Komox

There was one time on the road I came back to my hotel room from dinner and my entire room had everything turned upside down. The bed, my suitcase, TV, even my shampoo bottles in the shower.

Upon leaving my room one of the kids in the opening band told me it was my sound guy Mitch that had done it. I was able to get on the bus, grab a garbage bag and fill it with ice in the hotel lobby. I told the front desk at the hotel I was Mitch and somehow they gave me a key without asking for ID I got into his room and dumped ice on him while he was dead asleep. Upon returning to the bus laughing my ass off, I found out through the band that it wasn’t actually Mitch that had turned everything upside down, but the kid in the opening band that told me that Mitch had done it.

I went back to Mitch’s room and he was so drugged up and sleeping pills I had to help him clean everything up and put him back to bed. Needless to say, that kid got both of us. - Digital Tour Bus

Alternative indie-rock trio Komox played to invitation-only event at The Sayers Club in Los Angeles on Thursday Sep. 30th, in celebration of their EP Dreaming Awake Vol. 2 release. The venue was filled to capacity with friends, family, and industry. The 30 minute set featured a mix of songs off of new EP and a few older tunes, along with a Awolnation cover of “Sail” and track “Human” mashed with some Oasis.
Bryce Soderberg and the band took to the stage with high energy. The intimate feel of the night had the crowd dancing, and lots of fun was had. Guests left with a four-song Komox sampler that included songs from both Dreaming Awake Vol. 1 & Vol. 2. See the full setlist from the night below!
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DREAMING AWAKE VOL. 2 is now available on iTunes, Apple Music, Amazon and Spotify.
SEE PHOTOS: EP RELEASE SHOW
Photos/Review: Kathy Flynn
Komox’s setlist:
Almost You
Achilles Heal
Untouchables
Dreaming Awake
Sail (Awolnation cover)
Anything
Human (mashed up with some Oasis) - The Vinyl

Komox are a Canadian-rooted alternative indie-pop trio based out of Los Angeles, California. Formed in the spring of 2012, the melodic-atmospheric project was birthed by Bryce Soderberg during his still current days as long-time bassist and backing vocalist of the multi-Platinum rock group Lifehouse.

After six albums and ten years of touring with Lifehouse, the band agreed to an indefinite hiatus, a time in which Soderberg dove headfirst into the LA songwriting scene. “I just soaked up whatever session I could get,” says Soderberg. “I wrote with Pop artists, Hip-Hop artists, indie rock bands and collaborated with a ton of great alternative acts and producers. It was a humbling yet exhilarating experience. I learned a lot, and got chance to infuse it all into this project.”

Today, KOMOX premieres their new song “Human” exclusively with NKD! - NKD Magazine

Since the release of their first EP in January, Dreaming Awake, Volume 1, Komox has been working tirelessly to promote their band among the music-loving community. I spoke with Bryce Soderberg last week about his most recent project. Bryce was the bassist and backing vocalist of the band Lifehouse, which is now on an indefinite hiatus after releasing an album last year.

Bryce has been in a few projects over the years, so switching gears with Komox proved to be an interesting journey. He says, “It’s a big role when you switch to frontman of a band. It’s like switching positions in a sport — it’s the same game, you just have to adjust your fundamentals.”

Through years of Bryce writing and collaborating with different artists in different genres, he eventually connected with his Komox bandmates Pelle Hillstrom and Kris Persson. Bryce attributes the musical sound that the band landed on to their chemistry and their 80s influences (as well as other genres). Their talents as musicians have a lot to do with it as well. Bryce jokes, “Pelle and Kris are both Swedish, and by default are great songwriters.”

The trio is truly able to work together as a team because they all share common ground — they’re all producers and are all comfortable with what they’re doing musically. For the band, this means that everything they do is a collaborative effort. “When we’re in the studio, we kind of create our music like a Ouija Board with our three hands on the wheel and see where the music goes.”

In gearing up for their latest release, Komox has been performing around the LA area, trying win the hearts of new fans and appeal to Lifehouse’s fans who have been following Soderberg’s musical projects for so long. Because of the release of the Lifehouse album last year, Komox has been holding off on releasing their EPs. Soderberg wanted to be able to put his all in promoting both projects separately. And although some of Komox’s songs are a few years old, it doesn’t mean that their impact has lessened. He remarks, “When we play these songs [live], they’re the focal point and the songs that get the best reactions from people.”

The band’s newest release, Dreaming Awake, Volume 2, will be available at online retailers on September 23rd. Bryce broke down what we can expect to hear throughout the 7 song EP’s variety of tracks.

The EP starts out with lead single “Untouchables,” which is a summery song that’s about trying to keep the honeymoon phase of a new relationship going forever.



The song “Dreaming Awake,” which is also featured on the new EP, means a lot to Soderberg. He said “I feel like a lot of the lyrics are very honest and they speak to me a lot when I’m performing or listening back to them. I revisit those moments when they were written.”

Additionally, Bryce says that the song “Anything” was written a time where I just got through a bad breakup. It’s kind of a reminder that if you don’t give in to what your mind is telling you, you can be anything that you set yourself up for.”

And if you’re a Lifehouse fan, the final track “A Million Ways,” might just be your favorite — it’s a cowrite with Lifehouse’s lead singer, Jason Wade.

Of the EP as a whole, Soderberg says “For the most part, it’s a reflection of where the three of us are at musically in our lives. It’s an expression that we’re really grateful to share with people. The fanbase that we’ve built already feels like a family. We’re looking forward to much more of this.”

After the release of their newest EP, the band will be back in the studio, preparing for their next release, which is due out sometime in 2017. Komox hopes to make their way to Austin for SXSW next March and will hopefully be on the road next summer. If you’re looking to get your Komox fix before then, you can catch them at The Sayer’s Club in LA on September 29th at 10:00 PM.

In closing, Bryce said “we’re always moving and growing consistently and making music. There’s much more to come from us.” - Big City Thoughts

SoCalMusicToday.com’s Chris Loomis recently spoke with Lifehouse bass player Bryce Soderberg about his new alternative indie-pop project Komox. Bryce tells us about the band’s new single, their upcoming EP to be released on September 23 and what it’s like being a front man.

Komox’s new single “Untouchables” can be heard streaming on Soundclound here. All things Komox can be found on their website www.komoxmusic.com and Facebook page.

Komox released a new single titled “Untouchables” on August 19 that will also be included on your upcoming new EP. Tell me about the meaning of that song and the decision to release that song first.

“Untouchables” kind of had more of a pop flavor compared to the rest of the songs. It has sort of a summertime feeling conducive to starting a new relationship, kind of like how do you keep that honeymoon phase going forever. It’s a song that resonates with me personally; we just felt it was the right choice to release this song first.

How has the fan reactions to the song been now that it has been released publicly?

So far really positive. You know in this industry when you are starting a new band and putting out new material, it’s always exciting when you get good feedback from both fans and industry peers.

What is the title of the new EP and when will it be released?

The title is Dreaming Awake Vol. 2, we released Dreaming Awake Vol 1 in January of this year. Vol. 2 will be coming out on September 23. It’s a seven song EP, we started a pledge music campaign and those endeared fans helped us make this record and we are really proud and excited to start something new and fresh. This has a different flavor than anything I have ever done and it resonates really personal with me.

Komox formed back in 2012, so you have been a band for about four years now. How did you get together with Pelle Hillstrom and Kris Persson to form Komox?

We have actually been Komox for a little over a year; the band went through a few names and changes through development. After having played with Lifehouse for so long, I felt it was necessary to get out and experiment and play a lot of shows and take on the role of being a front man.

I met Pelle and Kris through mutual friends, they are a couple of Swedes which makes them great songwriters by default and we just clicked and had that chemistry right out of the gate and it just felt like a natural fit. It’s working great.

How does the band create the music from writing to recording? Do you guys exchange files back and forth electronically or do you go old-school and all get in the same room?

It depends. Some songs just happen with a progression on keyboards and we’ll wrap a melody around it and sometimes we will all be jamming at rehearsal and come up with ideas. Songs almost write themselves with us and we just try and capture the inspiration when it comes around.

What is the story behind the name of the band Komox?

It was a town I grew up near (eastern coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia) and we used to take family vacations there. I remember the area being one of the happier places of my childhood. They played a lot of 80’s music in that area when I was growing up like Simple Minds, Depeche Mode, Tears for Fears and those bands kind of have the influence to the sound of this group. It’s a name that means something personal to me and in turn I feel it brings out a lot of positive inspiration.

Do you have any upcoming tour plans or live shows for Komox after the EP is released?

We are planning on playing at South by Southwest in March and then hitting the road next summer and touring for the EP, then also releasing an LP (full album) sometime in 2017.

I have read you worked alot writing songs for others during Lifehouse downtime. How has that impacted your own song writing process?

During my time off with Lifehouse I kind of just dove right into the LA songwriting scene and soaked up a bunch of different influences. This band’s songwriting is a mixture of so many different genres and different inspirations.

I wrote a song for a boy band called CD9 in Mexico that turned out to be a big song, I like to write pop songs, I like to write dark, moody songs, hip hop songs and sometimes spiritual songs. I think this band has kind of like a mesh of all of that.

In Lifehouse you play bass and sing backup vocals. How was the transition to becoming a frontman and taking on lead vocals for Komox?

I sing some leads in Lifehouse so I kind of already had that engrained into my playing. But I always describe it as like changing a position in a sport, like if you are a forward in basketball then all the sudden you change to point guard. You just need to find new fundamentals.

It’s been really fun for me as I used to sing leads for a lot of bands when I was younger and getting back into that mode has been really creatively fulfilling. It’s a lot more responsibility so I know exactly what Jason (Jason Wade – lead vocals of Lifehouse) is going through a little more now – I totally understand it.

It seems today many musicians form side projects outside their main band for more of a creative outlet that allows you to create music outside your comfort zone. Was creativity a driver for creating Komox?

I’ve been really inspired by other artists who have kind of branched off and done their own spin-off projects. Look at Skrillex, he used to be a singer in some EMO bands then started his own thing, so I feel creatively it’s really fulfilling to just get out there and do what your heart wants to do.

I feel like it’s not a side project at this point, it’s an “other project” as it’s such a big part of me now. This along with Lifehouse go hand-in-hand as they both make up who I am as a musician.

How challenging is it to manage being in two different bands?

Right now its lining up great because Jason (singer for Lifehouse) really wants to write for other artists and not really tour or do anything for the time being – I don’t know how long that is going to be. So it’s giving me a really sound opportunity to pursue what I’ve always wanted to do without creating conflicts of interest. So right now it’s just good timing, but we’ll see what happens down the line.

What does Bryce Soderberg like to do in his spare time outside of music?

I live in a beautiful area, this is California, there is so much to do here. You can literally go snowboarding in the morning then play beach volleyball in the afternoon. Music is probably my main hobby. I just like song-writing and listening and pursuing and learning all the time.

I like sports, I like playing basketball and volleyball, hanging out with friends and just kind of checking out any art form anywhere. I like going to exhibits and watching movies and just doing stuff that is productive.

A lot of musicians claim they don’t listen to other music. What are you listening to on your iPod these days?

Musicians should listen to other music, I always like to check out what is going on. I have a very classic-rock taste in music, I grew up on Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, AC/DC. I listen to Jazz, Big Band stuff. As a song-writer, I am always listening to Pop radio and checking out what other song-writers are doing.

For this project, what threw it into a hodge-podge of different sounds is I was really influenced by Imagine Dragons and AWOLNATION back in 2012, just a lot of alternative stuff. What I listen to is a big variation and it is always evolving.

Bryce, Thank You for taking the time to speak with SoCalMusicToday.com. Best of luck with Komox!

Thank You Chris for talking with me – really appreciate it. - SoCal Music Today

There is no emotion more complex or powerful than love. Love is the hardest thing for a person to feel: It is intimacy, trust, loyalty, warmth, devotion, attraction, and so much more all wrapped together in the convoluted, invisible cells of our minds. As complicated as love is to feel, for many it is often equally, if not more difficult to express that love. Words just don’t cut it; there’s too much to say in too few breaths, hence the millions of love songs that have brought people together since the dawn of time.

But Komox’s “Million Ways” is much more than a love song: An earnest indie pop ballad brimming with color and heart, the song captures a full palette of emotions on both an individual and a relationship level. It’s an entire story.

I haven’t slept in sixteen days
My sullen eyes give me away
We’re getting lost in space
Boxing shadows with the hands of time

I try to say in a million different ways
I’m sorry for the things I did and didn’t do
You probably won’t believe me when I’m telling you the truth
There’s a million ways that I love you

Listen: “Million Ways” – Komox


The second song released from Komox’s upcoming sophomore EP Dreaming Awake, Vol. II (out September 23, 2016), “Million Ways,” which Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering today, shows the softer side of Bryce Soderberg (Lifehouse), Pelle Hillstrom and Kris Persson’s band. Komox, which began as a side project for Bryce Soderberg, longtime bassist and vocalist for multi-Platinum rock group Lifehouse, has taken a life of its own since its initial conception in 2012.

Dreaming Awake Vol II - Komox
Dreaming Awake Vol II – Komox

“I knew that it was going to take some time to really develop the project into something I would be proud to share,” explains Soderberg. The band has become an increasing focus for the still-current Lifehouse bassist: After a few delays and some name changes, Komox finally releasing their debut EP, Dreaming Awake, Vol. I, in December 2015. Komox’s importance to Soderberg is evidenced the music, and also the band name: “Settling on Komox was definitely a point where I felt like it got back to my roots. The name comes from a Canadian town I grew up in. It’s my happy place, where I was listening to a lot of influences then that have influenced me now. It means something to me, which, when I hear people say the name, is a nice place to come from… It resonates deeply, on a creative level.”

Soderberg describes Komox’s first two EPs as coming from a place “with a lot of happiness and a lot of pain.” The lead single and opener off the new EP, “Untouchables,” captures the resiliency of spirit and warm California indie pop-inspired energy lying at the heart of Komox, but the true extent of Komox’s depth and relationship with darkness and light can be felt on “Million Ways.”

Caught the last train to second chance
Not the first time we had this dance
Now I’ll do anything
Just tell me what you really need from me

“Million Ways” takes a plaintive moment for both the individual and the relationship and expands it, creating a clear view of the surrounding environments: What’s happened before, what may come to pass, who feels what, etc. The narrator is on his knees on “Million Ways,” trying his hardest to prove his love.

Of course, that’s easier said than done. Singing “not the first time we had this dance,” Soderberg notes how this isn’t the first time the relationship has reached this point-of-no-return drama. There’s hints of communication problems – “You probably won’t believe me when I’m telling you the truth” – sprinkled into the mix as well, alongside a dreadful feeling that the two are headed towards the inevitable, “boxing shadows with the hands of time.”

Komox
Komox

Anguish and uncertainty dance in an irresistible hook as Komox fight for love on its last legs. “I have a lot of heartbreak songs, where I went through a really rough time in a past relationship,” says Soderberg of “Million Ways.” His feelings emanate from the lyrics and the music, amplified by the sense of helplessness he feels in his situation. There’s a million ways that I love you, but none of those, or even all of them together, are likely strong enough to repair whatever damage is done.

I try to say in a million different ways
I’m sorry for the things I did and didn’t do
You probably won’t believe me when I’m telling you the truth
There’s a million ways that I love you

Still, one has to try. You don’t give up on live: You fight for it, against all odds. Haven’t we all been there? No relationship goes untested: All loves, no matter how strong, need to have moments where the flame flickers. Typically, these are the moments where we, as individuals, are our realest selves; in the same vein, these moments of truth are the ones that will most help a relationship grow. To have to go to the edge in order to get stronger; it’s counter-intuitive in so many ways, but love is irrational, and that’s life.

I went through a breakup recently that was really, really hard. For me, this person was my muse for a lot of what Komox was…
– Bryce Soderberg

“Million Ways” embodies a moment we know all too well: The hardest test of a relationship; the hardest strain of love. Soderberg’s personal lyricism, mixed with Komox’s musical ability to highlight the emotional nuances embroiled in that tense moment in time, result in a catchy, resonant and relatable anthemic ballad. The whole story is laid bare on “Million Ways,” and though all the narrator wants to do is put this turmoil behind them and move on, together, he knows that’s not going to happen.

All he can do is try to express his love in as meaningful a way as possible, and hope for the best.

Komox’s Dreaming Awake, Vol. II is out this Friday (pre-order here). Look for Atwood Magazine’s full interview with Bryce Soderberg, coming soon! - Atwood Magazine

Relatively new to the scene alternative rock collective KOMOX – comprised of Bryce Soderberg (Lifehouse), Kris Persson, and Pelle Hillstrom – has been gearing up for their upcoming EP release to show the world what they’re really all about. A project that began when Soderberg’s passion for music wouldn’t sit idle during a brief hiatus with Lifehouse in 2012, KOMOX now has a name, and has blossomed into a three piece alternative indie-pop sound machine.

Dreaming Awake Vol 2 will be released on September 23rd (Dreaming Awake Vol 1 is available now), but we got the chance to sit down and speak with the insanely talented – and polite – Soderberg between recording times with KOMOX. Check it out.

Alright, so for some base facts. What was the first song or album you remember listening to, and who introduced it to you?

It was Guns n’ Roses’ Use Your Illusion II, back in 1991. That was the first CD that I gravitated toward. My friend DJ Page – my best friend in elementary school – bought it for me. That was right before the Seattle grunge scene really started and then I got into Nirvana. There was a lot of CD buying in those days.

So the band name is inspired by the Comox Valley, but I also saw you guys rolled through a couple of other names. What made you land on KOMOX?

We had a couple of changes because we went through so many developmental stages of this project. It started off with me writing songs over the last ten years, just kind of throwing different ideas and inspirations from different genres into it. We knew the band had to play a ton of shows and develop together to get that chemistry going. Just through the phases, we landed on KOMOX because it got me back to the roots of being a Canadian and where I came from musically. There were a lot of cool 80’s bands that I was listening to like Depeche Mode and The Cure and Tears for Fears around that time when I was taking vacations to Comox Valley. It’s a name that means something personal to me, which brings out a lot of positive creativity.

What is the origin story of KOMOX?

Well they’re both a couple of Swedes so, by default, they’re great songwriters. So that’s great. We basically met through the Los Angeles music community which, surprisingly, is a smaller music community. A lot of people know each other and there’s a lot of great networking around here. These guys shared the same musical influences as I did when I met them. I met Pelle when I was going to Musician’s Institute a long time ago, and I’ve been working with him ever since. I met Chris through some mutual friends and he’s a very musical drummer with a great songwriting background. We just kind of lock as a unit within the studio, which is really important, as well as on stage.

Forgive me for not knowing you went to Musician’s Institute. That’s awesome!

Yeah I don’t mention it much, but I met a ton of people and those connections kind of led me to where I am today with Lifehouse and everything. I lived in Hollywood in a dingy apartment for a long time, playing gigs around the Sunset Strip and all that. I moved to Los Angeles to go to school and I just never left.

So you dove into the songwriting scene a lot when you had a tiny hiatus with Lifehouse. Do you have any stories from that time?

I wrote with so many different people – I still do – that come from different backgrounds and different genres. Hip hop, spiritual rock, the scene has pretty much changed these days. And with technology, you can go and write in a park with someone’s laptop and get production done at the same time. I wrote a lot with Alessandro Cortini, a friend of mine who plays with Nine Inch Nails. Tommy Walter from Abandoned Pools. A lot of lesser names and a lot of bigger named people. It’s kind of showed me what’s going on in the music world, what works commercially. It’s also helped me with my own songwriting, kind of pulling from it and being exposed to all these different types of people.

Do you have a favorite track of KOMOX’s, by chance?

I like “Tidal Wave”. I think it has a very vibey atmosphere to it. Lyrically, it kind of connects to some life experiences I was going through. “Raining Gold” was off Dreaming Awake Vol 1 and gets a really great reaction when we play live as well.



Are you in-studio right now for the upcoming LP?

Yeah, we’re literally working on a track right now. We’re experimenting and coming up with sounds. We wrote a lot of ideas over the summer, like 40 or so ideas that we’re just kind of whittling through and finding out which ones are the strongest. We want to make the best record possible.

What’s the production process been like on it? Any days you don’t want to do it?

There are always days where you come into the studio and try to vibe around for a few hours and then you wind up going to get margaritas. Luckily, we have a pretty good formula here where Chris will work on the drum parts on his laptop, Pelle will work on guitars and I work on lyrics. We’re constantly trying to move and be productive. There’s the right brain side with writing and creativity which is really fun and then there’s the left brain side which is logistics with cutting and pasting and editing. It’s not as fun, but both are equally important so we’re getting after all of that instead of staying stagnate.

Your newer single “Untouchables” (off the upcoming Dreaming Awake Vol 2)is absolutely gorgeous. I can’t see it not being a hit. Do you have a story behind it, by chance?

There are a lot of songs that range in depth. For this one in particular, we just wanted to make a fun, atmospheric, summery kind of song that encapsulated the mood of wanting to stay in the honeymoon stage of a relationship forever. This song was about a relationship that had re-convened and I wanted to pick up the slack and keep it going. It’s a personal song for me, there are many layers of the onion to it. Lyrically, and on the surface, it’s just a fun summer song that is supposed to be carefree.



I always wonder about rider lists. Do you guys have specific things you like to add in?

The rider varies from time to time. When I was younger, it was Skittles and Mars Bars and candy. Now it’s a little more organic. Give me your organic pita and hummus. We always want lots of water. Not as many energy drinks, I kind of overdosed on those when we had them. We try to keep it relatively healthy, but we aren’t too boring. I don’t know what it’s going to be like with these guys. Perhaps Swedish Fish or something like that. (laughing)

Who is your favorite superhero and why?

It’s a tossup. I have to say Batman because he’s a human. He’s more vulnerable than the other guys, but he makes it happen and he’s kind of a badass. Plus the best movies are Batman. But Green Lantern is pretty awesome. He can shape shift and mold and do things the way that he wants. But I’d also say Superman because he can fly, has unlimited strength, and only has one weakness.

You asked me a tough question.

But if I had a superpower to pick, it would be that I could run through a library and touch every book and have read it as I touched it. The power of intellect.

That is awesome. Alright, if your music were a donut, what kind would it be and why?

It would be a maple donut because I’m Canadian. Tim Horton’s – a huge donut chain in Canada is like our Starbucks – has a maple donut and it’s a classic. So it would have to be a maple donut with some Swedish candy on top of it. Like Swedish Fish again. Maybe with a side of like a Crystal Pepsi. That’s very 80’s, and we’ve got an 80’s element to our music.

What can we expect next?

Our video is coming out very soon, and the EP comes out September 23rd. We have a show on September 29th, and we’re also hoping to go to South by Southwest and tour this spring and summer in support of the LP. We’re so grateful for everything happening the way it has. It’s very unexpected that we’ve been received as we have, and we’re so thankful.

Dreaming Awake Vol 2 is available September 23rd. - Impose Magazine

While Lifehouse is on the outs Bryce Soderberg isn’t at home sitting on his hands. He’s trying to push to the front with his own band, Komox. In Lifehouse Soderberg was by no means an unhappy member, but the band was always, and will always be, Jason Wade’s ship to steer. Soderberg has always wanted something like that to call his own – something to scratch his creative itch. He’s found that with Komox and its been 16 years in the making.

“When I first heard Jason’s voice, I had my own band going for a long time” said Soderberg talking with Alternative addiction. “When I heard him singing and when the opportunity to play with them was available, I took it. I’ve always kind of been the Scottie Pippen to the Michael Jordan – the support role. When I make my own music, it’s a strong outlet for me personally and creatively. With Komox I feel like I have the opportunity to do that.

The sound of Komox is an interesting one. It’s modern with some great use of synth wave. It’s retro with a lot of influences from Soderberg’s early years. It has a lot of pop sensibilities from the influence that Wade and Lifehouse had on his writing. If you listen through part 1 of the band’s Dreaming Awake, you can hear all of those influences.

“I’ve been developing a sound for years,” noted Soderberg. “For the last ten years I’ve gone through so many different phases of writing my own songs. It wasn’t until about five years ago when I got back into the synth-wave stuff and some of the bands that are making music right now. Most of my influences have been pulled from my childhood and what I was listening to when I was happiest. I was traveling to a little area in Canada called Komox, and that’s what I named the band after. It took a long time to infuse different sounds into what I wanted to convey, but at the end I wound up with this stuff.”

Musically he knew what he was after, but lyrically the writing style was always evolving. He worked and practiced it for years and he took the formula that he noticed Wade used and made it his own.

“Following the formula of what Lifehouse does, I just write off of my own experiences. The most vulnerable and honest songs I have are the best ones. Musically, I’ve always been attracted to a lot of synth-wave music. I was raised in Canada listening to The Cure, Simple Minds, A-ha, a lot of the cool 80s bands. I wanted to infuse that with the modern element that’s happening right now and encapsulate as much honesty in my lyrics as possible,” added Soderberg.

The honesty in Soderberg’s lyrics come from his past experiences and those experiences have mostly to do with relationships and the years and years that he’s spent living life and jotting down thoughts and feelings.

“It’s like they say, a lot of the best songs are about the first five or the last five minutes of relationship,” Soderberg explained amused. “I’ve had my fair share of drama. When I pour my heart into what I’m trying to convey it’s got a therapeutic element to it.

I was always writing when we were touring. I always journal and write down what’s happening in my life. There’s been a couple of co-writes on this record, but I wrote most of this by myself. Lyrically I like to pour in life experiences and some of my experiences in relationships. I had a lot of lyrics piled up from touring.”


Komox isn’t just Bryce’s band. It’s important to note that the other two guys in the band are hugely talented musicians and a big part of the team too. Bryce met Kris Persson and Pelle Hillstrom in the Los Angeles music scene. He told us a bit about the two guys.

“I came down here a while back to pursue music in Los Angeles and I met Kris and Pelle through different friends. Kris is a great drummer and he’s very creative. Pele is the mad scientist guitarist. He adds that cool factor to the band. They’re both Swedish and they’re both great song writers and we had a chemistry that kind of just worked. I love working with them both.”

You can hear the first release from Komox - Dreaming Awake Part 1 right now. The second part of Dreaming Awake will be out just around the corner. It’s being heralded by the single “Untouchables”. After the release of the EP, expect a full LP to follow sometime in 2017 with the band hoping to perform at SXSW this fall. - Alternative Addiction

Komox is a powerhouse alternative pop trio comprised of frontman and bassist Bryce Soderberg (Lifehouse), guitarist Pelle Hillstrom (ModwheelMood) and drummer Kris Persson. Originally formed in 2014, the band’s debut EP, Dreaming Awake Volume 1, was released on December 17, 2015. To herald their upcoming follow-up EP (available September 23), the guys have just released an infectious blast of jangles, hooks, and grooves called “Untouchables.” [Listen, here.]

“‘Untouchables’ is about a rekindling of a relationship, but at the same time it feels like something new and fresh,” Bryce told AXS. “It’s that world you get caught up in when you are experiencing a new relationship and you want to be in that honeymoon phase forever.”

The song is alive with a multitude of sounds and rhythms that whirl about in an exhilarating frenzy, truly capturing that feeling of falling – or re-falling – in love. The chorus, in particular, has some incredible lyrical moments and it features a montage of vivid imagery bolstered by Soderberg's adept wielding of rhymes.

“I worked on that course for a long time,” Bryce admitted. “Jason [Wade] from Lifehouse writes a lot of really inspired songs very quickly. I’m kind of the opposite, I like to sit down and go through the fine detail of how things work. I kind of freestyle the lyrics out first, then I chip away and sort of puzzle piece them all together.”

When asked about his approach in the studio, Bryce replied, “I’m a perfectionist. I like to sit on certain ideas that I’ve thrown down and listen to them over and over and develop them and work on them. There’s the creative side of writing and working, but there’s also the left-brain logical side where you have to sit down and engineer and do all the hard work. Both of those sides are equally important.”

“The way music technology is now, you can really dig deep and get into a lot of plug-ins that give you some really full and rich sounds. I pulled a lot of influences from that ‘80s synthwave sound, but at the same time, I combined it with the modern elements of pop rock that bands like Lifehouse, Imagine Dragons, and AWOLNATION have. I just kind of fused everything together into one pot while adding that personal lyrical content – I write most of the lyrics myself and they are very personal to me, usually they are about something I’ve been going through in my relationships or life experiences.”

“The whole band writes together, as a unit,” Bryce continued. “Kris, our drummer, is fantastic at coming up with progressions – he’s a very musical drummer. Pelle, our guitar player, he’s almost got a Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead) factor to him where he adds that atmospheric element to each song. I think the combination of the three of us works because everyone brings something different to the table.”

Bryce went on to say that even the gear brings something crucial to the table. “We do the synth parts ourselves, and when we play live, we have them running to track – which a lot of bands do these days. Those tracks are like our fourth member,” he joked.

One of the reasons it took a little bit of time for Komox to officially start releasing music was because Bryce wanted to get comfortable fronting the band. “I used to front bands a while back, but I’ve been doing background vocals and bass in Lifehouse for quite some time now. I just wanted to take some time to get my footing back as a frontman before we started releasing new material.”

“Basically, it’s like playing a different position in a sport,” he explained. “You’re used to being the center, then all of a sudden you switch to point guard – you’re still playing the same sport, you’re just taking on a different role. I used to do a lot of fronting when I was a teenager, but I always kind of felt that I took on a much more meaningful role in bands as a bass player and a supporting background vocalist.”

“However, when we started the early version of Komox – which was a band called 2ndwheel – I needed to spend time practicing, working, showcasing, strengthening, and conditioning. I had to relearn what music meant to me and how to interact with an audience on that level. The fundamentals were always there from playing in Lifehouse, but the transition back to frontman was a little bit of a challenge at first. Now, it feels a bit more natural.”

Regarding the name, Komox, Bryce revealed that Comox is a town in Canada (Vancouver Island) that takes him back to his roots. “Some of my happiest childhood memories are from the time that I spent there. I was listening to a lot of bands like Depeche Mode, The Cure, Simple Minds, and a lot of ‘80s bands that actually influenced this project, so the name means a lot to me – it's very near and dear.”

“Untouchables” is out today (iTunes), and the follow-up EP to Dreaming Awake Volume 1 will be available on September 23. - AXS

It’s fun, it’s fresh, it’s catchy, and it makes you grab your loved ones and dance on the beach all night. That’s what Komox’s latest release “Untouchables” is all about.

The boys from Komox, Bryce Soderberg (Lifehouse), Kris Perrson, and Pelle Hillstrom (ModWheelMood), have given us a late summer anthem in which they want to “Ransack Saks Fifth Avenue” with you. You won’t say no and you will be singing along with them in no time too.

Komox is rooted in Canada, but based in Los Angeles California. The name originated from the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, BC, where Bryce spent happy days as a child.

If you want to listen to the track before you buy it, you can do so via the band’s soundcloud. There is a link to their iTunes too, so you won’t be lost before you buy.

The boys are hard at work on more new music and a video for “Untouchables”. Keep checking this space for more Komox news! - CONFRONT Magazine

Happy Monday, readers!

Meet our new Music Monday artist of the week, Komox.

Komox is an LA-based alternative indie-pop trio that features lead singer Bryce Soderberg (bassist and backing vocalist for Lifehouse), Pelle Hillstrom (songwriting partner and ModwheelMood guitarist) and Kris Persson (drums).

Komox played countless shows developing, writing and recording demos around Los Angeles for two years under the name 2ndwheel. They switched to the name Komox Kids, and finally settled on Komox in 2014 (the name is derived from one of Soderbergh’s favorite places to visit as a child growing up in Vancouver- the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island).

The band released their debut EP Dreaming Awake – Volume 1, and are already gearing up to put out new material for their fans. Komox released their newest single “Untouchables” this past Friday (August 19th), which is off their new record Dreaming Awake – Volume 2, out September 23rd.

Celeb Secrets caught up with the band to talk all things music! In the interview, Komox opens up about who inspires their music from day to day, what they’ve learned from themselves as a band, and what you can expect from their new record. They also reveal some pretty interesting secrets about themselves — make sure you read the full Q&A below to find out what they are!

For more information on Komox, make sure to visit their official website at http://komoxmusic.com. - CelebSecrets

New Music to Know: Komox Gives New Life to Bryce Soderberg
You might know Bryce Soderberg from Lifehouse, the trio that exploded onto the music scene in 2001 with the song “Hangin’ By a Moment.” They took the raw rock aggression from the ’90s and mixed it with more uplifting songs, which turned out to be a winning combination.

The band is currently on a hiatus, and these days, Soderberg, the band’s bassist, is dedicating his time to his own band, Komox.

“I’ve always been creative on my own while I’ve been playing with Lifehouse,” he tells Radio.com. “I have a laptop on the road and write songs, I just have this collection of ideas, so I started this project to express myself in a different way.”

“It started with a lot of ’80s groups that I was into, Depeche Mode, Tears for Fears, the Cure, Simple Minds, bands that use analog synthesizers,” he says, noting that Komox sounds quite a bit different from Lifehouse. “But a lot of alternative bands that came out in the 2010s like AWOL Nation and Imagine Dragons and the 1975 also [are influenced by that]. We have pop and even hip-hop elements; we’re a hodgepodge of different influences.”

He understands that Komox may be surprising to fans of his other group: “I really wanted this band to have its own identity, rather than being ‘side-project from the guy from Lifehouse.'”

But he also says that there’s a continuity through both bands: “There is that [Lifehouse] influence, especially lyrically with the universal sort of lyrics.”

He has been working with a somewhat unexpected collaborator: Alessandro Cortini, who has recorded and toured with Nine Inch Nails. “It’s funny, when I started working with him, he really wanted to go much darker, and we started working on a lot of songs that were not very pop. They were very moody and etherial and I really love that sound, that flavor, that he brought. I really learned a lot about analog synthesizers from him. He just opened my eyes to a lot of electronic elements.”

He notes that “dark” isn’t really his thing: “I definitely have that pop-rock influence. I’m a pop songwriter. A lot of that I’ve gotten from Jason [Wade, Lifehouse singer/songwriter]. But the sound of this band is definitely a reflection of who I am now.”


Their latest EP is Untouchables, and Soderberg spoke about the title track: “‘Untouchables’ is a tune that is about wanting to keep the honeymoon going in a relationship. It was resurrection of a past relationship.”

The story didn’t end as he’d hoped. “Since then, the relationship has faltered, but my lyrics are all honest lyrics. It’s not a pity party, I’m good. Everything’s a part of the story. You grow and you learn and experience being a human.”

And even that song sounds uplifting: “I really like to express myself in a way that is optimistic. I don’t really have an outlook on life like the bands in the ’90s did. I really like to have my music touch people, if possible, and effect people in a way that helps people with their lives.”

Komox has released two EPs so far, but he says the first full length is on the way: “This year we’ve been recording a lot, and we’re going to release a record in early 2017, we’re hoping to have a tour going this summer.”

As for Lifehouse, that band may not be over, but it’s not his focus at the moment. He notes that Jason Wade recently signed a publishing deal to write for other artists. “We don’t really have a set plan. we’re not finished forever, we’re just taking a breather, but hopefully in the next few years we’ll do something.” - Radio.com