JST FRNDS New EP | Pool Rules
Balancing your work life and your personal life is no easy task. No matter how hard you try and keep them seperate, it’s inevitable that they bleed into each other. It’s a whole different balancing act when your job and your marriage revolve around the exact same thing, your partner. The duo JST FRNDS is releasing their brand new EP Pool Rules. This collection of songs isn’t a reflection, it’s a real time event of finding a happy place and going through hardships with the person you love, all while following your dreams. Relationships are messy, there is absolutely no such thing as a perfect relationship. No matter how hard you try, it’s impossible to be perfect. Callie Dixon and Gabe Neal are the couple that makes up the band JST FRNDS. After hours upon hours of trying to get out of a rough patch, in marriage and music, they found themselves making this EP.
Gabe says, “For us, music and marriage aren’t two separate things— they’re the same job. The same breath. If we’re not okay, the music isn’t. If the music’s off, we feel it in our relationship. There’s no clocking out. No divide between the work and the love. And honestly, that’s beautiful and brutal at the same time. Pool Rules came from that inbetween space—where we weren’t sure if we were making an EP or just trying to stay married. Turns out, it was both.”
They use words like messy, unhinged, grown, and honest to describe the songs on Pool Rules. On the surface, the songs are very 2010’s pop/edm/dance vibes. Like grab a Whiteclaw and go tanning vibes. But if you actually listen to the lyrics and dive a little deeper, it’s a raw string of consciousness about finding love in the dark places. “ONE” is a great example of a very pop/fun song to listen to, but it’s actually about heartbreak. Sugar coated songs are some of my favorites. You want to shake your ass to it, but if you take a second and listen, you better be sitting right back down.
This EP is a perfect summer set that deserves to be on repeat. Although Callie and Gabe have their talents in many other aspects, they finally found the sound they wanted for themselves. Pool Rules officially releases on July 18th, just in time for the hot summer sun and the vibes to be immaculate. Make sure to follow JST FRNDS on their social media to keep up to date with new music and announcements. Links below!
