Aidy (aka 80, aka Mercury Silvers) is an emerging independent singer, songwriter and bassist from Massachusetts. He made his solo recording debut in 2021 with the single “Family Tree”. That track introduced an experimental genre-fluid musician and composer with an organic psychedelic sound.
In less than eighteen months since his debut, the prolific creator has already released three EPs and two singles. The self-described “mellow dramatic 20-something” creates lo-fi post-punk musical tapestries built on elements of alternative rock, indie-rock, indie-folk and avant-garde jazz. He pairs his compositions with philosophical lyrical examinations of society and the innerworkings of his own mind.
80 &the END TIMES is the brand new 4-song EP from Aidy, released worldwide via all major streaming services on January 13, 2023. The record opens on “Dog Days”, an existential treatise on the hottest days of summer. The young poet observes the world as it heats beyond its capacity while the band lays down a loose indie-rock groove that eventually evolves into a Tom Waits-style vaudevillian vibe.
“Unknowns” is a wonderfully loose Pavement-esque three chord meditation on love, loneliness and paranoia. “Aidy and the End Times” follows, infusing a bit of jazz and a touch of 50’s r&b into to the post-punk mix. On the mic, the singer spins a complicated narrative of self-love.
The closer “BIG small” is a real highpoint on the record. Aidy’s mostly acoustic orchestra spins a hypnotic lo-fi web of sound. Meanwhile, he sings a stream-of-conscious recollection of childhood sleep paralysis and social commentary. Here and throughout the EP, Aidy’s esoteric narratives connect at a visceral level. The record is a great way to get lost for 15 minutes
Check out 80 &the END TIMES in its entirety below, or listen on your favorite streaming service. You can also hear the song “BIG small” on the Deep Indie Dive playlist. We had the chance to chat with Aidy about the new record. Check out his answers to our 8 questions below. And follow the links at the end of this article to connect with the artist.
8 Questions with Aidy
Where are you from?
I’m from the South Shore of Massachusetts. I grew up in the suburbs of a town known for its middle class right leaning residents and dead mall. The town’s political leanings are referenced in the first song in the line “blue lines line the streets” referring to the thin blue line I’d see when I was walking my dog this summer.
How long have you been making music?
I started making music in my sophomore year of highschool, but I only got serious about it when I turned 19, and dropped my first track on my 20th birthday.
Who are the musicians involved in your project?
James Drago – Production/ Engineering / Mixing
Xavier L’Italien – Lead/ slide guitar
Zac Rea (Bad News at the Doorstep) – Rhythm Guitar
John Fechter – Classical Guitar
Sam Williams – Drums
Mayssa Bahou – Violin
Bahina Charles – Vocals / Guest Verse
Kathryn Day – Background Vocals
Sebastian Denis (S.E.B.) – Background Vocals
I’m in a band called Roaches, All the Way up with Zac, Sam, Kathryn, and Xav
Who are your biggest musical influences?
I’m a huge fan of WITCH, the Zambian Psych Rock band, and Massayoshi Takanaka, the jazz fusion guitarist. For this project specifically I was listening to the Jan and Dean album, Save for a Rainy Day, as well as The Zombies, The Beatles, Nirvana, Black Country New Road, and King Krule.
Here’s a playlist I listened to throughout the process of the project.
What is your greatest non-musical influence?
Psychedelics. In all seriousness, It’d probably be my Friends, Family, and Real life. My most popular song is about my relationship with my Mom, and the title for Dog Days came from something my Nana said. I find great ideas through downtime spent with my dog as well as the bathroom, all my best choruses are formed in the shower.
What inspired you to create this project?
I wanted to write a whole project with just my bass and vocal, but I was kind of sick of writing about girls and feeling sorry for myself, so I decided to write about girls and feeling sorry for everyone else. Since 2020, I’ve heard an uptick in the opinion that the world is ending and that really appealed to the existentialist in me.
I found it easy to write about the topic because it’s so politically and emotionally charged. People either have the opinion that the notion all together is farfetched, or that the end of times is closer than ever before. People who truly believe the world is ending are few and far between, but these select few can usually tell you exactly what the cause will be and whose fault it is.
What are your plans for the future (musically)?
For the next Aidy project, I’m very interested in trying out house/dance music and the use of cassettes and tapes. I’m also working with impermanent records and a handful of talented hip hop artists to produce a collaborative Alt Rap LP called ROTATiONS.
As far as live performances go I’m playing bass in a band called Roaches, All the way up. We’ve been writing songs as a group for a few months now and have some gigs at Massart and UMass Lowell lined up in the coming months.
Is there anything else you would like to say?
I spent a lot of time working on this ep conceptually and it’s really a window into my mental state since the last project, I’d like to believe I’m maturing as an artist, and even though I’m still coming to terms with my sound (and I’m determined to change constantly), every new fan is a treasured relationship to me. So, Thank you for listening to the project if you did, and if you didn’t I beg you to give it a chance, it’s less than 15 minutes long.
