Since emerging in the late 20-teens, Afloat has been a force on the South Jersey indie rock scene. Spearheaded by singer-songwriters Gabby Relos and Josh Rubeo (guitar and bass, respectively), the band members play spirited music while pulling double-duty in the Garden State scene, organizing underground gigs via the Head Above Water Collective, with Relos working as an occasional studio engineer as well.
As far as their own music goes, Afloat’s primary means of delivery has for the longest time been via live shows and streaming demos. But last year the band released Where I Stand, a polished and compelling EP that channels Tigers Jaw and Thursday and everything in between, a strong sonic step forward for the band, and the most refined showing of their songcraft to date.
“Crash,” which opens their Key Studio Sessions performance, introduces us to a crew of musicians that has mastered the complexity of post-hardcore and emo; interlocked riffs, swapped vocals, cathartic narratives, pummeling breakdowns. It’s an intense opening, but the set goes on to show the band’s keen ear for inviting pop melodies on “Through My Veins” and their soaring single “Mouth Shut.”
Rounded out by Andrew LaFay on drums and Alec Sye on guitar and vocals, Afloat has spent the nine months since the release of Where I Stand doing what they do best: playing gigs, making connections, building community. Their next show happens Thursday, May 23rd at Bonk’s Bar in Port Richmond with My Cousin’s Girlfriend’s House, Keep Flying, and Cry Baby; a two-year anniversary party for Head Above Water Collective is planned for August 24th at The Union Firehouse in Mount Holly as well.
Get information on those concerts and more at Afloat’s website, order vinyl of Where I Stand here, and watch the band’s Key Studio Sessions set below.