Occurrence
The band describes their music as “experimental electronic pop with a nostalgic bent.” Based in New York City’s Washington Heights, the band formed when Ken reached out to college friend Cat on Facebook after not seeing each other for twenty years. Ken was in New York working as a playwright and Cat lived in Lawrence, Kansas, working as a writer for Hallmark. Ken asked if she would sing on new tracks he was writing.
Both were in the midst of major life changes, looking for new creative outlets. She agreed, and the two embarked on a now six-year collaboration. When the duo began to perform live, they invited Ken’s romantic partner Johnny to join as a second vocalist, completing the band.
Who is Occurrence and how did you get into music?
Occurrence is Ken, Cat and Johnny. We are a trio that makes nostalgic electronic pop. The band started when Ken reached out to Cat, a college friend he hadn’t seen in nearly 20 years, and asked if she wanted to sing on some of his new songs. Johnny, Ken’s romantic partner, joined us live to promote our first album and quickly became a full-time member.
Ken was in bands in high school, mostly as a drummer, and then got back into making music in his 20s when he started designing sound for early productions of his plays. Cat was in a ton of bands in college. Johnny studied musical theater and opera. Music has always been in our lives.
"Heels over head" sounds extraordinary, what's the story behind the song?
Well, first, thanks. That’s very kind of you. Johnny and Ken started this song during lockdown in Summer 2020. Since Cat couldn’t be with us in person, Ken sampled her vocals and played it on a keyboard, so it could be like she was there singing with Johnny.
Our friend Kip Berman of The Natvral and Pains of Being Pure at Heart plays guitar on it. It took ages to get the arrangement right. Johnny set out to make this song all joy—pure happiness and pure bliss. Ken’s ability to bring parallel universes to life inside one song—the dark co-existing with something light—felt like a perfect backdrop to Johnny’s lyrics.
This song is about that moment you realize you’re in love. Nothing anyone does or says is going to change your mind. You don’t even question how long that moment will last. You just live in that moment during this song.
If you take a look back, what are the big differences, concerning your creative process, from "The past will last forever" to now?
The big one is we are truly a band now. Cat and Ken made the first album remotely, and I worked with a lot of guests, but again, remotely. But when the three of us started playing those songs live, we realized that there was something special when we worked together in real time. Ken still works on the music on his own, but now we come together in our studio in New York City to really turn those ideas into songs. Plus, Ken has gotten much better as an engineer and programmer. Also, we’ve become tighter-knit as friends as well, which only adds to the level of intimacy and vulnerability that we’ve been able to pour into our songwriting and our vocal performances.
What can we expect from your upcoming Album?
Terror. Just kidding. Well, not entirely. It’s a big statement. A double album, 22 songs, 70+ minutes of new music. We took a chance at writing lyrics without the safety of a character. This album honestly feels like we’re really ripping into some intense shit. That’s exciting, but also sometimes when Ken listens back to the record, he freaks out: Do I want people to hear this? It’s a bit scary to be honest. But it also feels really liberating.
Sonically, the album feels like a huge leap forward. The sound we’ve been chasing finally feels as full as it did in our heads.
What was in your opinion the last big surprise in music history/industry?
It mostly just feels like bad news these days. What was the last big surprise?
Let me know 3 songs from you I should recommend to a listener who doesn't know you?
Good question. Here’s three of our favorites from our last album
1. Boy Joy
2. The Happy Years
3. Your Body Is Made of Flesh
Any chance to see you somewhere live on stage?
Yes! We are creating a dance theater piece called SLOW VIOLENCE with director-choreographer Dan Safer that will open the same weekend as the album release. It will be set in a series of hotel rooms and performed at MIT’s brand new theater from April 6-9. It will feature a cast of MIT student performers, and the band will be playing live as part of the show. It’s gonna be so cool.
...and last but not least what's next for you?
We have started recording some new songs and the ideas for a new album, maybe even a trilogy of albums is coming into focus. The ideas are germinating as we speak. Since our trajectory has been moving toward more and more vulnerability, it’s a bit scary (and exciting) to imagine what will come next. But now that we’ve truly hit our stride sonically and songwriting-wise, it can only be a good thing.
