Distance Major Channels Vintage Grit, Jazz Influence, and Cinematic Imagination on New Single “NYC 1970s Cinema”

Distance Major Channels Vintage Grit, Jazz Influence, and Cinematic Imagination on New Single “NYC 1970s Cinema”

RIYL: Tycho, M83, Boards of Canada, Phantogram, U.N.K.L.E., The Postal Service

Composer and producer Distance Major transports listeners into a stylized version of New York City’s past with “NYC 1970s Cinema,” one of the most distinctive and immersive tracks from his debut album. Inspired by the look, feel, and emotional tone of the city during the 1970s, the instrumental piece blends jazz influences with experimental electronic textures to recreate the atmosphere of classic film and urban nostalgia.

Rather than focusing on the turmoil that defined the decade, Distance Major draws from the aesthetic spirit of the era: the fashion, the grit, the color palette, the cinematic language, and the loose, unpredictable energy that shaped a generation of filmmaking. “This song is trying to capture two of my favorite things,” he explains. “The way New York City looked and felt in the 1970s, and my love of jazz and films from that time. I worked really hard on keeping everything loose and trying to get a sound that reflects what I feel when I think about that era or when I get lost in a film I discover from that period.”

The track stands as the most experimental piece on the record and a personal favorite for the artist. With a fluid structure, evolving moods, and a dusty, analog warmth, “NYC 1970s Cinema” plays like an unreleased score cue from a forgotten film reel. It’s an homage not only to a time and place, but to the emotional sensations that come with rediscovering vintage cinema. “I constantly come across films from that era that are new to me,” he adds. “I always end up with a similar emotion while watching them, and that feeling guided this track.”

“NYC 1970s Cinema” also reflects Distance Major’s improvisational creative process. Nearly all of his work begins with freeform sessions at the piano or on new synthesizers. Moments that catch his ear become the seeds of fully developed compositions, shaped through careful arrangement, harmony, and rhythmic exploration. “The music I’ve put out is pure emotion inspired by what I was feeling during the improv session,” he says. “Titles come from those feelings, and the songs evolve from one spontaneous moment.”

The track embodies the journey based approach that defines the Distance Major project. Each piece is designed to unfold like a cinematic narrative, rewarding headphone listeners and immersive environments while still resonating in group settings. Drawing from years of classical study, time away from music, and new explorations in electronic production, Distance Major crafts soundscapes that feel both personal and transportive.

Listen to “NYC 1970s Cinema” and the full Distance Major album HERE