When you think Miami, the first thing that comes to mind isn’t necessarily rock ‘n roll, but garage/alt-rock duo Deaf Poets have found a way to thrive in their otherwise small music scene. The band, who are just gearing up to release their new album, Lost In Magic City is comprised of childhood friends Nico Espinosa and Sean Wouters, and it’s safe to say that their musical chemistry is undeniable. In their own words, Lost In Magic City, which follows their debut release, 4150, perfectly represents who Deaf Poets are as a band. And with a few shows lined up in and out of their home state throughout March and April, 2017 is shaping up to be one hell of a year for these two.
Check out Deaf Poets’ new single, “Celestine” and read more about their upcoming album, Lost In Magic City below.
Interview by Dom Vigil
Can you tell us a little bit about Deaf Poets for anyone who might not be familiar?
Nico Espinosa: Sean and I play in a garage rock duo from Miami Beach Fl. We’ve been childhood friends making music together since freshmen year. Meet Sean in 5th grade art class back when he still had the bowl hair cut.
When most people think of Miami, they think dance music, which could not be more different than your sound. Are there any artists in your local scene that really inspired you when you were first starting out?
Sean Wouters: Miami has a very small music scene which goes through waves with bands moving in and out of town. It’s great in terms of potential because of wynnwood, it’s weather, and all the community driven companies like iii Points, pop life, Churchills, and Gramps to name some. When Nico and I were fresh in Beach high we’d watch a lot of local shows mostly just our friends making noise. A band that stood out for us which was not necessarily local was The Slackers. Their this super tight ska band with definite jazz and rock back ground. They’d often tour Miami and we’ve seen them at Churchills at least 3 times. Coincidentally their playing Miami while we’re on tour in March.
How do you feel that your local scene has affected you as musicians?
Nico: I’ve been circulating the scene since I was 16 years old and I’ve seen it go through a ton of changes, including genres being played and venues opening and closing. One way the local scene has affected me in a positive way was by pushing me to be better at what I do in order to earn a spot in Miami. Staying consistent while everything around us went through changes.
You guys just released your new song, “Celestine,” which is a bit on the darker side of things. What inspired the track?
Nico: The song started with a riff Sean brought in. As we were developing the direction of the track, we borrowed from some personal experiences we both were going though and it solidified what the final product was.
“Celestine” comes from your upcoming album, Lost In Magic City. Were there any stories you wanted to tell or goals you wanted to accomplish with the album?
Nico: Our primary goal for this record was to strip everything down and just keep guitar, drums and vocals. Another thing was to finish the record ourselves. We wanted something completely different from our first record, “4150”.
Are there any significant changes or areas of growth that listeners can expect to hear on these new songs?
Nico: I think they’ll definitely hear a big change from our old record. This record definitely shows who we are and what we do. With these new songs, we really solidified the direction and sound we want to take this forward. the songs are heavier and darker this time around.
When can fans expect to hear some more new music from Lost In Magic City?
Sean: We’re thinking May is a realistic time more or less. Planning of releasing at least another single as well as our upcoming music video for “Celestine”.
You’ve already got a few shows coming up over the next couple of months, so could we expect to see you out on the road even more after the album drops?
Sean: Yes! That’s something we’re probably most excited about. Playing new venues in new cities is always such a trip. We’re planning to be on the road a lot this year especially to support the album.
Do you have any other plans or goals for 2017?
Sean: There’s been a lot of exciting plans and ideas floating around but we’d like to keep it a surprise till we announce. One thing for sure is expect new music videos and a lot of touring!
Thank you for taking the time to talk with us! Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Sean: No thank you!! Nico and I both greatly appreciate your time and effort. Looking forward to doing this again!
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