music we will continue to make it and grow it as it has become our whole lives. Looking forward to sharing the new EP later this year. - Purple Melon Music

"Indian Summer" by HOAX
With a hooky melody and sun-kissed guitar riffs that will be stuck in your head forever, HOAX's latest jam, "Indian Summer", will cure your February blues. Using the term "Indian summer" as a metaphor for a relationship that went on too long, this song is not only melodically alluring, but lyrically deep. Strangely surreal and quite honest, this song is one you can't miss out on. - Rose Playlist

This week is HOAX's new single "Pretty".
https://play.spotify.com/…/5oreZT9iv…/5HQEPZj6FdRkF0igKgzLDB - Sifted Magazine

While we’re all about higher education and studying and focusing on school work, we’re also okay when a bunch of Hofstra dudes decide to form a band in their spare time and end up being totally awesome. Like REALLY okay with that. Hailing from Long Island/Brooklyn, the guys in HOAX are blending jazz vibes with an R&B smoothness that’s topped with just enough Indie sweetness to make us want more. They’re currently unsigned (hence the Sunday feature!) but we’re 100% sure that their sound is what the masses are ready for, and their explosion is imminent. Get on board now and in 2 years you can tell all your friends how you are an “OG” fan, and then totally neglect to give us credit. It’s fine….really, whatever. @hoax_band #hoax #hoaxmusic #alternativemusic #altmusic #newmusic #newaltmusic #newalternativemusic #spinningunrestunsigned #unsignedbands #unsignedtalent - Spinning Unrest

HOAX: Simply

HOAX is a four-piece alternative group out of Freeport. They’re new to the scene, formed in 2015, I found out about them through Rick’s Rising Stars. I found their story to be pretty interesting—frontman and hip-hop artist Michael Raj was just looking for a few musicians to serve as a backing band for his live show. He ended up jamming with fellow Hofsta students Frantz Cesar and Kevin and Jacob Lopez and the chemistry was so good that HOAX was born. The guys still haven’t had an official release—mostly covers and a couple of originals on Soundcloud—but if their song Simply is an indication of what they’re capable of, I can’t wait to hear more. - Stay Loose

Freeport, NY indie-alternative band HOAX sprinkle their sound with a healthy pinch of soul, creating shoulder-rocking grooves bound to satisfy. Throughout their sophomore album Words That End With Wh(y), sauntering melodies pair with complex and ultimately hopeful ruminations on following dreams against expectations.

Listening to the seven-song release, it’s easy to suggest influences varying from indie rock titans Kings of Leon to the polarizing yet undeniably impactful Kanye West. To shine a light on their inspirations, we asked HOAX to explore their ten favorite albums, explaining how these albums guide their own musical aspirations.

The Strokes – Is This It
“The Strokes introduced us to the lo-fi indie grit sound. Is This It is a really dear and special album to us that had come to influence HOAX’s sound. They’ve made a dent on the indie rock scene and the mainstream media by being honest and capturing the emotion of a generation.”

The Black Keys – Brothers
“This Black Keys are one of those rock bands that will forever be ingrained in our memories. The Brothers album is special for everything it stands for, and has records that are unique to their sound. When you listen to The Black Keys, you just know the band is lead by two of the most unassuming musical geniuses who continuously prove that soul comes from the heart.”

Kings of Leon – Mechanical Bull
“Mechanical Bull is a classic album that continues to ripple through our hearts to this day.”

Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not
“The mind blowing lyricism from Alex Turner’s teenage mind is truly a beautiful work of art. When I first heard this album, I couldn’t help but feel like I wanted to quit music – I was jealous of this prodigy. Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not is a damn great album that will always be replayed for generations to come.”

The Killers – Sam’s Town
“Sam’s Town is both cinematic and exciting. Every track off the album can somehow feel super accessible and worldly at the same time. Alone, The Killers seem like a band that wouldn’t quite fit together, but when all the parts are orchestrated by Brandon Flowers’ introspective mind, everything works together perfectly.”

The xx – xx
“No other album compares to the soothing, impassioned, and soulful guitars in The xx’s debut album.”

Radiohead – In Rainbows
“These masters of sonic airways really know how to set the mood and create an ambience. Radiohead’s In Rainbows album influenced our approach to focus on capturing moments and writing songs that will last longer than its run time.”

Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
“This album is for everyone – literally everyone. Frank Ocean is an icon songbird of our generation, and has the quality to unite anyone and everyone through his passionate voice. Obviously, his golden pen is an inspiration to us both as people and as songwriters.”

Tame Impala – Currents
“Seriously, what is there left to say?”

Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
“Last but not least, just like the genius himself, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is a generational masterpiece and the only album we can listen to every single week.” - Teal Cheese

Another week, another Kris’ Picks! Week 72 is here featuring songs from the likes of Big Words, HOAX, The Physics, Klyne and so much more. It’s cold out there, but let these curated picks help warm you up with good vibes and happy feelings. On to the featured four, shall we?

The next song on the ‘featured four’ list is not a hoax, but the band sure is. Another one of my favorite songs on the playlist, HOAX’s “Indian Summer” is another one of my favorite songs due to its ability to take you back to the days where being care-free was all right and it wasn’t cold and depressing. It starts off with the rolling of waves in the background … the track itself is lively and thrives off of a driving guitar riff and an infectious rhythm you’ll find it impossible to get out of your head. HOAX’s “Indian Summer” is the perfect song to jam out to, and the perfect song to get you through your week. - The Indie Sound

Artist: HOAX
Album: words that end with wh(y)
Release Date: 2017
Location: USA

Top Tracks: Personally there’s no going wrong on this 7 track album, but there are two songs that just hit the spot for me and they are: “Sway” and “Scooby”.

Why? The album is simply perfection from beginning to end, there’s no way of really missing a note on this one. From the cleverly put title to the passionate and honest songwriting felt and heard in each track you are bound to fall for this sound. You get a glimpse a life, love, relationships, breakups and more as each song tells a story that is easy to relate with. The sound blends pop, rock and dash of soul and RnB that gives it an edge above the rest of the up and coming contenders in the music scene. Plus there’s something so unique and real in each song that really sets the mood for a future in which these guys are headlining some of the biggest festivals and shows in the world. So step into their world ahead of the rest and make sure to add this album in your personal favorites because it’s one to remember. Enjoy! - Wolf In A Suit

“Sway” by HOAX

Indie band HOAX delivers one of the best songs of the year hands down with their must listen gem“Sway” from their album ‘words that end with wh(y)’ . There’s something so human and at the same time so surreal about the mesmerizing combination of melodies and verses that together bring something so refreshing and needed in music. Plus Mike Raj’s voice is perfection in every sense of the word as he blends both old school and contemporary magic ensuring that we pay attention and find our reflection in the lyrics. Frantz, Paul, Kevin and Jacob set the most amazing arrangement thus allowing Mike to really kill it and together they all give us music for the masses and for the ages. Each song along with this beauty has the capacity of becoming everlasting and connecting with listeners without looking at age, gender, religion …simply delivering must listen songs that connect with ease with all. Honestly words cannot describe what this song really makes me feel as I listen to it, so I’ll just invite you to listen to and become envelop by its otherworldly vibes. Enjoy! - Wolf In A Suit

“She was an Indian Summer ..With Flowers in her Hair…” – what a great way to start a song and that’s how HOAX begun their latest single “Indian Summer”.

Melodically beautiful and lyrically so deep, so real and strangely so surreal while being such a part of the human nature. This talented band is creating music that is true, honest while not loosing that spark of creativity and uniqueness that could make or break a band. In this case it is definitely making, they have become a band I follow and listen (while writing this post I heard this song about 8-10 times; it’s so good). With a soundscape that has splashes of indie rock while remaining a nice pop track that is taken to the clouds with Mike Raj’s voice.

Ironically released this song on the last day of summer. A year ago I learned that an Indian Summer is an abnormal period of hot weather that follows the summer months. This became a metaphor for three stories from my life where I was involved with someone where the connection should have ended much sooner but didn’t
Mike about 'Indian Summer' - Wolf In A Suit

Band: HOAX
Song: Pretty

Why? A mature and much needed dose of reality served in a romantic platter that sings to women around the world that you are pretty not for the beauty of your face and body but for what lies within your mind and soul. Hoax showcases a certain charm that is refreshing to see in music, because it goes beyond the fiction that we love but shows the reality that needs to be seen. - Wolf In A Suit