If you like your music with a bit of character and a healthy dose of nostalgia, then it’s time to wrap your ears around nascent New Hampshire outfit Tiny Wine.
No matter how you look at it, 2020 has had a rather strong bearing on the world of music. While some bands have formed, other have bade us farewell as we look towards the future with a sense of caution, uncertainty, and – above all – excitement of what is on the way.
This is where Tiny Wine comes into play. Formed by Chri Milton and Vertro Ubretl after putting their previous outfit Greed Island on ice, the pair pooled their influences in order to create something truly beautiful.
Borne out of “nostalgia in the remembrance of good times”, Tiny Wine’s distinct sound is influenced by the tape hiss that soundtracked Milton’s childhood, and the lo-fi sound that artists like Daniel Johnston, Smog, and Guided By Voices not only popularised, but thrived in.
Hailing from New Hampshire, in the northeast of the US, the pair are closing out a year of growth, uncertainty, and new musical opportunities by way of their debut EP, Archers. A four-track release issued by Dutch label Tiny Room Records in collaboration with Salty Speakers, copies of Tiny Wine’s debut are available for order now on a gorgeous 7″ lathe cut, or – as it should be – on the trusty old cassette tape.
With new music out in the world, and the future looking bright for these two amazing musicians, we had a chat to Tiny Wine to learn a little bit more about them, and to hopefully introduce you to your new favourite band.
Check out ‘Leaves’ by Tiny Wine:
How did your artist name come about?
Vertro would often bring a four pack of tiny wine bottles to shows and our friends began picking up on it and it eventually became a fun inside joke. It reminds us of good times so what better name to represent this project.
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How would you describe your music to your grandma?
“Hey Grandma, it sounds faded and synthy and pretty. I don’t know if you’d be into it, but I hope you like it. :)”
Tell us about a few of your tracks; their titles and what they’re about?
‘Teeth’ is about the nostalgia of the time when you would lose your teeth and everyone is proud of you for just existing, spending time with people with no weight attached to it.
Vertro wrote ‘Leaves’ in the spirit of recently marrying the love of his life, the thought of getting married in the fall and spending time on the beaches together.
Check out ‘Teeth’ by Tiny Wine
What do you love about your hometown?
We live on the Seacoast of New Hampshire, all 11 miles of it, which is in the north-east of the U.S. We have it all here really, beaches, mountains, big cities nearby (Boston, Portland), deep woods, hot summers, snowy winters.
We also have a great creative community of musicians and artists alike with awesome creative spaces to come together, such as Sue’s Space and Wrong Brain.
Career highlight so far?
With our previous band, Greed Island, we have opened for great bands such as Mannequin Pussy, Pile, Washer, Ovlov, and a whole plethora of others on our tiny tours along the way.
Favourite non-music hobby?
Vertro: When I was six years old I found Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater on N64. That inspired me to learn how to skate and I’ve been doing it ever since.
Chri: I love to play RPG video games and Magic The Gathering, but when I’m not doing that I love to work on my solo music project, Elyphant.
Check out ‘F’ by Greed Island:
What’s on your dream rider?
An N64 with Mario Kart and Super Smash, fresh local sushi, a few 4 packs of tiny wines, bean bag chairs, and a mini ramp.
Dream music collaboration?
Daniel Johnston and/or Guided By Voices
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In every record store but not on the charts.
What’s your go-to karaoke song?
Vertro: I don’t do karaoke, haha.
Chri: I don’t do karaoke either, but if my life depended on it… ‘The Killing Moon’ by Echo And The Bunnymen.
What’s on the cards for the future?
Hoping to tour the Netherlands through our label Tiny Room Records! A big thanks to them and Salty Speakers for putting our music out there. Also a huge thanks to Tone Deaf and Tyler Jenke for giving us some spotlight. (Ed. note: Thanks for being involved in our Get To Know series, folks!)
Tiny Winy’s Archer EP is officially out now, with physical copies available for order via the band’s Bandcamp page.
Check out Tiny Wine on Bandcamp:
