Sweet Valley

Nathan Williams launched Sweet Valley during summer 2012 alongside his brother Kynan Williams, marking a departure from the hazy, drug-soaked beach punk that defined his chief outlet Wavves and establishing the new endeavor as a "production team." The pair collaborated informally with Rihanna producer John Hill, layering bright guitars and hazy hip-hop rhythms over decelerated samples. In one interview Nathan Williams described the project's intent as an effort to "make a soundtrack to getting drunk this summer." Sweet Valley issued its debut material as a digital mixtape, delivering the nine-track collection Stay Calm in early August 2012 through the Fool's Gold imprint.