Formerly known as Cassette Culture, Melatonin Girls is an alternative rock band reigning from Long Beach California. In their Cassette Culture days, they were known for their angsty lyrics, all-black attire, and for being unofficial royalty of Long Beach music venue, Dipiazzas. After a hiatus, Cassette Culture is back with a new sound, a new look, and a new name.
Melatonin Girls were not created overnight. During their hiatus vocalist Jacob Mandel, guitarist Dylan Knight, and bassist Gabriel Bourdeau, had time to refine their musicianship and recording techniques. With these skills at hand, the boys (I mean girls) made their way back into the makeshift studio located at Mandel’s house. Without the pressures of being in an active band, the trio freely spent time experimenting with different sounds.
Melatonin Girls: Jacob Mendel, Dylan Knight, Gabriel Bourdeau, Ethan Padilla
After months of grinding, Melatonin Girls finally had something to show for all of their hard work: a single entitled “Good Graces”. Starting off with peaceful acoustic guitar, this song is a complete departure from their old Cassette Culture recordings. As the track progresses, pitch-shifted vocals, electronic drums, and dreamy synths take the listener on a ride through a kaleidoscopic atmosphere.
Following “Good Graces”, the girls released another single “Open Floor”. The song is more upbeat and dance-friendly than it’s predecessor despite the melancholy lyrics. The track comes through the speakers so clear-cut, it was shocking for me to discover that it was mixed, mastered, and recorded in Mandel’s home studio. The lyrics describe a scene where the author is struggling with the inevitable things that happen in life. Blanketed by a funky bassline and layers of synths, you have to dig beneath the surface to find the true meaning of the song.
With all the pieces coming together for an epic rebranding, the band realized that they were forgetting a key element to reach their full form: a drummer. Luckily for the girls, percussionist Ethan Padilla was readily available to fulfill this empty slot. With experience in another Long Beach band Beach Dust, Padilla has the dexterity needed to keep up with Melatonin Girls.
All Images Courtesy Of Syd Trip Photo
With their songs racking in streams every day, and a few upcoming performances, the future is bright for the quartet. Everything is where it should be; it’s time for the world to know Melatonin Girls.
Catch the girls live October 10 at the Locker Room in Garden Grove with Espresso, This Uni, and The Swells. Stream their singles down below.
