Ahead of his sophomore album, Nonstop Romance, out June 27 via Revolution / Warner Records, Aryan Ashtiani under his Mareux moniker reaffirms his grip on darkwave music with “Laugh Now Cry Later.” The LA artist and producer is best known for his 2021 cover of The Cure’s “The Perfect Girl,” which made him one of the most recognizable artists in the darkwave and synthpop scenes thanks to a spike in popularity courtesy of TikTok. And just last weekend, Mareux performed to a sizeable crowd at the Cruel World music festival in Pasadena.
In contrast to the rest of the album yet in the spirit of “The Perfect Girl,” “Laugh Now Cry Later” plunges into the darker side of electronic music, with the siren-esque synths being the track’s driving force. At the same time, Ashtiani’s tired, reverb vocals capture the same melancholy as the underwater-sounding guitar, becoming intrinsic to maintaining the gloomy atmosphere.
The decision to dive deep into the depths of his feelings on “Laugh Now Cry Later” was intentional, allowing Ashtiani to Trojan horse the rest of the album and catch fans and new listeners alike in a welcome surprise.
“I started writing this song way back in 2018 and it’s gone through several evolutions since then,” said Ashtiani. “At the time, I was coming off of a bad relationship and was feeling bitter. I brought it back recently, not inspired by my own misfortunes, but those of some of my friends. This song is a standout on the album, not because it’s better than the other songs, but because it’s the saddest song on it.”
Visit Mareux on Instagram and his website to stay updated on new releases and tour dates.
Listen to “Laugh Now Cry Later” the new single from Mareux below!
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