Capital Cities

Los Angeles indie electro duo Capital Cities make synth-forward, horn-heavy songs with platinum appeal. They got their start writing commercial jingles before shifting their bright and catchy songwriting talents into the world of pop. Early hits "Safe and Sound" and "Kangaroo Court" became viral favorites, landing their 2013 debut album, In a Tidal Wave of Mystery, on the Billboard 200. A second record, Solarize, followed in 2018, and other projects surfaced such as their 2025 rarities and alternate takes compilation A Hurricane of Frowns.

Founding composer/songwriters Ryan Merchant and Sebu Simonian first came together in 2010 via Craigslist, working as commercial jingle writers. Shortly after meeting, they released an EP online, which included the song "Safe and Sound," an upbeat mash of programming and melody that went viral and gained the act a lot of Internet exposure. Eventually, Merchant and Simonian were joined by bassist Manny Quintero, trumpeter Spencer Ludwig, guitarist Nick Merwin, and drummer Channing Holmes. The fully realized live version of Capital Cities played festivals internationally, opening shows for Jane's Addiction, Asher Roth, and many others. Their full-length debut, In a Tidal Wave of Mystery, arrived on Capitol in June 2013, followed later that year by the Kangaroo Court EP. The band's innovative video for "Kangaroo Court" earned them a Grammy nomination the following year. They further expanded their audience in 2014, hopping onto Katy Perry's Prism tour as show openers.

Capital Cities returned in mid-2017 with their fourth EP, Swimming Pool Summer, which featured rapper Rick Ross on "Girl Friday." A year later, they issued their sophomore full-length, Solarize. The album found the group shedding some of their pop immediacy in favor of more cohesive album-length experience. They returned their focus to crafting sharp singles soon afterward, however, releasing stand-alone tracks like "Summertime with U" in 2023 and "Holiday" in 2024. In February 2025, Capital Cities collected various singles, alternate versions, cover songs, and other miscellaneous material on the compilation release A Hurricane of Frowns. The album included several remixes, as well as tunes with appearances from Andre 3000, Alex Rzyan, and others. ~ Fred Thomas