BESTMAN

BESTMAN is warm digital, arranged to precision yet completely riotous, as if etched onto a wave; impassioned synthpop that blazes like an unruly bonfire on the beach.

The single NEW BLOOD has been featured on worldwide outlets such as Kitsune Records Hot Stream playlist, France’s Ker Osène podcast, ‎and Australia’s Rock.current‎ Sounds Compilation. NEW BLOOD has been called, “nostalgic without pandering. BESTMAN creates electronic music that reminds me of an amazing spring break I never actually experienced… there is a complex weight to it compositionally as well as lyrically which gives this cut clout. It is beautifully ominous, like the ocean at night.”

BESTMAN now arrives with their first EP, BIG SKY.

BIG SKY captures the nostalgia of fleeting emotions and relationships of youth with the introspection of who we are today. “I really wanted to create a culmination of music I grew up listening to, but still inject the pop sensibilities that I've always been drawn to,” states frontman and writer Brian Clouthier. The combination of sunny synth melodies with driving rhythm and bass makes for a relaxed West Coast attitude with a hardworking Midwestern backbone.

Brian Clouthier started BESTMAN in 2014 as a solo project while hopping around between several Chicago area bands. Greg Gaffud and Jay Spiwak joined the project in 2015 and recently Adam Bonich blended in as drummer to bring a breathing rhythm and organic energy in the live performances.

“Each new song scratches a different musical itch all the while blending together the classic BESTMAN sound,” says Jay Spiwak, “I connected with the sound that Brian was going for so much that I… learned how to play two new instruments (keyboard and Native Instruments’ Machine) so that I could be able to play in BESTMAN.”

Adam Bonich says, “It doesn’t fall into the vagueness of nostalgic indie-pop, there’s a confidence and focus to the songs that I like. There’s room for tom-fills and grooves which is fun to toy with as a player. Holding back the cymbals opens up the songs in ways that pure “rock” bands don't often take advantage of.”

“A lot of this band’s energy and focus go to creating melodies that work in interesting ways against what’s often layers and layers (and layers) of synthesizers, arpeggiations, pads, and Adam’s drums,” added Greg Gaffud. “I think that’s what a great pop song does, making something familiar interesting once again, and for me, that’s this.”

Now a cohesive group, BESTMAN has been performing in venues all around Chicago.

Make sexy mistakes to this music.