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Welcome back to Finetuned! Hey there, beautiful people. We do have an ad again this week. Again, I'm still testing out specifically where these would feel great in the email, or not! Feel free to pass along your thoughts by replying to this (or by commenting on the site). I am all ears for feedback, I don’t want this to be a bother, just a way for me to continue growing this awesome community.
I digress, friends, this week we are chatting about Early Eyes. Let’s get into it! ❤
Early Eyes is a Minneapolis-born indie-pop outfit that began in 2016 when its members were still students at the University of Minnesota. What started as some friends making music between classes quickly snowballed into a more serious project as they built a buzz around campus shows and late-night writing sessions. Their early years were shaped by a mix of simply being bored or restless, the creative energy of Minneapolis’s DIY scene, and the tight-knit friendships that formed the band’s core. As they grew, they eventually caught the attention of Epitaph Records, giving their quirky, genre-fluid vision a bigger platform. I have really enjoyed a lot of the bands that have some out of Epitaph, they sign some remarkable talent.
Their creative environment was a blend of midwestern charm, artistic curiosity, and the instability of early adulthood. When the pandemic hit, the band found themselves writing in basements, passing around ideas digitally, and channeling the chaos of daily life into cathartic music. That period of uncertainty, self-reflection, and recalibration directly shaped the sound and themes that define their later work.
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Early Eyes’ sound is a vibrant swirl of indie-pop, funk, emo, electronic textures, and jazzy grooves. They love playful guitar lines, punchy bass, crisp drums, and synths that wobble, sparkle, or glitch depending on the mood. Vocals carry a mix of rasp, charm, and theatrical energy, giving their songs a personality that feels both immediate and unpredictable. One of their signatures is contrast: warm, organic band arrangements collide with digital edges. These catchy pop hooks sit beside broken rhythms and this sort of “out of left-field” production flourishes. Genre? Nah, they are at the genre buffet.
Look Alive! expands their sonic palette into something cinematic, glitchy, and deeply expressive. The album blends electronic beats, layered synths, and bold textural choices with the grounding presence of guitars, bass, and live drums. Songs shift tone rapidly- bouncing from bright, groovy choruses to darker, more ominous passages without warning. There’s a theatrical element to the production, a sense of miniature worlds built track by track, each with its own emotional and sonic identity.
Lyrically, the record is a snapshot of tension, anxiety, and the emotional static of a turbulent era. Themes of uncertainty, burnout, self-awareness, and resilience run through the album, reflecting both personal introspection and broader cultural unease. The writing captures the feeling of trying to stay afloat in a world that’s moving too fast → a push-and-pull between wanting to escape and wanting to feel grounded. The lyrics are honest, sometimes messy, and always human.
Why Listen? The production is adventurous, the hooks are memorable, and the emotional core is undeniable. It’s the kind of record that invites you into its world and says: “hey, things are chaotic, but we’re still here — let’s feel this together.” If you’re looking for a fresh, dynamic, genre-bending album that actually means something, this is absolutely worth your time.
early eyes - look alive!
Finetuned Rec 👇
This, while being clearly pop/electronic, has this level of depth and warmth to the record. I feel a sense of connection to this record sonically. This is a really good one, my friends.
Enjoy the jams, Finetuners!
artist - Early Eyes
album - Look Alive!
album rating - 9.6/10
fave track - Revel Berry
hon. men. #1 - Dying Plant
hon. men. #2 - Trust Fall
Thanks for reading here, Finetuners! I do hope you all have enjoyed this week’s Finetuned. I’d appreciate any insights, admiration, or otherwise. You can email me here: [email protected].
See you all in the next one! 🙌
(Sources: epitaph.com, minnesotamonthly.com, thelantern.com, epitaph.com, matrix-music.com(web header image: Photo by Albie Sher. Courtesy of Early Eyes.)