Biography
Hailing from Los Angeles, the elusive singer and multi-instrumentalist Daryl Johns concocts an intoxicating blend of crisp lo-fi indie rock laced with jazz fusion, soft pop, Americana, and television jingles. Early on, his path led him deep into the East Coast jazz circuit, where he handled double bass alongside figures such as Joe Lovano and Randy Brecker. Eventually he relocated westward, immersing himself in the city’s indie and psych-pop circles and taking on bass duties for Mac DeMarco, who later placed Johns on his own imprint, Mac’s Record Label. Following an extended stretch of work alongside other artists, Johns issued his self-titled solo debut in late 2024.
Raised in Englewood, New Jersey by parents who themselves worked as jazz musicians, Johns absorbed the trade from childhood and pursued formal bass studies at several renowned East Coast institutions. He progressed rapidly, securing regular New York gigs and studio sessions by his late teens with artists including Wallace Roney, Pat Metheny, and Vijay Iyer. Once settled in Los Angeles, his musical partnerships broadened considerably; he entered the indie rock milieu as Mac DeMarco’s bassist while also contributing to recordings by the Lemon Twigs, Drugdealer, and additional projects. In his own songwriting he cultivated an expansive array of textures drawing from lo-fi indie rock, soft rock, jazz fusion, and psych-pop, all of which converged on the self-titled album that appeared via Mac’s Record Label in November 2024.
Raised in Englewood, New Jersey by parents who themselves worked as jazz musicians, Johns absorbed the trade from childhood and pursued formal bass studies at several renowned East Coast institutions. He progressed rapidly, securing regular New York gigs and studio sessions by his late teens with artists including Wallace Roney, Pat Metheny, and Vijay Iyer. Once settled in Los Angeles, his musical partnerships broadened considerably; he entered the indie rock milieu as Mac DeMarco’s bassist while also contributing to recordings by the Lemon Twigs, Drugdealer, and additional projects. In his own songwriting he cultivated an expansive array of textures drawing from lo-fi indie rock, soft rock, jazz fusion, and psych-pop, all of which converged on the self-titled album that appeared via Mac’s Record Label in November 2024.
Albums
Singles
