It’s a snowy, cold January 31, and it feels like the middle of July at Boston’s House of Blues. Brookline’s hip-hop duo Aer is kicking off their countrywide Word of Mouth Tour in their hometown. Maybe it’s because the sold out show is so packed; but most likely it’s due to Aer’s feel good music that transports listeners to backyard barbeques and windows-down roadtrips.
David von Mering and Carter Schultz started making music while in high school at Wayford High, just 30 minutes outside Boston. Beginning in a rock band, the two friends found they had similar styles and began recording as a duo. With von Mering’s smooth guitar riffs and Schultz’s vocals, their sound is hip-hop infused with reggae basslines and an indie rock feel. Aer’s original sounds draw from influences ranging from Bob Marley and Jack Johnson to Jimi Hendrix and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Though their music, mellow songs about smoking weed, relationships, and having fun (although their newest album touches on darker subject matter) is often referred to as “chill,” Schultz prefers to think of it as “a slower rollercoaster ride through the Amazon.”
The two released their first EP “Water on the Moon” during their senior year of high school and followed up with “The Reach” and “What You Need” in 2011 and 2012. Their late 2012 debut album “The Bright Side” climbed to the top of the iTunes hip-hop charts. Just a few weeks ago, they released their self-titled sophomore effort and saw it hit No. 1 on the iTunes top charts.
Noteworthy tracks:
Textbook feel-good song—Like the Way
That song that is so catchy you can’t get it out of your head—Says She Loves Me
For dancing around your room—Whatever We Want
For strolling down Comm Ave—Spades, Clubs, and Diamonds
Join the Fresh Aer Movement and check out Aer at https://soundcloud.com/theaermusic