Biography
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Years Active
2013 – present (11 years)
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Founded In
Orlando, Orange County, Florida, United States
SALES is an indie pop band hailing from Orlando, Florida. The band was established in the United States and comprises two core members: Lauren Morgan, responsible for vocals, guitar, and programming, and Jordan Shih, handling programming and guitar, who also releases music under the name JSHIH. For live performances, they are joined by Malcolm Martin, who takes on the role of the live drummer and percussionist.
The band operates independently and initiated their musical journey with the self-release of their debut 7" single "Renee/Tonka Time" on December 1, 2013, via Bandcamp. Following this, their debut EP emerged in September 2014, with their inaugural album following suit in April 2016.
The formation of SALES occurred in Orlando, Florida, where long-standing friends Morgan and Shih had been collaboratively recording music over the years. Their present project, SALES, accentuates vocal and instrumental improvisation, as well as the incorporation of sampling.
One of their notable singles, "Chinese New Year," was introduced on January 31, 2014, coinciding with the Chinese New Year. This track garnered favorable attention from music blogs such as CMJ, Stereogum, and Pigeons and Planes. Described by CMJ as a "…sandy, sashaying tune with singer Lauren Morgan's slightly cooing vocals skipping over upbeat guitars and a little synthy buzz. At least the Year of the Horse is sounding pretty good so far."
In July 2014, SALES was identified as "Ones to Watch" for the latter half of 2014 by The Hype Machine, underscoring the band's prolific blog presence.
The release of their debut EP was announced on September 16, 2014, complemented by a remix from fellow Orlando artist XXYYXX. The EP's unveiling, along with the track "Getting It On," occurred on September 22, 2014.
A significant event took place on April 12, 2016, when the band conducted a live Twitch stream and listening session, previewing tracks from their forthcoming eponymous debut. The subsequent album, titled "Sales LP," emerged on April 20, 2016, and received positive feedback. The album was praised for its blend of shyness and directness.
The band expanded in August 2016, welcoming drummer Joy Cyr to their lineup for the 2016 touring season. By April 2017, Malcolm Martin succeeded Cyr as the touring drummer, a role he continues to occupy.
SALES released the single "Talk a Lot" in September 2017, followed by "Off and On" in February 2018 and "White Jeans" in May 2018. In July 2018, the band unveiled their second album, "Forever & Ever," featuring cover photography by Malcolm Martin.
As of April 26, 2020, SALES boasts 3,647,906 monthly listeners on Spotify. The band embarked on a tour across the southern United States from March 28 to May 5, 2019. In 2020, two of their tracks, "Renee" and "Chinese New Year," achieved virality on TikTok. Additionally, the band's song "Pope Is a Rockstar" became a TikTok sensation in December 2021.
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