Bio

Dallas-based duo, Still Electric, entered the studio back in September to record their debut album, Friend. 3,537 miles, 180 studio hours, 730 days of prep, and at least 4,380 cups of coffee later, it’s finally ready to be released. Friend is an amalgamation of everything that is Still Electric. Weighted lyrics, upfront vocals, unexpected melody choices, tasteful harmonies, rhythmic and soulful acoustic guitar, intricate beats, heavy electronic infusion, and an “everything that works, goes” mentality, with additions like trumpet, synth, cajón, electric guitar, and beats made from an Allen wrench and a hammer. Still Electric’s songs blend the nostalgia of the music you love with unfamiliar combinations that exude something new and exciting.

Still Electric, the alternative-indie duo, met in high school, after Maurice’s family lost their home to Hurricane Katrina, and were bused from New Orleans to a small town in west Texas, where Rachel had lived her entire life. The pair fell in love and married young with the vow to each other that they’d never stop dreaming. They started a communal art group in their small hometown, wrote never-filmed, feature-length movie scripts, and wrote novels, while simultaneously learning how to navigate adulthood.

In 2014, they had the proverbial rug ripped out from under them, when Rachel was diagnosed with a rare and incurable brain condition. She was completely blind for seven days, and after treatment, only regained about twenty-five percent of her vision. The pair calls this moment in their life the best and worst thing that ever happened to them. It was a wake-up call and a reminder that life is fleeting and chaotic, and that if they were going to do something meaningful with their lives, they couldn’t wait. Music had always been the big dream, the scary one, the dream that felt almost too impossible to try. However, facing tragic medical diagnoses and re-building a life from scratch, makes a person brave.

So, they started the band. With zero knowledge of the how-to, just the resounding feeling that they were walking in the right direction. They researched, bought equipment, saved money, wrote song after song, met their producer, and the shape of the band started to take form. They wrote over fifty songs to find their voice for the album. And once they were in studio, with the help of their producer, they took their grounded acoustic roots, and grew them into a pure representation of their souls.

Still Electric’s Friend tackles themes like emotional healing, self-acceptance, and surviving, while saving room for political and cultural commentary. Their over-arching tone, an emphasis on upbeat grooves with lyrics that matter, for those who want to hear the words.  Their album is currently available for streaming everywhere you listen to music!

The Art

The idea for Still Electric’s album cover was born in a wine-induced, manic burst of inspiration. The duo has a deep passion for collaboration, so they started by commissioning a 2.5ft X 2.5ft wooden, tangram heart puzzle, crafted by a custom woodworking shop in Florida. Then, they hit Instagram to find local Dallas artists to paint each individual piece of the puzzle. Each piece representing a song on the album. The artists weren’t given any direction but were just told to listen to the song and paint whatever came to mind. Many creepy DM’s, lots of driving, and tons of meetings later, the album art was complete. A total of nine artists contributed to the piece.

Videos

Still Electric – Move On Cue
(Official Music Video)

The music video for “Move On Cue” is inspired by their obsessive love of the incredible sitcom, The Office (US). The video is packed full of references, 201 references in total, and serves as an epic homage to the show they love so much. While the actual song is about learning how to cope with anxiety, the music video takes a fun departure into goofy, ridiculous antics, and depicts a house party hosted by the duo.

Hi-Res Photos

“Still Electric’s repertoire encompasses sophisticated guitar melodies and skillfully polished vocal harmonies…the chemistry between Maurice and Rachel can be heard clearly.“

Paul Wolfle
founder of Music Interview Magazine

DEBUT ALBUM, “Friend” 

May 10th, 2019

Artist Information

Label || Indie

Genre || Alt-indie, Alternative Indie-Pop

Members || Rachel Africh (vocalist extraordinaire, piano dabbler, and melody maker) Maurice Africh (acoustic guitar enthusiast, vocal spinster, and rhythm junkie)

Location || Dallas, Texas

Influences || Matt Maeson, Alec Benjamin, Maggie Rogers, Twenty One Pilots, Oh Wonder, The Civil Wars, Dennis Lloyd, Darwin Deez, Amy Winehouse, Johnny Cash, Evanescence, Say Anything, My Chemical Romance, Jessie Reyez.

Sounds Like || Matt Maeson, Oh Wonder, Rex Orange County, Alessia Cara, The Civil Wars, Shoffy, Twenty One Pilots, Tegan and Sara, Alt J, St. Vincent

Email || stillelectricband@gmail.com

Bio

Dallas-based duo, Still Electric, entered the studio back in September to record their debut album, Friend. 3,537 miles, 180 studio hours, 730 days of prep, and at least 4,380 cups of coffee later, it’s finally ready to be released. Friend is an amalgamation of everything that is Still Electric. Weighted lyrics, upfront vocals, unexpected melody choices, tasteful harmonies, rhythmic and soulful acoustic guitar, intricate beats, heavy electronic infusion, and an “everything that works, goes” mentality, with additions like trumpet, synth, cajón, electric guitar, and beats made from an Allen wrench and a hammer. Still Electric’s songs blend the nostalgia of the music you love with unfamiliar combinations that exude something new and exciting.

Still Electric, the alternative-indie duo, met in high school, after Maurice’s family lost their home to Hurricane Katrina, and were bused from New Orleans to a small town in west Texas, where Rachel had lived her entire life. The pair fell in love and married young with the vow to each other that they’d never stop dreaming. They started a communal art group in their small hometown, wrote never-filmed, feature-length movie scripts, and wrote novels, while simultaneously learning how to navigate adulthood.

In 2014, they had the proverbial rug ripped out from under them, when Rachel was diagnosed with a rare and incurable brain condition. She was completely blind for seven days, and after treatment, only regained about twenty-five percent of her vision. The pair calls this moment in their life the best and worst thing that ever happened to them. It was a wake-up call and a reminder that life is fleeting and chaotic, and that if they were going to do something meaningful with their lives, they couldn’t wait. Music had always been the big dream, the scary one, the dream that felt almost too impossible to try. However, facing tragic medical diagnoses and re-building a life from scratch, makes a person brave.

So, they started the band. With zero knowledge of the how-to, just the resounding feeling that they were walking in the right direction. They researched, bought equipment, saved money, wrote song after song, met their producer, and the shape of the band started to take form. They wrote over fifty songs to find their voice for the album. And once they were in studio, with the help of their producer, they took their grounded acoustic roots, and grew them into a pure representation of their souls.

Still Electric’s Friend tackles themes like emotional healing, self-acceptance, and surviving, while saving room for political and cultural commentary. Their over-arching tone, an emphasis on upbeat grooves with lyrics that matter, for those who want to hear the words. Their album is currently available for streaming everywhere you listen to music!

The Art

The idea for Still Electric’s album cover was born in a wine-induced, manic burst of inspiration. The duo has a deep passion for collaboration, so they started by commissioning a 2.5ft X 2.5ft wooden, tangram heart puzzle, crafted by a custom woodworking shop in Florida. Then, they hit Instagram to find local Dallas artists to paint each individual piece of the puzzle. Each piece representing a song on the album. The artists weren’t given any direction but were just told to listen to the song and paint whatever came to mind. Many creepy DM’s, lots of driving, and tons of meetings later, the album art was complete. A total of nine artists contributed to the piece.

Press

  The Neo Stag Journal
(Podcast Interview)

Don’t Take It Personal Episode 59
(Podcast Interview)

Central Track
“DALLAS BAND’S MUSIC VIDEO INCLUDES 201 THE OFFICE REFERENCES.”
(Article)

COSIGN Magazine
“Still Electric – Move On Cue (Featuring 201 References To The Office)”
(Article)

VoyageDallas
“Meet Maurice and Rachel Africh of Still Electric”
(Article)

Records Revisited
Episode 39: Say Anything “Is A Real Boy” with Still Electric
(Podcast Interview)

I’m A Fan Of…
#17 Still Electric
(Podcast Interview)

Videos

Still Electric – Through Your Eyes
(Official Music Video)

The music video and lyrics for “Through Your Eyes” were inspired by a difficult time in Rachel and Maurice’s lives. When Rachel was diagnosed with a rare and incurable illness, and lost 100% of her vision for seven days, she began to ask herself, “What if I never see again?” Treatment helped restore 25% of her vision, but the fear of losing it all again was crippling. She realized that no matter what happened, though, she would always have Maurice to paint the world for her, even if she couldn’t see it for herself, and that gave her incredible and life-altering comfort. The message of the song is one of hope and acceptance, even in the darkest times. The doctor featured in the video is the doctor who contributed most to saving Rachel’s vision.

Still Electric – Move On Cue
(Official Music Video)

The music video for “Move On Cue” is inspired by their obsessive love of the incredible sitcom, The Office (US). The video is packed full of references, 201 references in total, and serves as an epic homage to the show they love so much. While the actual song is about learning how to cope with anxiety, the music video takes a fun departure into goofy, ridiculous antics, and depicts a house party hosted by the duo.

Hi-Res Photos