Single Review: Contagious by Night Riots

Syncopated beats and odd, futuristic synth tunes catch your ear. Forty seconds into the song, a driving chorus has you hooked. It won’t take long for “Contagious,” the infectious new single from Night Riots, to make itself a home in your favorite playlist. Night Riots is an alternative synth-rock band from Templeton, Ca. consisting of vocalist Travis Hawley, guitarist Matt DePauw, bassist Mikel Van Kranenburg and drummer Rico Rodriguez. Hawley, DePauw and Kranenburg formed the band in high school, but by 2010, Hawley left drumming to become the group’s lead vocalist with Rodriguez joining as the new drummer. “Contagious” made its debut during the fall of 2014 with KROQ, but it officially was released as part of the band’s new EP “Howl,” produced by Sumerian Records on January 20, 2015. Quickly becoming popular in the realm of alternative music, “Contagious” already has climbed to No. 3 on Sirius XM’s alt-nation top 18 countdown. The song begins with a funky combination of various percussion and synth sounds, complemented by muted bass lines and Hawley’s soft vocals. Suddenly, the hesitant introduction explodes into a headstrong, fast-paced chorus. The song’s texture is enhanced by powerful electric guitar, louder bass, and pounding drums. Yet, as the song progresses, the interesting synth sounds and echoing vocals from the beginning return and become even more layered as they intertwine with the other instrumental elements. Overall, the song and the band as a whole mesh the sounds of early 2000s new-wave rock bands like The Killers with the electronic dance-rock vibes of more current alternative groups like Alt-J or Parade of Lights. The lyrics relate the constant struggle of human nature to focus on negative feelings and miss out on the good that can come from life as time passes by. Hawley says, “bones rust, decay, and mold,” so “let go — don’t be so vain,” and instead, “look out and into the sky — full of love, full of life.” In other words, it’s easy for people to focus on their faults and mistakes made. This kind of negativity is contagious, and Hawley is telling the listener to move past it and see what the world has to offer. The song is slightly repetitive, but continuity is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, in “Contagious,” it adds to the catchiness of the song. With distinctive instrumentation, powerful vocals and a motivating message, the group’s latest single is a solid representation of their artistry. On a scale of 1-10, “Contagious” has earned itself a nine.