Eli Hansen (Real Numbers)
What are your top five albums that were released in 2024? (In order 1-5)
- Lightheaded - Combustable Gems (Slumberland)
- Sharp Pins - Radio DDR (self-released)
- Umbrellas - Fairweather Friend (Slumberland)
- Cindy Lee - Diamond Jubilee (self-released)
- Pleasant Mob - Pleasant Mob (Inscrutable)
What band did you discover in 2024 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? How so?
Sharp Pins! Stellar mod-indiepop from Chicago. Their messaging is very DIY, very youth-movement-esque, harkening back to the Times / Television Personalities / Desperate Bicycles. Very inspirational for me since I feel the midwest falling behind the coasts in this department.
How will you remember 2024 (in terms of music)?
Real Numbers re-entered the studio, for the first time since pre-pandemic winter, to record the first half of the next LP. The songs we tracked go back to the 2018-2020 period so we wanted to get them done ASAP. We are just putting the finishing touches on the remaining brand new ones so we'll be returning to Soft Cult Studios very soon. Matt Castore has been our long-time producer/engineer so it's been great working with him again. And the new Soft Cult space is amazing!
What can we look forward to from you in 2025?
Real Numbers has been lying quite low show-wise, focusing on recording, so in 2025 we wanna "get back out there." Maybe do a Madison/Milwaukee/Chicago tour.
What records are you looking forward to most in 2025?
Cassie Ramone (ex-Vivian Girls) just put out an excellent solo LP called Sweetheart and I'm hoping for many more to come. Also the Smashing Times have been pushing the limits of pop abstraction as of late with their Mrs Ladyships And The Cleanerhouse Boys LP. Will they push deeper into the realms of enchanted popsike madness? Fingers crossed.
How do you try to get your news to fans as media platforms and algorithms change?
Nothing beats going to other band's shows and telling friends face to face. Instagram has been wearing me down but it's still our primary spot for updates. We are on Bluesky now but it's just a placeholder at the moment. I have a personal account on Bluesky too that may just end up being pics of records from my collection and nerdy prose.
Eli Hansen – social media links
- Instagram: @real.numbers
