Indie artists in Syracuse are using the power of technology to make sure their music is heard. With platforms such as SoundCloud, Bandcamp and Spotify, artists are now free to distribute grooves to anyone, anywhere — returning meaning to “indie,” or independent, artists.

Mason Sunderland is a Syracuse-area musician who self-produces indie pop. Sunderland began playing music at age 10, when his mom bought him a guitar. Soon after that, his grandfather began teaching him to play.

“He taught me how to play blues scales and basically taught me how to play the guitar,” Sunderland said.

From there, he started performing at shows with his grandfather, along with several bands in high school. In 2015, Sunderland was recording his own music, and in just a few years, he was releasing EPs and a 2018 debut album, “Zeroes!” Sunderland said he draws influences from acts such as Elliott Smith, David Bowie and Big Star.

For the artist, a simple musical structure paired with a good melody are the keys to writing catchy pop songs.

“It makes people come back to your music, it’s why people go back to the Beatles. It’s what makes pop music so catchy,” Sunderland said.

Sunderland released a new EP, titled “Actor,” this past August. The EP displays heavy 60s baroque influences on top of Sunderland’s already melodic sound. Sunderland said he believes this EP is an improvement from his debut album.

“It’s definitely a step up. My first album was all over the place,” Sunderland said. Fans can expect a new full-length album later this year, he added.

Max Marcy, a sophomore sound recording technology major at Syracuse University, is also a self-producing, guitar-driven indie performer.

Similar to Sunderland, Marcy began his music career playing the guitar. His mother also bought him one, following relentless pleading from her fifth-grade son.

“I’ve just been taking lessons and recording the music I like since then,” Marcy said.

In high school, he played in a ska band called The Cuddle Fish. That’s when Marcy said he discovered his music tastes and learned how to perform. Marcy said ska, punk and emo serve as principal influences when crafting his sound, referencing bands like Joyce Manor and Minor Threat.

Marcy recently self-released a single titled “I’m Sorry,” which he described as “folk punk.”

“I recorded it in a dorm room. It’s high energy, a lot of acoustic guitars,” Marcy said.

Marcy plans to release a full, studio-recorded EP in the near future. As Marcy progresses, he said he does not want to lose touch with his artistic independence.

“Being an independent artist, you have complete control over your product … It’s just better, I think. I might sign to a label, but I still what to have that DIY sound,” Marcy said.

Indie music has evolved to encompass more than just rock and pop. Lemuel Thyret — a sophomore communication and rhetorical studies major at SU who goes by Big L.C.T. — is putting out fresh indie rap.

Thyret produces up-tempo, energetic hip-hop akin to hits from G-Eazy and Drake. His biggest influences are other indie rap contemporaries, such as Russ and William Bolton.

On each track, Thyret pays careful attention to the crafting of his lyrics. Rarely does he start from a first draft — he said he usually rewrites a track two to three times.

Most of the production on his albums comes from his childhood friend, Jesse Evans, who goes by the producer tag Evince. The two met in middle school and found a mutual interest in music, bonding over the craftsmanship of song-making.

Thyret self-released his debut album, “Trendsetter,” last week. The album is made up of most of the work he has put out in the past year and a half. “Trendsetter” touches on a variety of subjects, including first loves and the celebration of newfound fame.

Moving forward, he plans on releasing a string of EPs in the next year and wants to make music full time, on his own. As the internet-music landscape evolves, more independent artists like Thyret will utilize online platforms to pursue music on their own terms — in hopes of making it big without a record deal.

“If I can pay my bills and do this independently, that would be insane to me. That would be the dream,” Thyret said.

Published on October 10, 2018 at 9:27 pm

Contact Tighe: tgugerty@syr.edu