Every so often I find myself bored with my current rotation of music and before I know it I am falling down a rabbit hole on streaming platforms trying to find something new to hold my attention. When “Needed A Change of Pace” first dropped on my desk, I remember feeling physically excited to hear a particular arrangement of music I have not heard in awhile. Specifically since I was 14 years old, hearing Panic! At The Disco’s ‘A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out’ for the first time.
At just 20 years old, Bronx based multi-instrumentalist Jhariah has created something truly unique in his newest EP ‘A Beginner’s Guide To Faking Your Own Death’ that takes the listener on a sonic roller coaster ride. With Cole Raser by his side, the two of them have managed to compose nine larger than life songs that tell a unique story about the main character being hunted, and faking their own death with the chameleon-esque intent of disappearing right before our eyes.
Jhariah, on what writing the EP has been like for him and Cole, says:
The main tracks of the EP were written over the course of two years. The opening track “ENTER: A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO FAKING YOUR OWN DEATH” was originally written for a different album in summer of 2019. I think the first single, Needed a Change of Pace, happened at the end of 2019. Once 2020 became…the way it became, I just started working on music nonstop. Debt Collector and Crows both happened super fast, early into the pandemic and really didn’t change outside of production. Bad Luck was the very last song to get finished. I remember frantically editing lyrics on the night I tracked most of the vocals because I still wasn’t satisfied with them. That was the night before I moved out of my parent’s house, so I was sitting amongst all my stuff in boxes, stubbornly trying to finish the song so I could pack up my equipment and go to sleep.
Jhariah has managed to find new and interesting ways to connect with a brand new audience via TikTok. Yes, I said it, Tiktok. Everyone talks about how TikTok is this mysterious wall that can’t be torn down for musicians, and only a select few are able to break through (like Olivia Rodrigo). If you’re anything like me, you are dying to know the secrets to making a video go viral on this new sound oriented social media platform. When asked about his experience with TikTok, Jhariah said:
A couple videos doubled the audience I’d spent 3 years building practically overnight. I couldn’t believe I spent so long not being on Tiktok!
I wish I had some kind of tip or trick to hack the algorithm, but I think it’s really a combination of a lot of hard-to-pinpoint things. To give a practical tip, caption your videos as much as possible! Not only does it make the content more accessible for viewers, but every word that TikTok can associate with your video is another keyword that’s helping it figure out who should see your video.
A Beginner’s Guide To Faking Your Own Death will be available everywhere 23 July 2021 and can be streamed through the link below. Pre-orders for Jhariah merchandise can be found via Chillwavve Records here.
Jhariah is playing a live show at City Reliquary in Brooklyn, NY on July 30th! It’s gonna be a really special show.
