New music from a little place called Aspen

Toronto-based five-piece a little place called Aspen are proving that friendship, storytelling and finely crafted pop is a formula with spectacular results. Since forming in 2022, the band has been forging their own collaborative take on alternative pop with Nick Babcock, Hunter Sheridan, Jordan Moore, Nolan Hubbard and Ty Callan combining to blend their diverse musical backgrounds into something that feels both nostalgic and cutting-edge.

Their artistic mission? To reimagine what a modern “boy band” can sound like, using tight harmonies, shared vocals and sharp musicianship, but without the clichés. Released in February, their debut single “Back from the Dead” saw them make an emphatic entrance. Inspired by Stephen King’s Home Delivery, the track recounts a dark tale around a woman confronting a zombie outbreak only to see her long-lost husband rise from the grave.

It’s an unconventional launchpad, but one that immediately confirmed that their sound is thoroughly catchy, yet their subject matter sidesteps predictability, digging into eerie, off-kilter themes with a sense of theatrical flair. Now, the band follows that introduction with their new single titled “Laura of the Woods,” doubling down on their fusion of pop songwriting and unsettling storytelling.

Based on an episode from the Radio Rental podcast, the track unpacks a story laced with childhood innocence and creeping horror where a man recalls his youthful days spent playing in the woods with a girl his age, smoking cigarettes, laughing, growing up. But a dream years later reveals a spine-tingling truth: the girl was never a girl, but an old woman posing as one and the innocence of those memories is suddenly infected by a sinister undertone.

Building on their bright alternative pop sound, their new track jumps straight into a smooth groove of laid back snapping drums, pulsing synth flutters and airy guitar notes as the silky vocal leads stitch soulful melodies into the immersive arrangement. Flowing with lively bursts of rolling drums and mesmeric vocal layers, the track casts a dreamy soundscape that transports listeners to the heart of the story where picture painting lyrics and catchy songwriting collide.

Showcasing a more downtempo side to their sound, with “Laura of the Woods,” a little place called Aspen deliver another charming pop jam that’s sure to impress existing fans and delight new listeners around the world. Going from strength to strength on their second outing and with new material set to drop every month, the band are sure to continue their inevitable rise as a must watch band with a compelling sound.

Listen to Laura of the Woods below

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