Like most good stories, this one begins with a Craigslist ad: “Let’s get this out of the way first – I have no official music experience.” This honest confession was the beginning of Brooklyn’s GROUPIE, as well as Ashley Kossakowski (bass/vox) and Johanna Healy’s (guitar/vox) friendship. They took bits and pieces from the punk, post-punk, and new wave acts of the ’70s and ’80s that spoke to them most—The Stooges, The Cure, The Clash, to name a few, and gracefully blend them with more feminine influences from the ’90s like Sleater-Kinney, Sonic Youth, and The Breeders, crafting a sound that nods to the past while exploring contemporary themes. Guitarist Eamon Lebow and drummer Aaron Silberstein fill out their sound with textural guitar lines and dynamic percussion.

After harnessing their sound over two EPs, Groupie is about to introduce themselves to the world proper with the release of their debut album Ephemeral, due out January 22, 2021. Ephemeral is a ten-track introspection on the ephemerality of life, memories, and heroes. With warm, yet dissonant tones, it’s a sound that drives right to your heart.