Doppler Effect, a Denver-area high school rock band formed through Global Sound Studio, joins KGNU for a live in-studio session featuring original songs including “Godless Country,” “Embers,” “My Aphrodite,” and “Getaway Train.” Between performances, the band talks about finding one another through music, writing songs inspired by personal experiences and mythology, and using music as a way to build community and express themselves during challenging times. They also share how Global Sound Studio has shaped their growth as musicians and discuss upcoming performances. (Air Date 6/29/26).
Listen to the studio session here:
Transcript:
Indra Raj: That gets us caught up, and I’m very excited because I am about to welcome onto our airwaves a local band here in the area called Doppler Effect. So let’s bring them on now. Welcome to KGNU, y’all.
Hey, how’s it going? Good. It’s so nice to have you all in here.
Doppler Effect: It’s nice to be here. We’re really excited to be here.
Indra Raj: All right. We’re going to chat a bunch, but I think it’d be great to hear some music right off the bat. Why don’t you play us your first song?
Doppler Effect: All right.
This is “Godless Country.” You can find it on Spotify too.
[“Godless Country” performance]
Indra Raj: You’re tuned into KGNU Community Radio, and we’re listening to Doppler Effect live in the studio today. Thank you so much for being here.
Doppler Effect: Thank you for having us.
Indra Raj: Would you mind going around and introducing everybody who’s on the air today and what instrument they play?
Doppler Effect: Of course. On guitar we have James and Luca. On bass we have Sawyer. On drums we have Jack. And I’m Caroline, the vocalist.
Indra Raj: Great. What grades are you all in right now?
Doppler Effect: I’m going into my junior year. James is also going into his junior year, and so is Luca.
Jack: I’m going into my senior year.
Sawyer: And I’m a sophomore.
Indra Raj: That was Sawyer. Nice. So you’re all in high school. Do you all go to the same school, or did you find each other through Global Sound Studio?
Doppler Effect: Funny enough, we all go to different schools. We found each other through Global Sound Studio.
Indra Raj: All across the Front Range. Want to shout out your schools?
Doppler Effect: I go to Front Range Community College. James goes to Legacy. Luca goes to PRA in Erie. I go to Jefferson Academy. And I go to DSA in Denver.
Indra Raj: So all over the map. We talked a little bit about how you met through the Global Sound Studio program in Broomfield. How did you realize your playing styles and interests fit together?
Doppler Effect: It all started as a three-piece with Caroline, James, and myself. We had a guitarist who didn’t really fit our vibe, so he left and we got Luca. Then we went through a couple of bassists, because bassists are harder to find. After a couple of years, we found Sawyer. It all happened through the Global Sound program.
Indra Raj: Was there a question you asked people? Did you listen to them play or talk about your influences when forming the band?
Doppler Effect: I think most of it came from writing our original songs. Being able to feel the vibe and match it was a big part of knowing these were my people—my band—and the people I could really work well with.
Indra Raj: Absolutely. I picked up on a political message in your first song. That’s a choice not every band makes. Can you tell me about that?
Doppler Effect: Absolutely. It was mostly my choice, but the whole band supported it. One of my favorite artists is Hozier, and he talks about protesting just as loudly as people commit atrocities. This is my protest. This is our protest.
Indra Raj: We don’t get to hear from a lot of high school-aged people on KGNU. How are you feeling about the political state of the world, and how does music help you cope?
Doppler Effect: It’s a very personal journey for each of us. For me, it’s frustrating with everything going on because it’s hard to keep up, and because of what’s happening both in the U.S. and around the world. Music gives me an outlet. Sometimes everything feels insurmountable, but this makes it feel a little more manageable.
And none of us are able to vote yet. I’m the oldest at 17. We need to make changes now to change the future.
Indra Raj: That’s a really good point—not being able to vote yet and still finding a way to have a voice.
Doppler Effect: Lately everything feels messy, and what people need right now is community. Music has always been that for me, and I think for most of the band. Caroline puts so much heart into her lyrics, and we all love playing shows, seeing people dance, and hearing them sing along to covers and our original songs. It’s a relief to see people come together when so much of the world seems divided.
Indra Raj: That’s really well said. Thank you for sharing that. Anyone else?
Doppler Effect: I think the world has too much hate. Politics has become about what side you’re on, and it sparks a lot of fights. We focus on our differences instead of our similarities. Music has always been a way for us to spread love and help people connect. We’re 15, 16, and 17 years old. If we’re noticing this, that’s something to think about.
Indra Raj: It’s really nice to hear from all of you. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Let’s get back to the music. We’re listening to Doppler Effect here on KGNU. We’ll hear a couple songs in a row. What do you have next?
Doppler Effect: The next song is called “Embers.” It’s a crowd favorite. After that we’ll play “My Aphrodite,” which was inspired by Greek mythology.
[Performances of “Embers” and “My Aphrodite”]
Indra Raj: We’re listening to Doppler Effect live in the KGNU studio on the Afternoon Sound Alternative. My name is Indra Raj. Great to hear a couple more songs. Can you tell us about “My Aphrodite?”
Doppler Effect: I started writing the lyrics after reading the myth of Aphrodite and Ares. They were forbidden to be together, and Zeus had Helios, the sun god, watch over them. That’s where the lyric, “The sun can’t see us now,” comes from. It’s an homage to their romance in Greek mythology.
Indra Raj: I love it. You all met through Global Sound Studio. How has being part of that program enhanced your journey as musicians, individually and as a band?
Doppler Effect: Global Sound has really been my whole music career. Matteo, who directs the program, does an incredible job with every recording and every show. I’ve had three instructors over eight years there, and every one of them has been fantastic. The band program brought all of us together, and I’ve met so many friends through music because of it.
The instructors are phenomenal. James and I now share the same instructor, Matt Gleason. He’s the drummer for Entropist, and he runs our Friday band rehearsals. He’s incredible and somehow puts up with all of us.
I was actually really close to quitting music when I first started. Learning an instrument was frustrating, and I kept hitting roadblocks. Global Sound Studio and this band pushed me to keep going. Eventually everything clicked, and now it’s my favorite thing in the world. If I could give anyone advice, it would be to push through those early challenges.
Global Sound was also my introduction to music and the music community. Once I got into it, it became amazing. The instructors and my bandmates constantly push me to improve.
Indra Raj: For someone interested in joining Global Sound Studio, what does the program actually look like?
Doppler Effect: I go every Wednesday for a 30-minute lesson with Matt Gleason. We work on whatever I need to improve. Right now we’re focusing on stick coordination for drumming. If you miss a lesson, you can make it up later.
I started in the summer band program. It’s a week-long experience where you write a song, learn two covers, record, and perform. After that comes the six-week band program. You rehearse every Friday for two and a half hours, write an original song, learn two covers, record them, and perform. From there we became an advanced band, which lets us make more complete recordings, play shows like this, release music on Spotify, and work on projects like an upcoming music video.
Indra Raj: How often do you practice together?
Doppler Effect: Every Friday from 6:00 to 8:00. We rehearse original songs and covers for our shows, and Matt helps coordinate everything and keeps us moving forward.
Indra Raj: You also have some upcoming performances. Want to tell people about them?
Doppler Effect: Absolutely. We’ll be playing at the Adams County Fair on July 29 from 6:00 to 8:30. You’ll see us along with all the other great Global Sound bands.
Indra Raj: Great. We have one more tune from you, so let’s hear it.
Doppler Effect: Last but not least is the first original we ever wrote, “Getaway Train.”
[“Getaway Train” performance]
Indra Raj: We’ve had Doppler Effect live in our studios today. Thank you all so much for coming in. Before we say goodbye, how can people find you?
Doppler Effect: Just search Doppler Effect Broomfield on Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Music, Deezer, Instagram, Facebook, and other social platforms.
Indra Raj: It’s been such a pleasure having you in the studio today. Keep up the great work, and hopefully we’ll see you back here sometime.
Doppler Effect: We’d love to be back. Thank you so much for having us.
Indra Raj: Thanks so much for being here.
Doppler Effect: Thank you.
