20. The Art of Slow Growth and Earnest Music with RIMENY

Ep.020: What happens when a film composer decides to stop playing it cool and finally puts his own name, and heart, into the music? In this episode, I talk with RIMENY, the alt-pop project of Zak Engel, who’s flipping the script on what it means to “arrive late” as an artist. We get into the personal stories behind his debut singles, the decade-long detour that led him back to performing, and the surprising beauty in releasing music that feels earnest, not engineered. If you’ve ever wrestled with timing, self-doubt, or finding your creative lane later than expected… this one will hit.We Chat About:His journey from film composer to front-facing pop artistWhy he waited over a decade to release his own musicLetting go of imitation and learning to write honestlyBuilding a music career while raising a familyThe magic of creating songs that feel “happy, cool, and earnest”How Sweet Tea and Matt capture real friendship and nostalgiaThe tension between chasing perfection and letting goWhy confidence (and not playing it cool) can change your whole approachThe beauty of building slow, sustainable momentumAbout RIMENY:Who is RIMENY? RIMENY is the alt-pop alter-ego of Zak Engel. Hi! It’s me, Zak. I’ve spent over a decade behind a desk scoring films, mixing, and geeking over sound design. Songwriting and performing have been stuck in the backseat–RIMENY puts them at the wheel. The Sound I’ve been listening to The 1975, Mk.gee, Dijon, Bon Iver, Bleachers, Holly Humberstone, Jack’s Mannequin, Brand New, Miles Davis, Paul Desmond, Charli XCX, Armlock, Small Pond…and…yeah they’re all in the RIMENY sound. But I’m in this music more than any “band” I’ve ever had. I’m a late bloomer, and I feel like I’m finally hearing my influences in my songwriting without having them dominate the whole sound. It’s new. I’m figuring it out :) What’s Out Now: Three singles: Matt, Sweet Tea, and Treat Me Like a Stranger, are streaming. They are a taste of the debut album, set to drop in a few months. One more single is coming in a few weeks. Some of these songs are old…like ten years old…and are finally getting the attention they deserve–in some cases reworking an intense imitation track into something much more honest. Time…this all takes time. The Team RIMENY has already had a stellar crew of collaborators: Molly McDevitt, Justin VanDommelen, Sam Kyzivat, John Waugh, Leo Egan, Dave Weingarten, Ruairi O’Flaherty, Jared Hazelton, and Joe Murphy. Secret sauce and helping hands behind RIMENY’s sound. What’s Next Once the album’s out, I want to get in front of YOU. Hit the stage…dance…you know. Put something together that’s somewhere between a Bleachers show and a Mk.gee show. :)Connect with RIMENY:Instagram: @_rimenyTikTok: @_rimenySpotify: RIMENYOther Resources:Follow the OFFICIAL “loves music” playlist on Apple Music: ​​https://music.apple.com/library/playlist/p.4Y0J406i03DQrX“loves music” playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0qE3kq89oyg3tFNbmRfHEO?si=vopaKQnNS8OHn0r2fFTVBgCheck out the “loves music” podcast website: https://www.podpage.com/loves-music/Julian on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julian.jones.9484Julian on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julianjones417/Julian on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@julianjones417Check out Julian’s book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B6QYX6RLMusic Mentioned in this Episode:Songs:“Matt” – RIMENY“Sweet Tea” – RIMENY“Treat Me Like a Stranger” – RIMENY“3AM” – Matchbox 20“MMMBop” – Hanson“Vera” – Pink FloydArtists & Bands:Bon IverMk.geeJack’s MannequinBrand NewThe 1975Bleachers (Jack Antonoff)Miles DavisFoo FightersGreen DayBlink-182Charli XCXHolly HumberstoneArmlockSmall PondMatchbox 20Peter GabrielEnyaThe BeatlesVan MorrisonJesse RutherfordArtemis (UK)The Neighborhood