beaming blossomed through a series of fated encounters in Los Angeles, where both Derek Ted and Braden Lawrence had found themselves after years of working in different sectors of the music industry. On the West Coast, Derek cut his teeth in the DIY music scene of the San Francisco Bay Area, busking around the East Bay while studying audio engineering, then working at SF’s Tiny Telephone Studios. When he moved to Los Angeles, he converted his garage to a studio, eventually producing with artists like Field Medic, Dora Jar, Hunny, and Jess Rutherford. On the East Coast (Pennsylvania, to be exact), Braden spent the last decade or so touring with The Districts, a band he started with friends back in middle school. Signed to Fat Possum Records right out of high school, they skipped college to embrace the rock-and-roll lifestyle. Over the years, they toured with acts like Modest Mouse, Hippo Campus, and Dr. Dog. Throughout this time, Braden expanded his musical skills, learning a range of instruments and honing his craft – experience he now brings to beaming.
Braden, often behind the kit in Derek’s studio sessions, gradually became the heartbeat of Derek’s live performances. Recognizing their creative chemistry, the two eventually launched their indie-pop project together. Their self-titled debut EP, out now, is a collection of the songs they’ve crafted to date. While Braden handles most of the instrumentation, Derek is on that “Rick Rubin” mindset, shaping the vision through songwriting, production, and big-picture direction. It’s a bi-coastal collaboration that builds a lush, melodic dreamscape, anchored in an organic, artistic partnership where each leverages their strengths.
The EP opens with “first song,” wrapped in warm, bell-like synths that ripple through the track’s dreamy atmosphere – a sound that feels both familiar and comforting. “colors” follows, kicking off with quirky electronic textures reminiscent of a Speak & Spell toy, layered beneath soft, hypnotic chanting. On the indie-folk-leaning “slow sinking,” Field Medic contributes a verse that melts into the twangy instrumentation, anchored by a melody that hooks you from the jump. The closer, “4U,” carries a slightly more urgent, uplifting energy – a final burst that leaves the EP glowing.
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