SILVERPLANES Bio: SILVERPLANES is a space rock outfit from Los Angeles crafting psychedelic-tinged alt pop rock gems. With Aaron Smart on lead vocals and guitar, Ian Baca on bass and keys, and Jesse Kramer (son of Aerosmith’s Joey Kramer) on drums, their sound is melodic ‘90s alt meets ‘70s California rock.
SILVERPLANES’ upcoming album, Airbus, was produced by the legendary Jack Douglas (John Lennon, Aerosmith, Cheap Trick) and mixed by the late, great Geoff Emerick (The Beatles, Badfinger, Elvis Costello).
Recognizing Jack Douglas as a major force in the band’s direction, Smart said, "Jack really helped us to shape the songs. We were over the moon to work with him. The guy was in the room when they cut overdubs for ‘Imagine’—that’s just crazy. He’s salt of the earth.”
Geoff Emerick’s untimely passing after wrapping the album makes his impact all the more meaningful. Speaking to the magic that Emerick lent to the mix, Smart added, “Geoff made every mix so spacey and cool. He put flangers on the toms and just made everything have its own space. When we were mixing the songs, I heard things that I never imagined could sound like that. He really knew how to use the studio as a tool.”
Helmed by classic rock royalty, SILVERPLANES strikes a balance between nostalgic and fresh. The timeless melodies are ethereal yet grounded, laced with lyrics that offer introspective reflections on life’s fleeting moments and the search for meaning in a chaotic world.
Aaron Smart grew up in Northern California and began singing, drumming, and playing guitar as a kid. “When I was seven or eight, I had a guitar, and I’d try to play along to whatever was on MTV on our little tube television,” Smart reflected. “I couldn't afford a drum kit, though—I was really poor—so, I would always go play my friend's drums. His parents would joke, ‘This is Aaron's drum kit at our house,’ because their son never played it.”
In his early 20s, the self-taught multi-instrumentalist moved to San Francisco and then Los Angeles, joining a series of bands, including Supreme Love Gods and Hayes. In 2015, he opened a recording studio, MAKE Records Studios, which is brimming with vintage gear, much of which was used to give SILVERPLANES its signature sound.
“Lately I’m inspired by psychedelic stuff like Pink Floyd and Radiohead,” said Smart. “When I was growing up, I was all about Sonic Youth and Swervedriver. Some of the SILVERPLANES drumbeats, even the back-and-forth cadence of some of the lyrics, are inspired by ‘90s hip-hop, like Beastie Boys and Nas. I often end up incorporating some of that element because I’ve loved that music since I was a kid."
SILVERPLANES’ debut full-length release, Airbus, brings hooks that dwell in your mind and lyrics that hit you right in the heart—a cathartic experience that lingers long after the last note ends.
“My goal is to sonically recreate the things that I hear in my head,” said Smart. “Airbus is a collection of semi-melancholic, existential takes on different times of our lives. It's a long-playing record. Put on some headphones or take a long drive, and soak it all in.”
Airbus is out today via MAKE Records / Universal Music Group. | 
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