Will 2026 Be Nostalgia Summer? After Says Yes!
- Olivia Hanson
- Apr 24
- 2 min read
by Olivia Hanson
With summer right around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about how it’s going to sound. It may be hard to top 2024’s Brat summer, but it’s looking like it could be a Y2K summer this year. The world is currently obsessing over artists like Zara Larsson, whose bright, tropical color palette shines through in her music. But there’s one duo who has truly taken the nostalgia game to the next level. After is an LA-based pop/trip-hop band composed of Justine Dorsey and Graham Epstein. They first met on Hinge but quickly realized they worked better as bandmates. The duo bonded over their shared love for 2000s music and aesthetics, and the rest is history.
After’s music doesn’t just feel like an attempt to replicate what once dominated music charts. It successfully masters the sounds and feelings associated with the time period in which many listeners grew up. Dorsey’s smooth vocals will send you right back to a summer day spent shopping with your mom in 2006. It’s this mastery that’s led to the success of their two EPs, After EP and After EP 2.
What’s also interesting is that during their first ever tour, After takes a less-is-more approach to performing. In People’s coverage on the band, they highlight After’s use of two primary instruments: a guitar and a computer. Sure, a full band could amplify their sound, but honestly? After’s music speaks for itself and doesn’t need any extra musical backing to flourish. Maybe it’s a nod to a time when things were seemingly simpler, but either way, it’s a testament to the fact that the duo is confident in their shared abilities.
After has worked hard on ensuring their brand reflects their musical vision. No detail gets untouched until it perfectly embodies that 2000s feel. Just take a look at their website. Anyone who grew up on the family computer recognizes that timeless frutiger aero aesthetic. If you click on the music tab, it looks like it came straight out of a 2000s digital music player. If you’re a sucker for retro technology like me (and trust me, I hate that the 2000s is old enough to be retro too), After’s website is like a utopia of nostalgia.
The band carries the iconic visuals over to the five official music videos they’ve made too. The video for “Deep Diving” is a personal favorite. Filled with random flashy shots and a camera quality only slightly sharper than the 2000s, After has proven they know the aesthetic inside and out.
After has already grown substantially since its inception in 2023. They currently have over 400,000 listeners on Spotify, showing they’re not the only ones who long for the early 2000s. I’ve seen a rising trend in young adults returning to the music that raised them. After is a modern breath of fresh air in an increasingly saturated genre, and I hope that 2026 can shape up to be an After summer.
After’s upcoming single “Promise (When You Go)” debuts May 6.
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