JUDE.

http://judemusic.net/press - JUDE.

"Kevin James Neal and Sydney Morris offer up an alluring proposition. Dark production spills over into an unexpected bout of electropop in JUDE.'s new track "Jaded". With a dramatic Lorde-like vocal ready to reel you in, the Florida duo leaves behind a stream of dreamy elegance." - NME Magazine, June 2014

JUDE., a duo hailing from West Palm Beach, Florida and individually known as Kevin James Neal and Sydney Morris, have been making music together for the better part of eight months. Their debut release "Crystals" instantly garnered attention the world over, getting picked up by blogs and music aficionados on either side of the Atlantic. With swirling synths, ethereal vocals, and hauntingly beautiful lyrics, it's easy to see why.

Here, the members of JUDE. premiere their debut music video for "Crystals" and discuss their entry into the industry, the power of the Internet, Yeezus, and more.


NAMES: Kevin James Neal and Sydney Morris

AGES: 18 and 17, respectively

HOMETOWN: West Palm Beach

BECOMING A SAINT (OR SOMETHING LIKE IT): Kevin James Neal: When coming up with ideas for band names, we were looking at patron saints, and Saint Jude is the patron saint of lost causes. There's a song on the [forthcoming] EP called "Uncertainty," and it's really about a lost cause... we liked it and latched on to the idea.

EASE OF DELIVERY AND FORMING JUDE.: Sydney Morris: We met via a mutual friend, and then Kevin randomly messaged me on Twitter and asked if we wanted to make music together. The first day we hung out and we made "Crystals" in like 40 minutes; it was super relaxed... it just works when it comes to music.

Neal: Even writing our newer songs for the EP and for the future and whatnot, it's a really easy process and it's really fun.

ACCIDENTAL ATTENTION: Morris: We didn't really expect too much; it was just for our friends and family to kind of show what we've been doing. We just kinda put it ["Crystals"] out there and a few blogs picked it up and from there it's just been carrying its own weight.

THE AWESOME INTERNET: Morris: Essentially, the Internet has been our complete ascent. We've not even played any shows or anything as JUDE.. We literally just released it on SoundCloud.

Neal: Without the Internet, my mom would be the only one listening to it.

ON THE VISUALS TO "CRYSTALS": Morris: It's not necessarily a story line, it's just kind of shooting different places where we've grown up. We thought it would be kind of cool to show a little more about us.

YEEZUS' INFLUENCE: Neal: As far as the music stuff goes, it's insanely minimalistic but every song hits really hard and feels huge. As a producer that really inspired me with the minimal style music that we do. I think people are ready for it after the huge pop sound that's been in for a long time.

LORDE, OUR SAVIOR: Morris: I think the sound is in right now, the super minimal Banks- or Lorde-like female vocalist with synths and stuff. I think it's a really good time to do this kind of music.

Neal: I don't really mind the comparison. I mean... she's won a couple of Grammys and she's incredibly successful, so I take it as a compliment. - Interview Magazine

JUDE. is a duo from West Palm Beach, Florida and their debut single “Crystals” was an impressive introduction, but didn’t lay down tracks for a clear path forward. From that starting point, plenty of directions were plausible, and now we find out their next move. The duo’s new song is “Jaded,” and while it starts off dismal and spacious, it explodes into something much more dramatic.

“When we wrote this track, we were both really into Yeezus,” explains Kevin, “so those songs influenced it a lot, even if you can’t really hear it. It’s the second song we wrote together so it’s kind of fitting it’s the second single. Lyrically the main idea is that sometimes you have to stick things out instead of just running away from your problems.”

Hear “Jaded” below, and check out Los Angeles production duo 4e’s remix of “Crystals.” - Pigeons And Planes

If for historical purposes you wanted to mark out exactly what decent contemporary pop music in 2014 sounded like, Florida duo Jude’s second release Jaded would probably be a good place to start. In exactly three minutes and thirty seconds it manages to combine pretty much everything we like without ever sounding clichéd. Kevin James Neal and Sydney Morris cast verses from electronic spaciousness, whilst the chorus is made from striking grit-pop drama. Sydney’s vocal intonation has (like on debut track Crystals) a resemblance to Lorde once more, although her tone is somewhat higher and less menacing.

The song is labelled on Jude’s Soundcloud as bedroom pop. We’re not sure if that’s meant to reference where it was created, where the band think it should be played or if Jaded is considered suitable for whatever else goes on in that particular room, but whichever it is we’d recommend that you don’t limit it to just there – Jaded deserves to be played everywhere. It's free to download below. - Breaking More Waves

Forget not being invited to parties or having to bail on a night out because you’re ill, ‘fear of missing out’ (or FOMO for you abbreviation fans) is best encapsulated for us when one of our new favourite bands releases an amazing new song whilst we’re on holiday and unable to write about it.


Despite only getting back from Primavera at ridiculous o’clock last night and still not properly adjusting to normal life again (I tried to pay for a coffee with leftover euros this morning), the return of JUDE. is making our transition from tapas and techno to weetabix and work a whole lot easier today.

You may remember us writing about these guys back in April, when seemingly out of nowhere came ‘Crystals’, a bold statement of a debut track that fused Lorde-like vocals with affecting, brooding electronic foundations to create something simply. Bloody. Incredible.

Needless to say, we were hooked from the offset by everything about Kevin James Neal and Sydney Morris, so you can only imagine our excitement when a follow-up single appeared online a few days ago.

Taking their ethereal charm to angelic new heights, ‘Jaded’ sees Morris’ vocals swoon in all the right places over slowly building atmospheric synths, before a sudden eruption of energy fully displays the Florida duo’s stadium sized potential. Yep, you need this band in your life right now.

We’re obviously gonna keep you posted on anything these guys make over the coming months, for now though download ‘Jaded’ for free below: - When The Gramophone Rings

You don’t hear much indie/pop music coming out of Florida, but here’s a new duo named JUDE., and they’re straight out of West Palm Beach. “There isn’t much of a music scene,” they explain. “The ‘scene’ that does exist is mostly bar cover bands/metal bands.”

JUDE. is not a metal band.

The duo has been together since October of 2013, and “Crystals” was the first song they ever finished together. Logically, they decided it should be the first song they released. Three days ago, they uploaded it to SoundCloud, and in the past few days it has racked up a total of over 11,000 plays. Don’t be surprised if it doubles in the next few days.

With Lorde taking off, the lane for minimal, moody pop music that still hits hard with a chorus is looking very appealing. If Lorde can do it and reach superstardom in the process, why can’t others? If a girl from New Zealand can top the charts, why can’t a duo from West Palm Beach? Avoiding the traditional radio pop sound and the overblown synth-pop route, JUDE.’s first song sounds like something that could have been on Pure Heroine. We’ll see what’s next for JUDE., but for now, enjoy “Crystals.” - Pigeons and Planes

I’ve only been to Florida once. It was nine years ago and I was too scared to go on any of the rollercoasters, a rather sore point when the whole reason for the holiday was to visit the state’s countless number of theme parks (though I did get a dynamite picture in front of Shamu, so there’s always that).


I’m going a bit autobiographical on today’s ‘Download of the Day’ because the group we’re covering are actually from that particular part of the world, and it got me thinking about how Jude couldn’t sound more different to the other musical alumni of the sunshine state (Tom Petty, Lynrd Skynrd, and of course, Flo Rida).

Arguably pointless comparisons aside, it becomes apparent immediately that this duo, made up of Kevin James Neal and Sydney Morris is going to be huge over the next few months, as their debut single, released onto Soundcloud just a few days ago is a massive hit in waiting.

Everything about ‘Crystals’ just oozes elegance, as hypnotic, breathy vocals melt over the subtle pounding of electronic drums and synths, culminating in a sound that sits somewhere in the middle ground between Lorde and Purity Ring. Amazingly, this sounds like anything but a debut single.

We’re sure Jude will be releasing this as a proper single at some point in the future, for now though, download it for free below - When The Gramophone Rings

This is magnificent. Florida duo JUDE. (Kevin James Neal and Sydney Morris) absolutely knock their debut track out the park, a beautifully produced number, with vocals drawing similarities to Lorde. Swirling synths, and the aforementioned elegant vocals dominate Crystals, ultimately creating one of the stand-out tracks of the year thus far. Let the music speak for itself. Expect this to go big-time. - Crack In The Road

The amount of boy/girl pop duos that have been popping up recently is starting to make our heads spin, but not because we can’t keep up. It’s fascinating to us that there’s seemed to be a never-ending stream of new talent right now, and the various individuals coming together to make music have provided plenty of quality listening of late. In addition to that, the particular combinations have kept everyone in the music industry busy, and you can assume that JUDE’s inbox is blowing up today with the release of their debut single, ”Crystals”.

We’re not sure if this Floridian duo has established management behind them or not, but just a few hours ago, this song was uploaded publically to SoundCloud, and already we’re seeing the play counts rise at an intrepid rate. It’s not difficult to understand why, either; with Lorde-like vocals, glossy production, and a magnetic presence, JUDE justifies placement on your never-ending list of up-and-coming talent. - Hillydilly

There is very little currently available in the way of information regarding JUDE , so all we can tell you is that they are based in West Palm Beach and they’re debut track is an absolute jam; you heard it here first ladies and gents, this enigmatic due are going to be on a permanent skyward trajectory in 2014. Watch this space seems almost an understatement. - Boy Needs Therapy

With serene, passion drenched vocals and luxurious production, Jude are bringing something overwhelmingly exciting to the floor. The Florida-based project of Kevin James Neal and Sydney Morris, their dark, foreboding take on pop is immersive and emotionally resonant, the sound of a duo on the cusp of huge things. - Gigwise

Some songs click into place in an instant, requiring zero breathing space or chin-stroking, puzzled expressions. Unsigned duo JUDE. - fast becoming one of the best new pop prospects in yonks - strike that golden formula on new song ‘Can’t Breathe’.

Getting by on a mantra of “don’t worry about me,” it couples downbeat lyrics with the kind of wide-eyed, euphoric synth line M83’s probably been penning for future material.

‘Can’t Breathe’ couples up with ‘Jaded’ and the brilliant debut ‘Crystals’, which put the duo on the map via Lorde-esque alt-pop.

This is their best track to date. Stream below. - DIY Magazine

Local bands meet, create music, and start playing shows to establish themselves. Then down the line, they hope to get into the studio and walk away with a shiny new record full of their original jams. But a new generation of music-makers is taking a staunchly different approach.
Meet Jude. The stage name for West Palm-raised Kevin Neal and Sydney Morris, this electronic duo has been making waves on the blogosphere without ever playing a show. Their approach to creating music is to use the internet as their main vehicle, and it's working. The success of this flip-flopped method might have a little something to do with their age. Morris is only 17, Neal is 18, and no, neither one of them went to Dreyfoos School of the Arts.
Neal describes Jude's sound as "minimalistic pop," and their savvy songwriting will make you say "Lorde!" It's on full display on their breakout single, "Crystals." But who are these local teenagers? How did this happen?

Neal and Morris met through a mutual friend and were just acquaintances until another friend suggested they should work on music. "We met up one day," says Neal, "and made 'Crystals.'"

What happened next is a pure 21st-century approach to music. "We decided to put 'Crystals' up on SoundCloud kind of randomly." says Neal. "So I put together a small website, and we just threw it up there, and I sent it out to a couple of blogs, and the blogs picked it up, and from there, more blogs picked it up. People liked it, I guess."

It's the simplest way on the planet to make sure more people than just your mom hear a track, and yet we don't see this strategy being used nearly enough around town. In Jude's case, the music speaks for itself, but the Lorde comparisons came out swinging. How do they feel about being called out for sounding like the pop star? "It gets a little old after a while, but at the same time, we are being compared to a millionaire who has won two Grammys in the past year and is incredibly successful, so we take it as a compliment."

When asked if an album is in the works, it seems like that isn't even a concern to these fresh music-makers. "We are going to put out another single really soon," says Neal. "To do an album would be kind of cool, but at the same time, it's almost like, 'Why bother?' It's all on the internet, and people are just downloading. It's easier to do all singles and throw them up there." These teens create 90 percent of their music in either Morris' house or Neal's room before finishing vocals at a studio in Wellington where Neal also does sound engineering and production part-time.

Though the pair has caused a fury of online commotion and repeat plays, they play their first gig on July 25, at Propaganda in Lake Worth, along with established locals Civilian and the Jeff Rose Band for the Rivers CD-release party. The show will be minimalistic, with just Neal and Morris taking the stage.

"For the rest of the summer and fall, we are going to play as many shows as we can," they state. An exciting change of pace for the two who are the first to admit, "It is really like the internet made us." The next generation of music has hit West Palm.

If you can't stand the clicks, get out of the internet. - Broward New Times

JUDE. turned some heads a couple of months ago with their hit single, “Crystals“, and ever since, they’ve been floating near the surface of the indie music world’s attention, just waiting to break through. Well, fast-forward a bit, and now they’ve got a new track to their name, “Can’t Breathe”, that just might be as big (or bigger) than “Crystals” itself. The vocals on the track are as light and airy as ever, and the stripped-back production work compliments the songwriting and structure perfectly. The song has a lot of similarities to the the kinds of beat-driven pop that’s coming out of New Zealand right now, but instead of focusing on the harder-edged synth lines to cover the top end of the sound spectrum, they’ve opted instead to go for a very anthemic sound with a lot of textural synths.

The track specifically opens up with a beautiful set of notes that echo off in the distance (almost if you’re hearing them being played at the top of some windswept peak), and from there, things only get better. The duo isn’t too worried about wowing you with complexity, but what they are focused on is making the most with what sounds they do have, and when you hear their work, it’ll be clear that they’ve put a lot of time and effort into the details.

Grab this one if you’re a fan of BROODS, but have already played Evergreen too many times to count (and, of course, if you’re simply a fan of JUDE.’s own promising sound). The two are going to go very far if they keep up this kind of work, and if you give it a chance, you may just find them as your new favorite act. Keep attention toward their upcoming EP, The Bedroom EP, then, and lose yourself in their first single from it which we’ve here highlighted below. - Hillydilly

FL duo JUDE. are already one of the most blogged about new outfits of 2014, and their latest single, Can’t Breathe started doing the rounds last week. Again characterised by the Lorde meets Ellie Goulding style vocals of Sydney Morris, and the M83-esque production from Kevin James Neal. Their most ambitious and ‘pop’ sounding track to date, it’s an exciting taster from an EP titled The Bedroom, expected out later this year. - Crack In The Road

Holy singles. This release is going to have the blogosphere and labels alike screaming “Hey JUDE.” before the first chorus even ends. Floridian duo Kevin James Neal and Sydney Morris find their stride in a place of minimalistic downtrodden wonder between Lorde and Purity Ring. “Crystals” opens up to a swirl of spectral synths that seeps into Sydney’s breathy voice until that hypnotic hook of chorus comes crashing in, breathing manic life into the surly song’s atmosphere. It’s moody bedroom pop that screams a readiness for radio play with fans of Lorde fated to engulf “Crystals.”

Listen to “Crystals” below and heart it on HypeM here. - Mostly Junkfood

Picking up where the infinite promise of their two debut offerings left off, Forida duo JUDE. continue to make hazy-eyed bedroom pop for the twenty-something soul. Singer Sydney Morris’ fluorescent vocals set the scene as the guiding light in a plight of phantasmic synths and lo-fi percussion, arriving in a smoky place that sounds as if the Lorde took her Purity Ring to CHVRCHES to divulge of past weighing her down. With a blood-pumping choral line that instantly sinks in your heart, “Can’t Breathe” feels fated to play deep into the night, soundtracking your late night drives long into the looming darkness of fall.

Listen to “Can’t Breathe” below, buy it here and look for it on JUDE.’s forthcoming and perfectly titled The Bedroom EP. And if you’re craving more JUDE., don’t miss the hypnotic hooks of “Jaded” and “Crystals” (with a bonus 4E remix) are for you. - Mostly Junkfood

It’s four out of four for JUDE., a new pop duo based out of West Palm Beach, Florida, seemingly incapable of penning a dud track.

In the past six months, the unsigned pair have put out the glistening debut ‘Jaded’, an ultra-dramatic ‘Crystals’, and the more sharp-edged summer banger ‘Can’t Breathe’.

‘Drive’ is one to sink into with winter woes. Their latest track sticks to the same firm touch of ‘Can’t Breathe’, but it’s backed by a gorgeous, neon-lit synth wave that’s most often found in the back of Johnny Jewel’s wildest imaginations. “I’ve given you time,” runs the chorus, but there’s no time to waste with JUDE. - they’re one of the most exciting pop acts around. Don’t waste a second sleeping on this. It’s a gorgeous, bittersweet crossing of lines between Chromatics and Broods.

DIY is premiering ‘Drive’, below. - DIY Magazine

Florida duo JUDE. caused quite a stir with their debut track, Crystals. Since then, subsequent tracks haven’t received as much attention, yet in all honestly, are perhaps stronger tracks, both in songwriting and production. Their most recent offering, Drive, shows further development of their sound, ditching any of the Lorde comparisons that haunted their initial compositions, whilst retaining the ethereal, dream pop vibes. It’s perhaps their most complete realisation of their sound thus far. - Crack In The Road

Floridian duo JUDE. return with “Drive”. The compact, decidedly noctural-sounding “Drive” finds JUDE. pursuing a further forward palette of sound and mood that marks an important expansion for the band stylistically. - Blah Blah Blah Science

It’s somewhat rare for a new band to smash it out the park (so to speak) with each new single, yet Jude somehow manage to repeatedly define their sound in new, exciting ways with every new release.


Since breaking through with ‘Crystals’ – a subdued, emotive hit that unforgivingly saw many draw comparisons with Lorde – the Florida duo have constantly upped their game over the last few months, incorporating increasingly immersive production alongside calculated melodies delivered with a sultry intensity to create developed, calculated pop music of the highest order.

Needless to say then, we’re pretty enamoured by this pair, and they no doubt sit as one of 2015′s brightest hopefuls, a point further testified in their latest single.

Arguably the duo’s most brooding cut yet, ‘Drive’ takes Jude’s now synonymous mix of urgent vocals and delicately layered synths and pushes their sound into the most emotionally vulnerable territory to date, a track that perfectly encapsulates the pair’s remarkable creative chemistry. - When The Gramophone Rings