There's a certain mystique to the music of Golden Age. The group's single "Tinted Windows" manages to balance ethereal and exuberance, guided by frontwoman Sydney Sahr's cosmic voice over a rhythm that not only pushes the track forward, but also makes it highly danceable. With a chorus line of "half a man, half a myth, you're a labyrinth," the song unfolds like a modern fairytale, but one that remains unsolved.

Sahr's lyrics sound carefully strung together, fitting like puzzle pieces to reveal a larger picture. If the imaginative words she weaves together are any indication, she'd be pretty good at deciding the words that appear on refrigerator magnet poetry kits. A born-and bred New Yorker, Sahr comes from a family of story-tellers, growing up listening to tales told by her grandfather about the patrons of his bar. Going by the lyrics of her songs, it appears to be an inherited skill.   

The group is currently prepping an upcoming EP and recently had their song "Thousand Kilowatt Lights" appear in an episode of the Fosters. We chatted with Sahr about story-telling and song sparks, why crying too much isn't a bad thing,  the impact of the Flaming Lips on Golden Age's formation and what's ahead.  

Hometown/Homebase: New York, NY

Where do you get your sparks for songs?

The sparks are everywhere — on the subway, in movies, dreams, conversations, the list goes on — whether or not they become songs depends on my catching them at the right moment. My overactive empathy also plays a big part in sparking songs. Whether I'm feeling something firsthand or secondhand is kind of irrelevant. The feelings are just as intense either way which seems like a curse at times! But crying too much is a small price for a great writing tool.

What's your song-writing process like? How does a song come to life and how long do they take?

It usually begins with an image, a melody or a phrase I can't get out of my head. I let it bounce around in there until it feels like it's starting to bloom, which can take days, sometimes months. The pace can be frustrating, but I think it's important not to rush it. Some songs practically write themselves, others require a lot of TLC. Once the idea is ready, we'll either work through it at practice or in the studio.

What was the inspiration behind your song "Tinted Windows"?

I've always been a big fan of mystery — the film genre, the novels and all the weird little unknowns of everyday life. My taste in people is no different. I find that quality intoxicating. And it's dangerous when it comes to love because you're basically running blindfolded across a highway. "Tinted Windows" was inspired by that struggle: terrifying and exciting at the same time (one of my favorite combos).

What life events have been integral to you in terms of your development as a musician?

I've been singing, writing songs and playing in bands since I was a kid, but I didn't start pursuing music seriously until about five years ago. I had a moment of revelation I'll never forget: I was at a Flaming Lips concert in Central Park and was suddenly struck by this overwhelming instinct to drop everything for music. So a few months later I moved to LA to write, play shows and figure out my identity a musician. Eventually I came back to NY and teamed up with lifelong friends/bandmates. That's when Golden Age was formed.

In terms of coming from a family of story-tellers, what makes a story captivating to you? What elements are a must?

I think some sort of suspense is necessary for tension and release. But the most important elements, in my opinion, are the characters. Captivating characters are flawed and heroic all at once, which might seem obvious, but I'm constantly surprised by how often cookie-cutter characters make it into stories. My grandpa's characters were always complex — I'm pretty sure 75% of them were made-up, but they were believable because they weren't "good guys" or "bad guys." They were just people, like us, somewhere in the grey area between happy and sad, kind and cruel, etc.

How important of a role does New York play in your identity given that you're based there and your family has long resided there?

As much as I try to fight it, my heart will always belong to this beastly city. Having lived here all my life, it's easy to take it for granted and get fed up with the never-ending noise and congestion. But any time I travel, I remember all the clichés are true; there's really no place more alive. As a writer, I can't imagine a more stimulating environment. And with my family roots in NY, it will always feel like home.

You recently had a song featured on the Fosters — what was that experience like?

It's always surreal to hear our music on TV! Also, I must confess, ever since I started writing for film and TV I've been secretly hoping for one of our songs to accompany a sex scene. I finally got my wish with the Fosters. Not only was it a sex scene, but a girl on girl one! Speaking of cookie-cutter characters, it's cool that major networks like Freeform are moving away from those.

Outside of music, how do you spend your time/what do you get up to?

I love to paint and draw — I went to school for visual arts, and I try to keep that creative outlet alive — the visual stimulation ties into my songwriting as well. When I'm not creating, I'm usually reading, climbing things, cuddling with my cat and counting down the days till Halloween.

What's next for you?

We're still working on our first EP, aiming to finish before the end of the year. Once the EP is done we'll tour. We're really looking forward to taking our music on the road!