Another Shade of COIN
Jenny Sorto
The indie-pop/rock band COIN, made up of Chase Lawrence, Joe Memmel and Ryan Winnen, released their latest EP, Green Blue. It comes as the second installment of their project Rainbow Mixtape. Each EP is organized by a theme and color to create a diverse expression of the trio’s artistry which they describe as a “holographic image of COIN”. Green Blue has four tracks touching upon themes of love, home and the universe while sonically exploring nostalgic musical influences.
The opening track, “Sprite”, begins with a dreamy intro that transitions into a fast paced beat. Lawrence repeats “I’m coming home” throughout the chorus, highlighting the feeling of being lost and trying to find your way back to a place of familiarity.
“Sagittarius Superstar” featuring Faye Webster was previously released as a single and is the type of love song that feels like a warm afternoon. Webster sweetly sings, “Baby, you’re my baby and I don’t use that term that lightly”, a simple sentiment that perfectly captures being in love.
Meanwhile, “Turnaround” shows COIN in a more stripped down sound with acoustic guitar carrying the melody. The song goes through the ups and downs of self-doubt and indecision that all seem to dissipate when it comes to the person you love. The lyric, “Every time I fly away you pull me back to earth” continues the theme of home that we hear throughout the EP.
The last track, “Earth to God” is an introspective ballad that yet again displays another side of the band, with influences of 60’s love songs mixed with futuristic sounds. When Lawrence sings “Earth to God” there is something conversational that makes it feel like he is singing into the universe asking for answers and has us all wondering if “we’re just floating in space”.
We have been excited to experience the distinctive works COIN have created with each collection of songs. Each EP is like a piece to a puzzle. With every release we get to see a clearer (and more colorful) picture of COIN. In Green Blue, there is a familiarity in the music yet it also feels like something new from the trio. We’re eager to continue to discover the different facets of COIN and what is coming next from their Rainbow Mixtape.
