Numb.er (pronounced “nummer”) is the brainchild of former Froth founding band member Jeff Fribourg, who started making music under the moniker in 2015. Fribourg draws inspiration from bands like Wire, Gang of Four, Christian Death and Bauhaus for the dark and gloomy sounds that drive the band. After producing several home recordings, the band’s lineup was formed, consisting of bassist Laena Geronimo (of Feels), guitarist Nick Ventura, guitarist/keyboardist Kaz Mirblouk and drummer Cameron Allen, with Fribourg on vocals and analog synths. They’ve performed at several Los Angeles venues including the Echo and several DIY art/music venues. I was fortunate enough to hear the band preform in their early years at a Downtown DIY venue with Corners and was instantly mesmerized by their dark wave sound.
The debut single from the band “Fear” was released in 2017 and was featured in Volcom’s skate video, Holy Stokes, gaining them some notoriety and a growing fan base. Numb.er’s debut album Goodbye was released in 2018 via Mono Records and was mixed and mastered by Mikey Young of Total Control. Fribourg’s background in graphic design lends itself to the album’s sound, creating layers of dark and dreamy sounds by layering angular guitar riffs and analog synths over throbbing drums and driving bass. Since the album’s release, they’ve performed at festivals like SXSW and Desert Daze as well as alongside like-minded bands including Froth and Palm and toured with A Place To Bury Strangers and The KVB.
The music video for “Fear” takes a gloomy look at the future with static-laden, colorful production, complete with robots, monsters and fearful children. Listen and watch here:
“Numerical Depression” was inspired by Fribourg’s brief move to New York City, a move he had optimistically hoped would cure his depression. He was only in the city for less than a week before heading back to sunny So Cal. The song is frantic in nature and lyrics like “every step that you must take / burns another bridge” bring to mind a longing to move forward while feeling held back. Take a listen here:
Their latest 7″ release in October 2019 features a 2-track single titled “Price,”a punk driven song wrought with anxiety and urgency while the B-side “We Hide (Redux)” is a track taken from Goodbye reinterpreted as an anthemic internal dialogue relating to the themes of “Price.” The release continues the driving, post-punk sound they were known for on Goodbye. The 7″ was a limited-run purchase, but the singles are also available for digital purchase for just $2.
Explore Numb.er’s debut album Goodbye, check out the singles and look forward to saying hello to some new music from the band in the future!
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