Washington, DC R&B/Rock band Almeda is back in the studio gearing up for the February release of an original single, “Peace of Mind” featuring rapper Yon Cové. The four-piece group features Danny O’Brien on piano and guitar, Dan Sheehan on drums, Nick Quirk on the bass, and Adaeze Eze (Dez) on vocals.
The group released its first EP, simply titled “Almeda,” in November. It includes one original track – “Upstate” – and their own renditions of Allen Stone’s “Unaware” and Kendrick Lamar’s “Swimming Pools (Drank).” A full review is forthcoming, but at a glance: steady rhythms, delicate keyboard, and punchy drums provide an enchanting base for passionate vocals that flawlessly adapt to songs from disparate genres.
The band started at Georgetown University in 2013 when Danny and Nick decided to room together based on their shared love of music. Their friend Dez would hang around their jam sessions in Harbin Hall, offering her vocal talent. Sophomore year the trio decided to form a real group, and Nick recruited Dan to serve as the drummer. Prior to joining forces, each member had played in school bands and orchestras and took on side projects to learn new instruments. Nick’s take on Dez’s short-lived viola career: “Thank God that’s over.”
They were most inspired growing up by idols Stevie Wonder, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Strokes, and D’Angelo. At the beginning the group maintained “more of an indie-punk vibe – but that morphed into what our sound is today with additions from Dez’s and Dan’s hip hop and R&B influences.” Nick currently likens their music to that of Hiatus Kaiyote and Lianne La Havas.
With each project, they strive to make quality songs and maintain an original style in recordings. The group takes pride in seeing their material through from start to finish: “Everything we do is self-recorded, mastered, and produced. We’re constantly writing new songs and looking for ways to expand our texture palette – and we’re pushing the limits of what we can do.”
Of the numerous DC-area venues the group has performed at, Nick’s favorite is Bossa Bistro and Lounge in Adam’s Morgan – “It’s a great place with a really cool world vibe.” They especially enjoy moments when fans shout out the lyrics to their songs and when fans banter back and forth with Dez.
Mid-concert the four regularly deviate from the script, dropping new songs on the audience to test them out before they’re recorded: “A few weeks ago we piloted a Dez Original titled “Slipping,” and the crowd really went all out for it.”
Outside of practicing and performing, the group members have eclectic favorite hobbies:
Danny likes “learning more and more about recording” while Dan “attends shows and writes about music.” And then we see a split, with the group’s other two members offering a possibly more honest insight into their actual lives: Nick says “theoretical physics” and Dez admits “sleeping.”
Almeda’s 2017 goals include “cut a full-length album by May, play a bunch of shows around DC, and survive New America.” After releasing their new “Peace of Mind” in February, they’re planning to release another EP with three new songs that are currently in the recording process. By mid-May they hope to have another three songs that will then be compiled into their first full-length album. As winners of last year’s Adam’s Morgan Porchfest, they will be featured at the Adam’s Morgan Days Festival in April in addition to playing numerous venues in the DC area.
Check out Almeda’s self-titled EP on Soundcloud and stay tuned for their upcoming single next month!
The group released its first EP, simply titled “Almeda,” in November. It includes one original track – “Upstate” – and their own renditions of Allen Stone’s “Unaware” and Kendrick Lamar’s “Swimming Pools (Drank).” A full review is forthcoming, but at a glance: steady rhythms, delicate keyboard, and punchy drums provide an enchanting base for passionate vocals that flawlessly adapt to songs from disparate genres.
The band started at Georgetown University in 2013 when Danny and Nick decided to room together based on their shared love of music. Their friend Dez would hang around their jam sessions in Harbin Hall, offering her vocal talent. Sophomore year the trio decided to form a real group, and Nick recruited Dan to serve as the drummer. Prior to joining forces, each member had played in school bands and orchestras and took on side projects to learn new instruments. Nick’s take on Dez’s short-lived viola career: “Thank God that’s over.”
They were most inspired growing up by idols Stevie Wonder, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Strokes, and D’Angelo. At the beginning the group maintained “more of an indie-punk vibe – but that morphed into what our sound is today with additions from Dez’s and Dan’s hip hop and R&B influences.” Nick currently likens their music to that of Hiatus Kaiyote and Lianne La Havas.
With each project, they strive to make quality songs and maintain an original style in recordings. The group takes pride in seeing their material through from start to finish: “Everything we do is self-recorded, mastered, and produced. We’re constantly writing new songs and looking for ways to expand our texture palette – and we’re pushing the limits of what we can do.”
Of the numerous DC-area venues the group has performed at, Nick’s favorite is Bossa Bistro and Lounge in Adam’s Morgan – “It’s a great place with a really cool world vibe.” They especially enjoy moments when fans shout out the lyrics to their songs and when fans banter back and forth with Dez.
Mid-concert the four regularly deviate from the script, dropping new songs on the audience to test them out before they’re recorded: “A few weeks ago we piloted a Dez Original titled “Slipping,” and the crowd really went all out for it.”
Outside of practicing and performing, the group members have eclectic favorite hobbies:
Danny likes “learning more and more about recording” while Dan “attends shows and writes about music.” And then we see a split, with the group’s other two members offering a possibly more honest insight into their actual lives: Nick says “theoretical physics” and Dez admits “sleeping.”
Almeda’s 2017 goals include “cut a full-length album by May, play a bunch of shows around DC, and survive New America.” After releasing their new “Peace of Mind” in February, they’re planning to release another EP with three new songs that are currently in the recording process. By mid-May they hope to have another three songs that will then be compiled into their first full-length album. As winners of last year’s Adam’s Morgan Porchfest, they will be featured at the Adam’s Morgan Days Festival in April in addition to playing numerous venues in the DC area.
Check out Almeda’s self-titled EP on Soundcloud and stay tuned for their upcoming single next month!
