The Fever Haze got its start in the early 2010s as a solo studio project by Jackie Kalmink and has been in a state of evolution ever since. Based in Grand Rapids, MI, the band—including Eric Beck, Jim Versluis, Mike Greene, and Seth Beck—has collaborated over more than a decade to release a string of albums blending loud guitars, classic pop sentiments, and earnest lyricism.
The band’s first full-length album “I’ll Be in the Same Place You Left Me” released in 2014, setting the tone for the group’s DIY approach to production. Jackie Kalmink was responsible for nearly every part of the album, including all of the songwriting, the majority of the recorded instruments throughout, the engineering, and production from start to finish. That same year, the band began working on their next release with Mike Greene on bass, Jim Versluis on drums, and featuring Alex Perez and Nick Richardson on guitar to record the follow up album “Dear Fate,” released in the summer of 2015.
The sophomore effort helped define the band’s early sound, drawing from the rock & roll roots they had grown up with to create tight pop songs wrapped in a distinctly garage rock packaging. Shortly after “Dear Fate” the band experienced personnel changes with the addition of Eric Beck on guitar, and the departure of Alex and Nick. The group’s initial run came to a close with the 2017 record “Slouch,” which was recorded live over a weekend at Jackie’s house in Zeeland, MI with the help of Tyler Floyd, who handled some of the production duties. Shortly after this third release, the group went on hiatus, and most members moved on to work on other projects which now include Greet Death (Jackie, Jim, and Rick), Further Closer (Jackie and Rick), Bargain World (Seth), and a Seth Beck solo project.
Following the initial waves of the COVID-19 pandemic—during which Jackie, Jim, and Eric worked on a new slate of demos—all four members from the previous release would come together again to rekindle The Fever Haze and produce their fourth full-length album, 2022’s “An Apple on the Highest Branch.” The release captured a fresh side of the band, drawing more heavily from folk, dream-pop, and other genres to build on their classic sound, including new sonic textures through keys, synthesizers, and new production tricks from Jackie. This sonic evolution led to the addition of Seth Beck to the lineup, taking on the role of keys and synths live and eventually adding his own perspective to the eventual writing and recording of the band’s next record.
The 2024 album “Moonbow” finds the five-piece outfit settling into a sound hued with shades of classic shoegaze and dream-pop, marrying the band’s signature fuzz textures with layers of synthesizer and drum machines drenched in chorus, delay, and reverb, elevating their music to a new sonic zenith supporting Jackie’s most vulnerable, thoughtful, and triumphant songwriting to date. Recorded over a few weeks in early 2023 at Jackie’s studio, the album again sees her handling much of the production including engineering and mixing. Mastering responsibilities were handled by TW Walsh, a veteran of the independent music scene having worked with over 1,000 artists including Sufjan Stevens, Jimmy Eat World, Julien Baker, and Pedro the Lion. The release also sees the band joining an established record label for the first time, partnering with Graveface Records to release the album on vinyl and cassette along with its digital distribution.
Check out the single- “I Love it Here” For further information on the artists, please visit the following socials:
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