Introducing: Litl Biird

To put it simply, John Magee, AKA Litl Biird, is a pianist and vocalist emerging from Brooklyn.  To delve deeper, Magee is a poet who carefully merges two worlds- the worlds of the organic and of the intellectual.   Magee emulates the soft and organic nature of our surroundings, as if heard through the ears of synesthesia.  He gently plucks inspiration from the most mundane or simple, which organized by the human brain into a poetic pattern becomes the center of our attention- beauty brought to the forefront.  As a result, hearing Magee’s music is like fine tuning our focus to the particles of sound around us, be it through the organization of the actions and words of man, or the utility of nature’s own symphony.  It doesn’t hurt that Magee has a dynamic and emotive voice, skillfully employed over his simple and touching orchestrations.  Most recently Litl Biird was the standout performer at Poptimism, a show organized by Kaiotic Music and Ponk Records.  You can come check him out, as well as another emerging NYC male vocalist Mattheu (who played at Kaiotic’s first show Tropical Paradiso), at Rock Shop on June 19th.

Check out some of my favorite tracks below.

 

 

 

Prinze George – Make Me

Prinze George has already proven itself to be a contender for big time action.  There’s a sound, for sure, that’s shared across many contemporary bands coming out of Brooklyn- Sylvan Esso and Wet come to mind specifically, but there are many things that are unique about Prinze George.  It’s Naomi Almquist’s voice, at times gender bending, and her nuanced interpretation of emotions- sometimes unpolished and raw, at others operatic and well curated.  It’s the poetic, almost old fashioned seduction of words, which like Naomi’s voice vacillates between sophisticated and cotidian.  It’s an electrifying combination and a charming experience.  Now the Brooklyn Pop band release their fourth single, Make Me, amidst a flurry of initial performances and blog buzz.  It’s another gorgeous Pop track, not quite summer hit, not quite ballad.  It’s a track of twisted yet enlightened self awareness, hidden beneath nostalgic naievete.  It’s captivating, and it’s production is a contrast like everything else about Prinze George.  At first glance the sound is hollow- but it’s misleading.  The subtle pulses and quiet waves of background sound suddenly become lush and engulfing.  Props Prinze George, I can’t wait to see what’s next.

Kodacrome – Buggy Bumper

Brooklyn duo Kodacrome is bumpin’ boogies on their new track Buggy Bumper, a darkly europop infused single.  Elissa Pociask’s vocals bring to mind Emily Haines while Ryan Casey’s production evokes The Presets, a combination that leads to a hauntingly sensual yet danceable experience.  As a building block atop Koda’s previous releases, Buggy Bumper feels like a step upwards, with a fantastic video to accompany it- the video teaser is an engulfing experience of pop colors contrasted with shadows, water, and dark ooze- much like the song itself.  The evolution of the track that begins at 1:50, stripping the song to a pulsating synth and adding quirky and ravey embellishments, is a money moment that leads perfectly to a necessary and desired climax.  Stellar track.

The Le Sigh, The Epoch, & Kaiotic Music Present SALES

 

Kaiotic Music is incredibly excited to announce that one of our Florida favorites, SALES, will be joining Brooklyn’s Florist, Small Wonder, & Told Slant for an amazing show at The Paper Box this summer, in association with The Le Sigh and The Epoch.  RSVP Here and get your tickets here.

Kaiotic Music & Ponk Records Present: Poptimism

Ponk & Kaiotic Music Present Poptimism.

Pop is the general state of music.

Performances from rising Brooklyn artists with a bit of a foreign engagement. 

$7

21+

Doors at 8 PM

9 PM John Magee

10 PM Miss Garrison

11 PM Ludwig Persik

12 PM Follow Me (DJ SET)

Event/Artist info
Tickets
RSVP

Introducing: Prinze George

Prinze George is an indie synth pop outfit based in Brooklyn and comprised of Naomi Almquist, Kenny Grimm, Stan Rapoport, and Andrew Santucci.  Still a fledgeling band, they’ve released three singles in the past year, but it was the second of the three that began garnering attention- Victor.  Naomi’s lead vocals thread themselves into the fabric of the synthetic- pulsating emotion.  They follow a formula championed by David Bowie- “We’ve got to create something that’s the same but really quite different“.  Prinze George is reveling within a pop schema while bringing their own flavor, and producing tracks that are abstract yet translate into many of our experiences.  For avid Pop fans there are many qualities to distinguish Victor from its counterparts.  Sia quality pop writing and finely tuned production- their tracks highlight my favorite facets of Pop song production that get lost in huge choruses- gently pulsating synthesizers, slight snaps, and elemental structures slowly growing alongside Naomis lyrics and vocals.  By the end of the song, as she chants, “Victor, you are not my father, you are not my lover, you are all the other“, chills run up and down my bones.  Beyond that she strikes a beautiful lyrical arc, having lead us through Victor’s deceptions and to a stark realization that he never filled some of her basic needs- comfort and passion.  But the song has its moments of lightness, like with the affected mmhmm‘s that occur in between the refrains of the first verse.  They are so perfectly sassy it reminds us Naomi is scorning a failed lover, more so than lamenting loss.

Most recently Prinze George have released their third single, This Time.  “I gave my mind to a game of cards… I never wanted your best regards“- it’s empowering to see that they are still delivering what’s great about Victor without being redundant.  Very well written lyrics and melodies guide the listener on an emotional journey and then thrust them into huge pop choruses that are likely to get their blood pumping.  Naomi packs a pressure punch of feeling in a simple oooh during the bridge, elevating simplicity to nuance and thoughtful delivery.  Stunning.

Also, check out their first single, Children in the Audience, below.

Haerts – Call My Name

Haerts has taken a slight left in their musical stylings with their new track Call My Name.    Their EP Hemiplegia was everyone’s favorite emotional outpour of 2013, and contained some of the strongest hooks in recent pop releases, but it’s surprising and encouraging to see this new track as an omen of their ability to evolve and yet maintain a signature style.  Melding their emotive pop songwriting with dreamier production, the Brooklyn based quartet embarks on 2014 determined to win your ears over again.  Nini Fabi’s vocals strike a chord within a pop lover’s id, harpooning our instinctual responses into a condensed and immersive wash of romance.  As she gently and patiently sings “When the past is gone and the future untold, knowing all love dies and wondering so”, she captures a delicate and grey feeling- the ebb and flow of being close to, and yet so distant from, another person.  Call My Name is feeling intimacy and space simultaneously.  It’s wanting freedom and yet wanting to hear our name called by our lover.  It’s knowing that we may sometimes need to step away from the connections that once flourished. It’s a stunningly delivered and fatally emotional reality that Nini relates to her audience, and a promise of more beautiful pop music to come, the kind that could (and should) reach the ears, and hearts, of a much larger audience.

 

Interview with Yellerkin

Slipping and sliding across several inch thick sheets of ice that refuse to disperse from the sidewalk, I make my way inside a café and scan the room for the subjects of today’s conversation. Settling into a corner table I notice a guy in a blue sweater and tan beanie making eye contact with me. I hesitate, going between thinking he’s one half of the duo Yellerkin and thinking that he’s cruising me in a very 1970s way- head nods, eye contact. I blush and look away. Surely he’s hitting on me and not thinking I’m here to interview him. 

My phone buzzes and I look down to embarrassingly read a description of that very person, stating he’s at the café waiting. Finally, I’m certain this man isn’t a glory hole user but instead Luca Bucelatti, who with Adrian Galvin constitutes the newly fledged folk-pop duo Yellerkin. Luca is also Tei Shi’s beaux, and the producer of her acclaimed debut EP Saudade.

Tropical Paradiso Vid

Here’s some footage of Tropical Paradiso at The Paper Box last week.  Performances by Mattheu, Ophelia & Theodore, Kodacrome, & a DJ set from Follow me.

Shot & edited by Simon Reinert,  bklnordr.com

Music by Kodacrome (All the Ama)

Interview – Tei Shi

I believe it’s everyone’s aspiration now to emerge with the perfect formula for attention and success. It’s something that can rarely be orchestrated and instead must happen naturally, or luckily. To release a track that incites mystery and intrigue while maintaining aloofness about your own artistry is step one. Step two is proper circulation and blog love. Step three is releasing more music, and hopefully proving that what you have deserves to be heard (are we numbering more one hit wonders today than in their heyday of the 50s?). Every so often the timing is perfect each step of the way, and naturally this isn’t the only factor. Talent and original, attention-grabbing music is the foundation – these steps the ladder to plays. Tei Shi is someone who fell into the attention her EP Saudade has received rather inadvertently. While the artistry was well thought-out, the EP masterfully crafted, the songwriting original- the release seems almost serendipitous. Thankfully this is one that didn’t get swept under the rug, and upon each listen just keeps on getting better.