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Super Stereo's Upbeat Electro-Dance Music Makes a National Splash
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It's a Friday night at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, and local electro-pop band Sup...It's a Friday night at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, and local electro-pop band Super Stereo is getting ready to take the stage. The five 20-somethings (two gals and three guys) in the group are wearing sunglasses and coordinated gray-and-white outfits. They look crisp, clean, and cool, as if they're on some sort of mission. Considering the band calls their music "futurepop," it all makes sense.
As today's pop stars concern themselves with the size of their breasts or entourages, Super Stereo defines the next movement of the genre by creating an all-inclusive environment, unifying listeners and letting them know that no matter what their skin color, sexual orientation, or class, they're all invited to the party.
"Futurepop is electronic dance music with human themes and a wide range of emotions," says bass player Statz. "It's also a stylistic thing, where you're accepting of people's styles, and an attitude thing, where you're positive and accepting of people. It's not just music, it's an ethos — it's a way of thinking."
In addition to Statz, Super Stereo includes PM (vocals/guitar/vocals), T (vocals/synth/tambourine), Lo (vocals/synth), and B3K (drums/programming). The group just released its self-produced debut album, This Is Futurepop, in February, but has already garnered a national buzz with the help of MTV.
After signing with local label Fervor Records last year (PM started out as a songwriter for the label), the band flew to New York last fall to shoot a slick video for "Life Passed Me By," a song that pulses with digital snare and soars on a melodic, dreamy chorus.
Since debuting on MTV.com in February, the video has amassed more than 100,000 views and is ranked second on MTVu.com. Fervor's connections with the network, through licensing its artists' songs to TV shows, helped expedite the process, but Fervor CEO David Hilker isn't surprised the band caught on so quickly.
"What attracted me to the band is they have a broad appeal," Hilker says. "Little kids dig them, and they're kind of embraced by the hipsters. And with their retro-synth sound, they have people who dig '80s [music]. I also was attracted to them because of their strong work ethic. They're not afraid to . . . tour and work hard."
Yep, little kids even like them. The band has played everything from a kids' show to DJ sets to dive bars, often appearing with bands outside their genre because, the band says, the electro-pop scene in the Valley is still emerging. Their music has found even more national exposure, though, by appearing on TV shows such as Parks and Recreation and, next month, The Real L Word.
And it's all been a whirlwind since the band formed two years ago. The members found each other through social networking, bonding over a desire to launch a project that was about more than simply music. They discussed stimulating visuals and a strong message, too. The band's members say the chemistry they feel with each other has kept them strong. They're already writing a sophomore album and have plans for a West Coast tour this summer.
"I think, internally, one of the reasons this band works is there are a lot of different minds — kind of like a unit, where we all have our jobs; kind of like a space shuttle team," Lo says, explaining the influence that space and science have on Super Stereo's vision and lyrics. "And I feel like having two females in the band is pretty unique — and super-helpful if I ever forget my eye shadow at home."
Super Stereo's choreographed live shows are fun to watch. That's why Ignite Phoenix music manager Erika Delemarre decided to book the band for a show at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. "You can tell they truly enjoy what they're doing, and their positive energy is contagious," Delemarre says.
Delemarre also points out the impressive online marketing skills of the group. "The band members regularly blog about engaging topics that relate to their music, shows and fans, and frequently post funny behind-the-scenes video clips that keep their audience captivated," Delemarre says. "Between the blogs, videos and Tweets, the futurepop stars have developed a transparency that reveals they're all just ordinary 20-somethings with extraordinary passion to do creative things and share their music with the world."
The band is branching out from music even more with an upcoming comic book detailing the origin of the band. They plan on releasing follow-up issues about each member.
Super Stereo has lofty goals. They hope to be the biggest band to ever come out of Arizona. Considering the group can pack such venues as The Rogue, Rhythm Room, and Yucca Tap Room (which they'll play Saturday, July 9, for the venue's first all-ages show) with a diverse group of fans, it doesn't seem unattainable. Fervor Records co-owner and co-president Jeff Freundlich says the band's story keeps snowballing, thanks in part to their energetic performances.
"Their live show is killer," Freundlich says. "It's really like a big party. It's just guys and girls dancing their asses off. If you like that kind of thing and want to be a part of that, that's exactly what Super Stereo is."
And though it's as simple as getting people to shake their booties in unison, it's that kind of positive group thinking the band hopes to achieve. "Futurepop is dance music to get people to dance all together, from any walk of life, because when you're dancing, you're having a good time," Lo says. "We want people to forget their troubles, their everyday stress, and dance and be happy."
And if that's the future of pop, it sounds like a very fun place to be.
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THE FUTURE OF POP
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With new CD and video, local band Super Stereo could be the next big thing
“We want to show Phoen...With new CD and video, local band Super Stereo could be the next big thing
“We want to show Phoenix, and the world, that we are here to blow it up.”
Cosmic, catchy, charismatic, creative and cool are adjectives that describe the sound, and world, of the local band Super Stereo.
The five-member group labels their sound as “futurepop.” What’s that?
“If Passion Pit met Prince, you would have Super Stereo,” said the band’s creative force, PM Nightly (members of the group go by stage names). “We have a sound combination of electric with dance, and super-pop fused with lots of harmonies. Our sound is very vocal and dancy, with lyrics blending the futuristic space age with the soul music of the ’60s.”
The band blends new ideas and sounds, mixed with classic and familiar themes. Even the group’s wardrobe and make-up is designed to be futuristic.
Formed a year ago, the band’s composition is a lot like their sound — diverse. Each member brings a unique component to the mix, creating a cohesive group.
Vocalists and synth players Lo and PM Nightly, along with singer T, blend their harmonies, with layered texture in almost every song’s chorus. Stanko provides bass skills, with Bryon setting the pace with drumbeats.
In September, the group released their first full-length album, This Is Futurepop. The band is signed to Phoenix-based Fervor Records, an artist-friendly independent label with a history of licensing music to television, advertising and film that’s working to launch emerging indie acts.
“We have brought something completely new with this album: music for everyone!” Lo said. “It’s dance music you don’t think of, and the creative process was like an assembly line of songwriting.”
The band worked on one song at a time during the recording process, which took a month to complete. With the majority of the engineering done by PM Nightly, This Is Futurepop is a polished album for a debut release by young artists.
“Everyone contributed their own significant parts, and I just assembled the masterpiece,” PM Nightly said.
Lo described the production of the album. “When we started this project, we decided that we needed to redefine how the ‘futurepop’ genre would be remembered. This is the origin of Super Stereo and how we create music together. Our purpose is to show the world the future of pop m
The band recently returned from a trip to New York, where they filmed their first video for their single “Life Passed Me By.” The video was shot at the legendary Brooklyn rock club Trash Bar and directed by Nick Morrison using state of the art Red Cam technology.
PM Nightly wrote about the experience on the band’s blog: “To describe our trip to New York City as a tour de force, a blur, or a whirlwind would be an understatement no matter what flowery language I choose to use.”
After opening local concerts for national acts, such as Har Mar Superstar, MEN and Wallpaper, Super Stereo is gaining super-speed momentum, booking shows in the Valley and statewide. They have performed at Yucca Tap Room in Tempe, Club Congress in Tucson, and Rhythm Room, Black Forest Mill, Hard Rock and Club Sanctum, all in Phoenix.
The group also has plans for a winter regional tour of Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah and California. “We want to show Phoenix, and the world, that we are here to blow it up,” Lo said. “We want everyone dancing and to create a safe atmosphere for our audience to do so.”
“When we perform, we emulate that atmosphere and create a fun party to boot,” PM Nightly said. “Dancing allows you to express yourself and to just be who you are.”
In October, Super Stereo was the first full live band ever to perform at the Rainbows Festival. “We got such a good response and it was a perfect audience to perform to,” PM Nightly said. “We wanted to connect to the gay community, and like our music, this target group of people crosses a lot of age, race and interest lines. We exposed ourselves to this new audience, with people from all walks of life who came together for one weekend of celebrating who they are; it was a great experience!”
“In an almost perfect embodiment of our hopes and dreams for the future, Super Stereo speaks to and on behalf of us all, male or female, gay or straight, etc. etc.,” Lo said. “Maybe you’re into beats, maybe you’re into a catchy melody, and maybe you love a beautiful lyric. We are the combination of all those things. And because we’re such an eclectic group of people, we’re able to bring all of that to the table. It’s hard not to get hooked.”
Where to find Super Stereo
Website: superstereoband.com
MySpace: myspace.com/superstereo
Twitter: twitter.com/ohsuperstereo
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2011 Best Local Records
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Super Stereo's synth-driven songs are catchy, danceable, and brimming with upbeat messages about mus...Super Stereo's synth-driven songs are catchy, danceable, and brimming with upbeat messages about music as a unifying force. The video for Super Stereo's single "Life Passed Me By" has been viewed more than 100,000 times on mtv.com websites, and the band is the subject of our July 7 music feature.
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Super Stereo—support your local music!!
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While the Valley of the Sun slowly snowballs into an up-and-coming place for musical talent, young a...While the Valley of the Sun slowly snowballs into an up-and-coming place for musical talent, young and old, residents need to remember an important factor—to bring on the support.
Take, for example, the infectious, poppy, funky musical stylings of Super Stereo, a local band from Tempe. They've been around for quite some time, but have broken through the main stream recently after being signed a Fervor Records. The band's high-energy live show has garnered a mass following of fans, from feverish synth-pop dancers to lovers of electro-spacey style.
While the Valley of the Sun slowly snowballs into an up-and-coming place for musical talent, young and old, residents need to remember an important factor—to bring on the support.
Take, for example, the infectious, poppy, funky musical stylings of Super Stereo, a local band from Tempe. They've been around for quite some time, but have broken through the main stream recently after being signed a Fervor Records. The band's high-energy live show has garnered a mass following of fans, from feverish synth-pop dancers to lovers of electro-spacey style.
Super Stereo's debut record, THIS IS FUTUREPOP, overlays sexy beats with grinding riffs and a trio of lead vocalists; T, Lo and PM Nightly. Combined with drums (played by Bry) and bass (Statz), the shimmering web of harmonies, synths, drumming and guitars has catapulted this band to the next level. It's somehow disco...yet organic. Mainstream....but too intriguing to cease listening.
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Super Stereo filmed their video for "Life Passed Me By" in the chosen backdrop of Brooklyn New York. The band is currently on mtvU this week to be voted on for best music video.
I tell you about this band because they are talented, and you can help support local music, no matter whether you like metal, hip hop, industrial (speaking of which, you'll be hearing about Access Zero soon) or....this.
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Super Stereo: We Are Futurepop
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Britten Leigh Heft: PM Nightly, I would like to start by congratulating you on Super Stereo’s latest...Britten Leigh Heft: PM Nightly, I would like to start by congratulating you on Super Stereo’s latest video, Life Passed Me By, voted Most Viewed #1, Most Commented #1, Most Shared #2, Highest Rated #1 first 5 days of release by MTV.com. (click HERE to watch video)
PM Nightly: It may sound cliché, but its freaking awesome. I always knew our music could appeal to a lot of people, but this was unpredictable at best. I can only thank all of those who took the time to make this happen. Our one promise is simple. We'll never stop!
BLH: Who directed the video and what mood were you trying to capture?
PMN: The whole band (5 of us; 2 girls and 3 guys) flew to New York City to team up with Nick Morrison from Astronaut / RGB2 Creative for our first video. We worked with Nick for several weeks trying to capture the heart and soul of the single “Life Passed Me By”. We knew we needed to portray our energetic, futuristic and spacey live show, while telling the story of lost love. When we arrived in New York City, Nick had lined up an amazing cast of professionals capable of getting the job done in just 2 short days. Nick was also responsible for finding "the girl," Daphne Eve Fernberger, who was a perfect fit to play the love interest in the video.
The theme of the song is to never take anything for granted, especially love. Daphne’s youthful energy and spirit will remind everyone of that person they were madly in love with when they were young. My goal when writing the song was to tap into that feeling and remind people that it’s never too late to go after what you really want.
BLH: Does Super Stereo as a whole have a mission?
PMN: Super Stereo has a mission and it involves everyone. Our music is less about our personal goals than it is about creating a ground movement. I describe our sound in the same way I would describe myself and everyone out there listening. We are Futurepop. Futurepop is more than a blend of electropop and dance music, it is a style of living and a way of being.
Essentially we want to create a world for our fans and for ourselves to live freely, openly and energetically. I can’t give enough credit to Lady Gaga for pioneering an idea similar to this for her “Little Monsters” campaign. She cares for her fans more than we will ever know. I can only hope we can offer this same concept one day and take it to the next level. Inclusion for all! For Super Stereo, Futurepop is our way to connect and inspire people to live in a new world.
BLH: Right on! Can you tell me a bit about your band mates?
PMN: The band consists of the following (including me):
T: One of the best vocalists in our band, she combines a sexy feminine appeal with a rough-and-tumble, full-of-attitude brand of kickass necessary for any diva with star power.
Lo: Has an amazingly unique vocal style with universal appeal. She is an all-knowing creative force and her power to love and connect with the emotion of the world and its people is unrivaled.
Statz: Brandishes a Bass with the power to light up the dance floor. This steely-eyed Adonis possesses the looks to kill and the personality to heal all.
B3k: Is the rhythmic life force of the Supers. He was born in a synthetic galaxy where dance music is akin to gravity and more important than time by a factor of 3000.
BLH: Love to love how you speak of them! How did you all meet?
PMN: Well, given my description of our band mates above, you might have guessed our meeting must be extraordinary. We will be releasing a series of comics through our web site, superstereoband.com later this year detailing these events so I can not reveal this information at this time. The comic will be created by an exceptional graphic artist, John Taylor, and will debut at the Phoenix Comicon in April.
BLH: That is the best response/non-response ever! I almost want to kick myself for asking. I mean, of course Super Stereo would have a comic series! Perhaps a sneak peak in the near future? How did Super Stereo come to be?
PMN: Super Stereo was a more of a meeting of the minds than anything. Every current member was looking to do new things in music that their former projects were not structured for. I put out the initial call to create a futuristic pop band unlike anything our town had ever seen. Little did I know that I would find such talented people and expand my horizon to the world in the process.
BLH: Obviously, you guys like to get down on the dance floor- what artists make you shake your rump?
PMN: It would be simplest to tell you who I’m listening to at the moment. There are just so many ways to "shake it," you might need another article! In general, I’m a big fan of remixes…
Right now...Cut Copy, Sneaky Sound System, Calvin Harris, Lady Gaga, Miike Snow, Chromeo, and, of course, the amazing T.A.B.S. Remix of Life Passed Me By.
BLH: Hey, I'm all for a "shake it" discourse article or perhaps and entire "shake it" blog. Live shows vs. clubs… how do you transform a dance club vibe into your live shows?
PMN: For Super Stereo, it’s all about the visuals. Once you can get the audience to lose themselves in the visual aspects of the performance, then and only then, can we deliver our brand of dance music. It really comes down to the idea of complete entertainment. If we provide complete stimulation of the senses, we can throw a show just about anywhere and achieve the same “clubby” result.
BLH: What do you love about performing live?
PMN: Energy, energy, energy. When you bring happiness (even if it’s momentary) to another living person, you can feed off that energy and can, in turn, give it right back. The biggest crowd I've ever stood in front of was 20,000 strong. I can’t describe what it felt like, but I do know that I want to feel that power again.
BLH: That must be like the most stellar high ever. Super Stereo is crazy busy through till the spring around the Left Side of the States, NYC wants you! Any plans to tour the East Coast?
PMN: NYC is hot on our list of places to play. When we filmed the video we met a lot of friends and made many new fans. Ideally, we will come up for one of the city's many amazing music festivals. To answer your question in short...soon.
BLH: I can't wait! Be sure to let us know when you'll be in NYC and when the Super Stereo sonic comics go live!
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Super Stereo
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Super Stereo's infectious Pop hooks and compelling live show have catapulted the band into the psych...Super Stereo's infectious Pop hooks and compelling live show have catapulted the band into the psyche of dance floor maniacs from 1980s Synth-Pop Fiends to Modern Electro Hipsters.
Their debut Fervor Records release, THIS IS FUTUREPOP, lays claim to and re-defines the genre with crunchy riffs, futuristic lyrics and seductive beats delivered in an Indie Pop package.
What is Futurepop? According to Super Stereo "It's not just a musical genre, it's a movement promoting unity and freedom of expression. Futurepop is a utopia bound together by sparkling Pop music and funky grooves, where all differences and tension of the human race disappear on the dance floor."
The band's organic rhythm section, held down by Statz (bass) and Bry (drums), lay the foundation for a trio of lead vocalists. T, Lo and PM Nightly's intricate harmonies, synths, guitars and percussion are enough to power an intergalactic journey.
In the words of U of A journalist Brandon Specktor, Super Stereo is "the product you might expect if Passion Pit and Prince were forced to share the same spacecraft and compose . . . in geostationary orbit."
The Tempe, Arizona outfit chose Brooklyn, NY as the backdrop for their debut video, Life Passed Me By. Shot on the Red One by director, Nick Morrison of Astronaut, the video brings the Futurepop movement to the screen with footage from Super Stereo's high-octane live performance at the notorious Trash Bar and features up-and-coming sensation, Daphne Eve Fernberger.
Super Stereo is poised to light up airwaves and melt dance floors across the universe as they bring Futurepop to a city or town near you.
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Super Stereo Launch Into The Future of Pop
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When not studying the intricacies of the universe at ASU, Patrick McGarey sings about them in front ...When not studying the intricacies of the universe at ASU, Patrick McGarey sings about them in front of gyrating club-goers and psychedelic lights.
You'll find him dressed in all white, perched behind a dual keyboard/drum-kit/guitar stand that he built in a machine shop class, or standing front and center crooning about the difficulties of intergalactic romance. Under the stage name PM Nightly, McGarey is a lead creative force behind Super Stereo, a 5-piece futurepop outfit from Tempe who will introduce Club Congress' Optimist Club to a new galaxy of sound tomorrow night.
But what is futurepop? Super Stereo has anticipated this question and answers it with their debut album on Fervor records. This is Futurepop. The tracks are electric and airy, loaded with crunchy synth riffs and irresistible dance beats. Behind space-themed lyrics is a distinct indie pop vibe, mixed with soulful male-female vocal harmonies. It's the product you might expect if Passion Pit and Prince were forced to share the same spacecraft and compose an EP in geostationary orbit.
"Modern music has a lot of hate in it," McGarey said of the band's philosophy. "We want to take the vibe that the soul music of the '60s had, and we want to focus on the love and tie that into the future. We deal with love in the coming generations."
The song "Life Passed Me By" is a prime example of space-age loving. While rocketing away from Earth at the speed of light, a nostalgic narrator pines for his lover back on the surface who is aging astronomically faster than he is. You don't need a quantum physics degree to sympathize.
Super Stereo's This is Futurepop is scheduled for release in December but in the meantime, you can get a copy at their show tomorrow. Join the gang at Optimist Club for a cosmic time.
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Super Stereo - "Life Passed Me By"
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Happy Electro Pop Monday! I wanna share with you a fab new song and video from Super Stereo called "...Happy Electro Pop Monday! I wanna share with you a fab new song and video from Super Stereo called "Life Passed Me By" - lots of great singing, a hooky chorus and a wicket beat makes this one catchy pop single...
Super Stereo is from these parts (Tempe, AZ), and the group's brand new CD is called "This is Future Pop", released last week. Here's what they wrote on their blog page:
"In the span of about a year and a half, Super Stereo formed as an idea, and then as a band. We wrote some songs together. We played some phenomenal shows to some packed houses around town and caught the attention of a local Record Label. They signed us. We recorded an album. We played over 20 shows all over the state. We flew to New York City to record a music video for our single. We released our single worldwide and premiered our music video just a couple weeks ago. And now…the album!"
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Tempe's Super Stereo Getting Lots of Love on MTV.com
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Tempe electro-pop act Super Stereo is scoring tons of views over at MTV.com. As of today, their vide...Tempe electro-pop act Super Stereo is scoring tons of views over at MTV.com. As of today, their video for "Life Passed me By" is the highest rated on the site, as well as at the top of the "most commented" catergory and second on the "most shared."
The video has 12,000 views in three days and is above Pink, Ke$ha, Pitbull and Talib Kweli
Help these locals out by clicking through above or searching out their new album This is Futurepop on iTunes.
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Super Stereo is Tempe based Future Pop
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It wouldn’t be too outlandish to say that Super Stereo might be the next big thing. The band has bee...It wouldn’t be too outlandish to say that Super Stereo might be the next big thing. The band has been steadily gaining a local fan base as well as getting their devilishly catchy electronic pop out into national ears. The 5-piece band is based in Tempe and utilizes 3 lead singers and enough synthesizers to make the 80s proud. Their sound is not far from Ke$ha, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, or most other things currently spinning on Mix 96.9. The band members are known to the public as PM Nightly, T, Lo, Statz and Bryrobot.
The band’s debut album, titled This is FuturePop was released in February of 2011 and has been garnering quite a bit of attention. The band’s first single, “Life Passed Me By” became the #1 requested single on 106.7 KWSS just 3 days after its release. The catchy quality of the song is so powerful that the band has even been receiving some attention over at MTV.com. Just a few days after its release, the band’s video for “Life Passed Me By,” was both the highest rated and most commented video on the site. It also hit 2nd place in the ‘Most Shared’ category and clocked in over 12,000 views in 3 days.
As far as the future goes, the band has quite a few shows in and around Arizona planned. Make sure to catch them now before they’re off touring the nation. Future shows include one at 910 Live, a spot in Flagstaff’s Pride in the Pines and a pair of shows at The Rogue Bar. Check out more info about the band and future shows at Superstereoband.com. And if you really feel like getting something stuck in your head, check out Super Stereo’s music video for “Life Passed Me By.”
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Phoenix Pride Festival Entertainment
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This Is Future Pop
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Sounds like snappy 80s background with enthusiastic 90s vocals. They have an interesting blend that ...Sounds like snappy 80s background with enthusiastic 90s vocals. They have an interesting blend that I haven't heard before, kind of like a re-vamp of all your favorite 90s bands like Spice Girls. I feel like they could be great as theme music to a kids show. Its a bit too cheesy for me, but if you like pop, especially 90s pop, you will like this because it has more layers than their 90s predecessors. Lyrics are intended to bring a positive message through electronic music that is usually lacking in the banal, useless, or simply poorly translated lyrics for most of the genre. I commend them for their efforts and they somewhat succeeded. If only the cheese factor was a bit lower. Maybe I'm just lactose.
