It is time we came to some harsh truths as a society. Honest realities, such as: The Bachelor is rigged, Arsenal is the greatest football team of all time, DC is superior to Marvel, and no matter what you say to your friends, Red Light Challenge is a very fun band.
It’s OK, this is a safe space.
For those who haven’t stumbled upon the red and blue duo performing on the streets of Boise, Idaho on a warm Treefort Music Fest evening, situated between Costa Vida and Gyro Shack near the Grove Plaza (by inability to stop performing, not by lack of venue), Red Light Challenge is the ridiculously fun, criminally addictive sound from brothers of Sean (blue) and Kyle (red) Luster who call Boise, by way of Honolulu, Hawaii, home and who have released their latest single “Play Pretend.”
Riding the vivid waves of their 2015 debut EP, soaring on the wings of memorable shows, and seemingly never slowing, even for a minute, Red Light Challenge send off memories of 2020 with a giant middle finger, er, “break up” song for the year we’d all rather forget in the form of their first single since 2019. “Play Pretend” showcases a new realm for the duo, finding success in a tiny bedroom recording, featuring over 200 individual vocal and instrumental tracks (let’s see this performed live), and mastered by Randy Merrill.
Ultimately culminating in an energetic pop, wall-of-sound dance track that hits heavy on bass (in all the right ways), “Play Pretend” proves, in just under three minutes, Red Light Challenge has mastered their formula, even it’s from the confines of a bedroom. One may say, they’ve masters the bedroom? We wouldn’t know. What we do know is “Play Pretend” is a truth you can quickly and confidently come to realize is an infectious, if not all out grooving, anthem we can get behind to say goodbye to 2020.