A Chat with Why Another (26.11.25)
NYC–based Why Another crafts songs that feel like inner dialogue: intimate, reflective, and cinematic in scope. The band blends warm analog textures with modern indie-rock dynamics, creating music that feels both nostalgic and forward-looking. Centred around Adi Malka’s distinctive tone and melodic instincts, their sound draws comparisons to artists like Radiohead, Mac DeMarco, Grizzly Bear, and The National, balancing vulnerability with bold sonic exploration. We chat with Why Another’s frontman Adi Malka about all things music below.
OSR: Can you walk us through the inspiration behind ‘Hold On Tight’?
Malka: In 2017, when I wrote ‘Hold On Tight’, I was feeling overwhelmed by political shifts and climate anxiety. I felt like the world could explode tomorrow. The song started as a message to myself: to hold on tight, find peace in the chaos, and ride it out instead of spiralling. I wanted to create a riff that the band would love, with sad harmonies underneath. Like with many of our songs, the true meaning revealed itself to me only after the writing process, in retrospect.
OSR: The track balances tension and release in a very cinematic way. How did you approach the arrangement to capture that feeling?
Malka: The main guitar riff is the anchor. It’s simple, digestible, but dramatic. Underneath, harmonies inflate the tension and catharsis. The verses use minor chords, the choruses major, creating contrast that mirrors the song’s theme of accepting the uncontrollable. The dynamic interplay between sections, combined with Franky’s funky drum groove in the verses and the more stable choruses, gives the song its cinematic push and pull.
OSR: Adi Malka’s vocals are both intimate and commanding. How did you decide on the vocal approach for this song?
Malka: I wanted my voice to be clear and expressive. When I sing high, I go chest-style, which is more piercing and powerful. When soft, like in the verses, I use airy, head-style tones. This approach is to further mirror the song’s tension and release, letting the vocals reflect both intimacy and drama naturally.
OSR: The guitar riff that opens the track feels immediately gripping. Was that the first element you developed, or did it come later in the process?
Malka: It actually was the first element! I had just gotten a new guitar and was experimenting with a capo when the riff emerged. I found myself humming it later in the day and knew it had potential. I thought it might be too basic for the band, but our guitar player, Jordan, blasted it with effects, making it feel massive, and Franky added his groove, cementing it as the song’s foundation.
OSR: You collaborated with several band members on the production. How did that dynamic influence the final sound of the track?
Malka: We always work in steps: I bring the core idea, Jordan amplifies it with guitar textures and power, Franky adds rhythm and groove, and we build layers together. That collaboration gives the song depth, drama, and texture that wouldn’t exist otherwise – it’s very much a band effort, and the chemistry has developed over years of playing together.
OSR: ‘Hold On Tight’ seems to explore the struggle between chaos and acceptance. Was this theme influenced by personal experiences or broader observations?
Malka: It’s deeply personal. Like most people, I grapple with internal chaos regularly, from my own thoughts to external triggers like news or social media. The song is about letting go, focusing only on what I can control, and finding peace amid uncertainty. It’s the osmosis of external chaos into the inner world and the conscious effort to step back and ride it out.
OSR: The song is accompanied by an animated short. How did the visual concept evolve alongside the music?
Malka: The ink-on-paper inspired animation mirrors the song’s emotional journey. The nameless character starts off flailing, free-falling through clouds, water, and random objects, before landing on a soft patch of grass, which represents acceptance and inner peace. We collaborated with animator and friend Sophie Galowitz to capture that surreal, dream-like movement that parallels the song’s dynamics, making the visual and emotional arc inseparable from the music.
OSR: How do you hope listeners will relate to or experience ‘Hold On Tight’ in the context of their own lives?
Malka: I hope it offers a moment to pause and reflect. It’s not background music. It’s an opportunity to feel, to question, and to connect with emotions like anxiety, hope, or self-forgiveness. The song invites listeners to find calm in their own chaos and to sit with discomfort while rebuilding and moving forward.
OSR: The track has been described as both hypnotic and emotionally cathartic. Was that an intentional goal from the outset, or did it emerge naturally?
Malka: It’s intentional, definitely. Musical and emotional catharsis is part of our signature style. In ‘Hold On Tight’, the hypnotic quality is most evident in the outro, where the rhythm and melody shift dramatically. We aimed to create a sense of inner calm and peace after the intense groove and the dramatic riff of the earlier sections.
OSR: In live performances, how do you translate the cinematic quality of the track to the stage?
Malka: Live, we enhance the main guitar riff with more grit, effects, and volume so it cuts through a room. The keys take on a meatier role, and we stack instruments differently to emphasize contrasts between sections. The riff naturally invites audience participation like chanting and singing along – turning introspective tension into shared energy at our shows.
VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED
Many thanks to Why Another for speaking with us. Find out more about Why Another on their official website and Instagram.
