art-pop – RCRD LBL

March 23, 2021

March 23, 2021March 24, 2021 Mike change

Art-pop musician IMANIA announces forthcoming EP, Wounds

Belgian-Bolivian artist IMAINA presents new track Glass Box, as the lead single from her upcoming debut EP.

Using her signature melancholic sounds and lyrics, Glass Box uncovers the hidden symbolism behind the toxic ideal of love. This electropop track confronts you with the violence and the dynamics of a suffocating relationship, characterised by layered and lush instrumentation, elegant moments and engaging percussion, setting the tone for her debut EP Wounds, which will be released on February 19th 2021.

True to her cinematic style and passion of storytelling, IMAINA reveals a thrilling music video that tackles the ‘Madonna-Whore Complex’ and explores the idea that women are expected to be many things. Inspired by the intimate confidences of a close friend, IMAINA has transformed herself into a vessel to translate experiences into a strong haunting song and video.

“I feel like we all have a tendency to worship an unrealistic idea of love. We search for love and have high expectations but we dont always accept, and really want to know the person in front of us. We end up projecting our desires, wants and wishes onto the person, locking them up in this glass box where they can be admired but never truly loved or known“,she says.

As an independent artist, and her own artistic director, she imagined the concept of the visuals as she wrote and composed the song. To realize her vision, she teamed up with director and founder of APolaroidStory OUNI and cinematographer PJ Claessens.

Follow IMANIA:

Instagram / Spotify

January 11, 2021

January 11, 2021January 11, 2021 Mike change

Experimental pop duo We Will Kaleid releases evocative EP

Image credit: Anne Ludwig

Absorbing our seasonal sadness, art/experimental pop duo We Will Kaleid released two last songs last year: Revoke/Aphelion.

“Revoke” is about self hypnosis floating on a wave of uncertainty, finally resolving into a stream of regret. The band details the track. It’s about the moment you realise that you did or said something that caused damage beyond repair. You are lost in indecision and uncertainty but somehow still comforted by monotony. A mellow, weightless, translucent, lulling state of mind.

“Aphelion” deals with what lies underneath it all, the one thing that we desire most. Loosing yourself in loosing one another. A void that even though filled with loss and grief, remains empty. Pure, calming, honest, weird.

We Will Kaleid create dense and oppressive arrangements with minimalist sound material. Upon rough textures of analog synthesizers, a dark and intoxicating atmosphere is forged with few but multi-faceted beat and voice fragments. We Will Kaleid are looking for a strong contrast. In dense electronic songs they prefer direct confrontation to comfortable harmony.

Just as on their latest EP “Tongue” We Will Kaleid take up dysfunctional aspects of communication and offers both spaces for self-confrontation as well as an escape from reality. The band’s output is a confusing, unpleasant trip into one’s own aggressive, ugly self. We Will Kaleid are a haunting and captivating appearance, with a clear stance: they do not offer an easy cure, the band remains consistently unforgiving.

Follow We Will Kaleid:

Website / Facebook / Instagram

November 20, 2020

November 20, 2020November 20, 2020 Mike change

Art-pop singer Kit Major releases introspective song

Photo Credit: Noël Dombroski

Los Angeles-based art-pop artist Kit Major shares “When the Drugs Don’t Work”, a more introspective stab at her signature dark, electropop sound, building on her single “Mind” from October. Under The Radar premiered the track a few days earlier, praising how the track “leans into a dark, electro pop feel. The chilly and introspective opening blooms into a driving dance beat and thumping synths, married to a percussive, hyperpop-influenced outro. Contrasting with the darker sound though, comes a tender and warm lyrical perspective.”

Taking inspiration from Charli XCX, Billie Eilish, and Charlotte Lawrence, “When the Drugs Don’t Work” dives into the overwhelming vulnerability and panic of failing to curb a depressive episode with medication. With this release, Kit Major furthers her efforts to be open and make light of her mental health struggles.

Speaking about “When the Drugs Don’t Work,” Kit Major says: “It was cathartic to write, so visually I wanted it to be something light, fun and freeing. Life isn’t supposed to be this hard and sad, there should be joy and freedom too. Don’t take things too seriously or literally. I write about my depression to be able to dance about my depression. I first wrote this song because I had a major depressive episode in April from everything… COVID, the state of our world, the state of our nation, the fact I also deal with anxiety and depression… everything. I was taking my meds and it still made me feel as if I wasn’t on them, so I wrote down “what happens when your drugs don’t work?” I try, and am still learning, to be as open as possible about my mental state.“

Follow Kit Major:

September 15, 2020

September 15, 2020September 16, 2020 Mike change

Art-pop duo We Will Kalied drop expressive song ‘Mogilalia’

“‘Mogilalia’ is about inability to speak your mind. It’s a look on the exertion of being filled with intense, but unexpressed anger. And the need to express it anyway to avoid imploding.” explains the band.

‘You don’t own me brother. I don’t owe you anything.’ as the lyrics go. “Mogilalia” is an uncomfortable slow burn with a weirdly liberating ending. Stumbling, energetic, introverted, explosive.

We Will Kaleid will play at this year’s Reeperbahn Festival. On Friday 18th, at Knust. If you happen to be around, feel free to come over.

The band’s new EP “Tongue” will be released in October.