BU Treblemakers Release New EP CADENCE
The Treblemakers have released eight studio albums and three EPs, and took home first place at the 2023 International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) Northeast Quarterfinals.
BU Treblemakers Release New EP CADENCE
The six-track album features a cappella arrangements of songs by Beyoncé, Lake Street Dive, and more
When campaigning last winter for president of the BU Treblemakers—the self-proclaimed “most irresistible all-gender a cappella group” at the University—Walter Nelson (COM’24) says he didn’t like to make promises, but he was sure of one thing.
“The only thing I could promise everyone was that we are recording an album this semester and it’s coming out,” Nelson says. “I felt so strongly about that.”
He kept his word. CADENCE, the group’s new six-track EP released last month and marks their first release since 2021. It features a cappella arrangements of popular songs like “Before I Let Go” by Beyoncé, “erase me” by Lizzy McAlpine, and “Hypotheticals” by Lake Street Dive.
Nelson says the EP was inspired by the Treblemakers 2023 graduating class and their dedication to the group.
“The EP is for us, and it’s a proud moment for us,” Nelson says. “But in a lot of ways, it’s a huge ‘thank you’ and a commemoration to that senior class who were the foundation for rebuilding the group after COVID and making it what it is today.”
Cameron Reimer (CAS’23, GRS’23) records vocals for the CADENCE EP. Video by Walter Nelson
Elizabeth Reichman (CFA’25), Walter Nelson (COM’24), Amber Bates (CFA’24), and Kenleigh Merritt (CAS’23) record vocals for the track “Hypotheticals” on CADENCE. Video by Amber Bates
Over just two weeks in April, Trebs—the colloquial name for the group’s members—recorded the EP in the College of Fine Arts practice rooms with producer and mixer Angela Ugolini, the owner and CEO of award-winning a cappella audio production company Aurum Productions, LLC, based in Medford, Mass.
Trebs had lengthy discussions about the album’s title and connotation. Eventually, they settled on CADENCE, which refers to the rhythmic sequence of sounds in speech or music. “It just shows the progression and flow of the group and how it changes over time,” Nelson says. “No matter how much things change, members change, and leaders change, the general flow that Treb moves at is always consistent.”
Songs on CADENCE came from both past and present Trebs. The group performed the last three songs—“Done for Me,” “erase me,” and “still feel”—at the 2022 International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA). Then, with new Trebs joining their ranks last fall, the group grew comfortable with new songs in their repertoire and made sure those were included on the album.
Since their founding in 1996, the BU Treblemakers have released eight studio albums and three EPs, on top of performing live hundreds of times on campus and all around Boston. They took home first place at the 2023 ICCA Northeast Quarterfinals.
As for the future, the BU Treblemakers have exciting stuff in store. Auditions to join are September 16 and 17 (visit the group’s website for how to sign up). Coming up in November is the Night of BU A Cappella (NOBUAC), an annual showcase featuring performances from all 13 a cappella groups on campus. The BU Treblemakers Instagram will be updated with more details later this fall.
Stream CADENCE here.
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