Inland Years – The Bunker Sessions (2025)
Brooklyn-based project Inland Years lives in that sweet spot where lo-fi pop meets fuzzy folk. Led by Ryan Daniels, the music feels handmade and unpolished in the best way; part 60s jangle, part tape-worn bedroom recordings. The latest EP, The Bunker Sessions, strips things back even further: three songs recorded live with a full band, no overdubs, no studio tricks, just raw performances captured in real time. And you can really feel it.
The session opens with ‘Fuck Your Notoriety’, a short, repetitive track built around a simple but irresistible melody. It doesn’t try to do too much, and that’s what makes it work. The lyrics, four lines only, cut straight to the point:
“When you know you’re to blame
Everything else just falls out of frame
Don’t pretend you just don’t see
Fuck you and your notoriety”
There’s something charming about how blunt and direct it is. It comes and goes quickly, but it leaves an impression.
‘Make You Feel Better’ is even shorter, almost like a fleeting thought turned into a song. I wished it lasted longer because the mood is really lovely. The way the music lingers at the end feels intimate, like the band didn’t want to let it go either. Lines like: “I’ll be there to hold your hair / And make you feel better, my dear”, give it a gentle, caring tone that contrasts nicely with the rougher edges of the recording.
The final track, ‘Same Old Town’, was my favourite of the three. It has strong Americana vibes and feels a bit more fully formed. There’s a restless energy in the lyrics: “I’ve been running around the same old town/ Feeling up and down”. It captures that stuck-in-one-place frustration perfectly, and the live band setup gives it extra warmth and movement.
What makes The Bunker Sessions special is the way they were recorded. Tracked live at The Bunker Studio in Brooklyn on a vintage Neve 8088 console, the EP captures Inland Years at their most natural. No multitracking. No safety nets. Just five musicians playing together in a room with pine walls and glass separators, catching every little moment.
The line-up is made of Ryan Daniels on guitar and vocals, Daru Oda on vocals and tambourine, Michael Figgiani on bass, Shane Kerton on drums, and Andy Plovnick on keys. You can hear the imperfections, the small hesitations, the way the instruments breathe together. It really does feel like being in the room with them.
Find out more about Inland Years on their Bandcamp.
