Tyler Lewandowski, a 25-year-old Feasterville native, is quite the jack of all trades when it comes to music.
When The Times first met the Neshaminy alum in 2018, he fronted the hardcore band Moral Support, sporting bubblegum pink hair and pumping up crowds at the mecca of punk rock, Vans Warped Tour. Then, in 2019, Lewandowski embarked on a solo career as Honcho MacGuffin, shedding the hair dye and drawing influence from rap/hip-hop artists like Mac Miller.
Now, Lewandowski’s journey is shifting yet again. But this time, it feels more right than it ever has before. Over the summer, he introduced his latest project, Liquid Space, which boasts mellow yet fun and catchy vibes – the perfect soundtrack for a day at the beach. An EP is slated for release in mid-September.
“I get very influenced by what I’m listening to. When I was writing this stuff, I was listening to a lot of Dirty Heads. I’ve been listening to them for years and I don’t understand why I didn’t do a project like that before. Maybe it was a complex issue because they’re my favorite band,” he said. “But that’s why people make music. They enjoy a sound and then they want to kind of mold a sound like that, but then you can totally go into another direction completely.”
According to Lewandowski, the playful lyrics are a direct reflection of his personality. In almost any situation, he said a joke is usually the first thing to come out of his mouth.
“I’m not too serious,” he explained. “It’s who I am as a person. I feel like I’m being more in touch with myself through all of this. It’s just cool to write a song on your own, put it out and see if people like it.”
Each Liquid Space song, including the single “Down,” released on July 10, was written and produced exclusively by Lewandowski from start to finish. It was a feat he never before attempted, but one that was financially necessary.
“I felt like I was working just to pay to make music with other people. I love writing with other people, I enjoy it, but it was getting to a point where my money wasn’t going anywhere else,” he said. “I was literally working to put out songs. I figured there had to be a better way to do this. If I’m going to do this, I need to learn how to make songs, to actually learn how to put a song together.”
At the start of the new year, Lewandowski transformed his bedroom into a small studio and began to hone his craft. Oftentimes, he became so invested in the creative process, the early morning hours would arrive without him realizing.
“January through February, every day after work, I’d just go in my room until midnight and start to work on a song. It didn’t have to be a full idea, it didn’t have to be anything concrete. I just wanted to work on an idea. But I was a little dumb,” he said with a laugh. “I was like, ‘I’m not gonna go out. I’m just gonna sit in my room and do this.’ And man, did I screw myself over because then we went right into quarantine. But it was also a blessing in disguise because I just kept going. I wasn’t working at the moment and I thought, ‘All right, this is the time I can start working on songs.’ ”
In addition to original tracks, Lewandowski is giving popular songs a Liquid Space makeover. A reggae-inspired version of the 5 Seconds of Summer hit “Easier” was released on Aug. 14. After much trial and error – and recording 25 versions on his computer – Lewandowski is proud of the final result.
“I took so many vocal takes of it, then I realized the key was just not right for my voice. So, I lowered the key and I just went back and forth,” he reflected. “I never thought that this cover, that I thought would be so fun to do, would be such an effort. But the last version of it, I was very, very happy with it. It’s a very straightforward reggae version of ‘Easier,’ and I hope I did it justice. The tone of it is much more upbeat. I just wanted to have fun with it and just kind of roll with it.”
Given the scorching summer we’ve endured thus far, kudos must be given to Lewandowski for having fun during the recording process, which had to be done sans cool air.
“I can’t have fans running or anything. So, when I go to track these vocals, it’s like 90 degrees in my room,” he said. “I try to get them done as quickly as possible, but I also don’t want to rush them. I’m very excited for the fall to work on music. That’s going to be a much better time to start some new stuff.”
From his home studio, Lewandowski has also launched a merchandise line for Liquid Space, available through Teespring, which features T-shirts, hoodies and coffee mugs. A portion of proceeds from certain items goes to an environmental nonprofit organization.
“I wanted it to be a little bit of a lifestyle thing, too. That’s why I did everything organic and eco-friendly, because it goes with the whole thing – the style of music, the activities that go along with the style of music. I’ve been picking up surfing and doing that kind of stuff,” he said.
While Liquid Space may someday become a band, Lewandowski is, for now, simply enjoying this fresh venture, which comes with ample room for creative freedom. And he hopes this enjoyment is infectious.
“I’m just trying to stay positive with everything, especially in today’s day and age. There’s a lot of very upsetting, negative stuff, and I feel like we need to all focus on ourselves and push forward with what we’re doing,” he said. “Why am I not going to put something out that may make someone happy? If they’re like, ‘Aw man, I really need a fun song to listen to that clearly sounds like this person had fun making it,’ if I could get that across to people, that would be the best thing in the world.”
Follow Liquid Space at facebook.com/liquidspaceband and on Instagram at @liquidspaceband.
Samantha Bambino can be reached at [email protected]
