Sandor Gavin is a New Wave/Synthpop artist and songwriter based in New York City. His sound strikes as a powerful combination of different styles and aesthetics. Sandor’s vision is refreshingly open-minded with a sound that is an unapologetic love letter to the 1980s. His music has a lush, energetic, and dynamic feel, and it sports the melodic content that you would expect from some of the best and most iconic names in the synthpop and new wave genres, including influences such as New Order, Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, Talk Talk, and OMD. The diverse edge of his sound is perhaps one of Sandor’s most appealing qualities. Every song pulls from his broad range of influences. While listeners never know exactly what to expect next, his sound is still instantly recognizable as his own. His new single Call of the Wild ( A Fresh Kill) is steeped in adrenaline but chill-inducing in a way that is only possible when a sense of urgency finds no relief.
It’s refreshing to hear traditional sounds finding new expression in 2021 and showing continued relevancy. You have to measure relevancy by more than just sales and commercial standing. Relevancy means that this song, cloaked in a combination that speaks directly to listeners. We decided to catch up with the man behind the music Sandor Gavin for an interview…
What inspired you to get into music?
Music has always been a part of my life. My parents run an opera company, so I grew up in a musical family. I used to be in shows as a kid, but opera didn’t really speak to me. I instead became obsessed with bands like New Order, Depeche Mode, and The Cure. Writing music began as just a bit of fun with my friends, but quickly became a way for me to express everything that was going on inside. The early stuff was pretty angsty and depressing, but it is interesting to look back and see how I’ve changed over the years. Music is kind of like a diary of sorts for me, just one that is out there for everyone.
How would you describe your music?
Everything I write draws inspiration from the music of the 1980s. Growing up as a wide-eyed child of this time, the music had a major impact on me stylistically. My songs range from heavily synthesized to more organic sounds and I like to change up my sound for every album to keep things fresh and interesting. Currently I am exploring more of a groovy feel,
What would you say is your recording and songwriting style?
My songwriting process is interesting. I usually don’t start out with any set idea on where I’m headed or how I want a track to sound. A lot of the time it feels like someone else is writing the music through me, the songs seem to just have a mind of its own. Generally, when it comes to vocals, I like to sing and record nonsense words over the track to find a melody. I will listen to these recordings over and over and eventually work out the words and give the track lyrical meaning. I find that doing it this way allows the song to tell me what melody it wants instead of me trying to fit a melody to words I’ve written. It’s probably pretty funny for my neighbors to hear the process!
Where would you like to see your music career in 5 years time?
Music is a personal journey for me so as long as I continue to evolve, I’ll be happy. I would, however, love to do more collaborations with other artists. There are so many great artists out there exploring retro sounds these days, I would love to have the opportunity to work with others with who I can stretch my sound and grow artistically. Tours in and out of the U.S. are definitely in the 5-year plan. Being a solo artist and having a full-time career outside of music definitely makes that a bit more challenging. It would really be rad to tour with New Order or Depeche Mode, but that’s a pretty lofty 5-year goal.
Where can music fans listen to your music?
My music is available on all popular streaming platforms as well as my website sandorgavin.com.
Click here to listen to Sandor Gavin on Spotify