Starting over with a new band shouldn’t be easy, but for local frontman Jay Nemeyer, the early results already speak volumes.

Following the indefinite hiatus of his previous group, The Silver Liners, late last year, Nemeyer was left with a few unrecorded songs and conceived the idea for what would originally start out as his own solo project—Color Palette.

After recruiting a few friends and trekking across the country for a recording session in Los Angeles, the newly formed indie rock outfit have returned to their native District with two exceptional tracks in tow. The first, “Seventeen”, debuted in June and continues to receive some much deserved praise. Now, the fruits of their West Coast labor shine again with the release of a new single, “Heartless”, from their forthcoming EP due in early August.

Unlike their first single, which had a more definitive rock structure, “Heartless” is a gauzy, synth-filled ballad that sounds inspired by jangle-pop acts of the past. It’s thematically similar to their debut—a battle between the rejection of unrequited love and acceptance—but “Heartless” takes a step back from the angsty delivery in “Seventeen” and features a more resigned Nemeyer.

Color Palette plays at the Rock and Roll Hotel on July 25th with Drop Electric, Honest Haloway, and Boon.

And in addition to their upcoming EP this August, the band has announced a full-length album due later this Fall.