Adrian Libertini and Mariko Langan are the musical duo The A.M.s. Their eclectic indie songs spread across diverse genres and their sound is rooted in piano, guitar and upright bass. Lyrically driven the music is woven from rock, folk, r&b, soul, classical and world music, topped with Adrian’s expressive phrasing, and rounded out by Mariko’s inventive piano and harmonies.
Ignite the Sky is the duos debut album out October 28th. It all came together while working 1000 miles apart, but the pair remained with their successful formula: Mariko sends Adrian lyrics to which he writes music and melodies. He then records his voice and guitar and sends the bounce back to her. She adds in harmonies and keys and they build their ideas from there.
The album Ignite the Sky is almost entirely based on the emotional journey of Mariko searching, finding, and meeting her birth parents during COVID. The themes of separation, distance, and yearning for connection bleed through the album, from the long-distance band dynamic itself to the separation sharply felt in quarantine, and of course, adoption.
The spectrum of genres further illustrates the great breadth of emotions experienced while pursuing the journey. The albums opening single “Torn Vine” has a folksy rock vibe, the music illustrating a sense of excitement. The next couple of singles illustrate a story of conflicting emotions, building walls, and the effect of adoption has on your growth. Their music has a similar sound to a contemporary Simon and Garfunkel meets John Mayer while Adrian’s voice is very much like a John Mayer meets Kris Allen.
The songs are organic and pure musical power. Their hooks define the word and their melodies are beyond hypnotic. “This album, Ignite the Sky, is a monumental achievement of work for us. It is proof that a thousand miles of distance can succeed, that a piano tuner and Polynesian dancer can be a band,” share the duo. “This album is the lifesaver in the storms of COVID, quarantine, and a country in crisis. It is the story of adoption, decades in the making about identity, loss, hope, and love. It is becoming and growing as a musician.”
Be sure to keep an eye out for Ignite the Sky on October 28th!