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The Daily Tar Heel

Clef Hangers drop new album, 'Fixate'

UNC's Clef Hangers hid behind the Tri Delta house, waiting for their moment to sing to the girls during their celebration.
UNC's Clef Hangers hid behind the Tri Delta house, waiting for their moment to sing to the girls during their celebration.

Now, as a senior and the Clef’s music director, Euliss had a major part in the making of the Clef’s latest album, “Fixate.”

“On the last (album), I felt a little underrepresented. As a whole, I feel like the whole group felt like they didn’t have as much of a say,” Euliss said. “I wanted this album to be much more representative of the group as a whole.”

And Euliss achieved this goal — every member of the group, even if they don’t have a solo, is featured somehow in the album.

“Fixate” is being sold on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes and Amazon Music. Physical copies are available to purchase on The Clef Hangers’ website and on the General Alumni Association website.

The album was released April 8 in conjunction with the Clef’s spring concert, but it has been in the works since 2015 — when their previous album, “That Other Shore,” was released.

For the upperclassmen in the group, there are notable differences between “Fixate” and “That Other Shore,” like a different studio space and a heavier focus on a theme.

“A big focus for this year was to make more of a cohesive setlist,” senior Brian Vercauteren said. “We tried to fit to one theme, as opposed to an amalgamation of random-ass songs.”

But there are also similarities, like the stress of singing alone in the recording booth.

“It’s really intimidating,” senior Ryan Smith said. “Sometimes the assistant music director is in there too and a few other Clefs might be in there, but the spotlight is really just on you.”

Underclassmen like sophomore Johnny Conheeney who are recording their first album with the group said they can relate.

“You just have to have fun with it,” Conheeney said. “The first time I went in there I could barely breathe. It’s scarier than performing in front of 1,400 people in Memorial Hall.”

Even though they have to face the recording booth alone, “Fixate” is a product of the group’s friendship.

“I love saying that the better friends we are with each other and the more that we bond with each other, we just sound better,” Vercauteren said.

“I think of this album as a product of our friendship.”

@karynhbrown

swerve@dailytarheel.com

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