Photo: McKenna Mobley
Los Angeles shoegaze band OSNOVA began in 2018 with some instrumental ideas by guitarist Jean-Claude Vorgeack (JC to his friends). JC remains a lifelong student of “alternative” music, his influences evident from his days as a music journalist and DJ at KXLU FM in Los Angeles. Since his days as a lad, poring over album cover art and lyrics, to years spent in countless underground bands, OSNOVA is the culmination of a life of music consumption from a musician who has finally absorbed a thing or two in his studies.
When JC went looking for a drummer, Sam Ribeyro answered the call. A Russian émigré and man of few words, Sam brought tasteful phrasing and vital life to JC’s home-recorded demos. Sam and JC continued to work on music throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, but their search for additional collaborators wouldn’t come to fruition until July of 2022 when, after more auditions than the two would care to recall, the band found vocalist Caroline McLaughlin.
A Minnesota transplant with formal training in voice and theatre, Caroline’s vocals balance strength and vulnerability, and she immediately understood the band’s cinematic sound. Reminiscent at times of Katie Ball (Just Mustard) in her stronger moments and Toni Halliday (Curve) in her more fragile ones, Caroline’s vocals command attention in a way not often heard in this genre of music.
Osnova released its self-titled debut EP in fall of 2022, followed by the single ‘Octavian’ (B-side ‘For Selene’) in 2023, then the nostalgically yearning ‘Waiting for June’ in August of 2024. This January, Osnova is gearing up to release their poignant new single, ‘Climbing Dues’. Caroline McLaughlin, whose commanding vocals soar over the band’s layered, shimmering instrumentation, comments:
“‘Climbing Dues’ touches on the rising costs of participating in a society that wants to take what it finds most valuable from you. Each generation goes through a similar cycle as we all scramble to achieve what is perceived as ‘success’ until we are ultimately deemed no longer valuable by society’s standards and the cycle starts again with a younger generation.”
‘Climbing Dues’ releases via Dune Altar Records on January 24, 2025 when it can be purchased and downloaded HERE
