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Hundredth vocalist releases two airy new songs as a solo artist—listen

Hundredth vocalist Chadwick Johnson is dropping his first-ever songs as a solo artist. Listen to the two new singles from Johnson, “Garden” and “Numb,” under the banner of the musician's latest project, Pure Violet, below.

Read more: Hundredth's 'RARE' is a breath of fresh air

The rarefied new tunes come fresh on the heels of Hundredth's RARE, the band's fourth album and genre turnaround released this summer that saw the South Carolina quartet go from hardcore headbangers to shoegazing alt-rockers. Pure Violet ventures further down the new-wave rabbit hole, and Johnson credits formative influences like New Order and Depeche Mode with stimulating the hazy dreamscape on display in his solo work.

“It just made me feel differently than any other music as a teenager,” Johnson says of the project's post-punk and synth-pop inspirations, “and that gloominess with a dancey drive fueled the isolation in my adolescence, and I think that's somewhat channeled into Pure Violet.”

Johnson's solo debut as Pure Violet premiered on Tuesday over at Stereogum. As for the new act's inner workings, the musician says he crafts the tunes unaccompanied and with a newfound musical fortitude, vintage synth and drum sounds supplanting Hundredth's driving rhythms and layers of guitar.

“It's basically a bedroom project, I make all the music at home by myself,” says Johnson. “Most songs start with some analog drum samples and synthesizers and I just kind of go from there. I'd never felt like I had the production or songwriting skills to make music like this, but I think I'm starting to turn a corner as of late and it feels like the right time.”

Hear Johnson's two new solo singles right now, and be sure to hit up Pure Violet's social media outlets on Instagram here and Facebook here. “Garden” and “Numb” will be available to purchase digitally on Wednesday, Nov. 8.

Meanwhile, Hundredth will head out on a headlining U.S. tour later this month with support from Spotlights, Tennis System and Gleemer. The band will be performing RARE in its entirety, along with a “visual experience” onstage. Check out the tour dates after the two new songs.

Hundredth tour dates:
11/30 – Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery *
12/01 – Brooklyn, NY @ Night Bazaar *
12/02 – Philadelphia, PA @ Boot & Saddle *
12/03 – Somerville, MA @ ONCE Ballroom *
12/05 – Pittsburgh, PA @ The Fun House *
12/06 – Lakewood, OH @ Mahall's *
12/07 – Lansing, MI @ The Loft *
12/08 – Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen *
12/10 – Denver, CO @ The Marquis Theatre *
12/12 – San Francisco, CA @ Bottom Of The Hill *
12/13 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo *
12/15 – San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar *
12/16 – Mesa, AZ @ Nile Theater *
12/18 – Austin, TX @ Sidewinder *
12/19 – Dallas, TX @ The Dirty 30 *
12/20 – Houston, TX @ Walter's *
12/22 – Birmingham, AL @ Syndicate Lounge *
12/23 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade *
* with Spotlights, Tennis System, Gleemer