Brooklyn-based artist Doe Paoro describes her music as “Ghost Soul,” characterized by a dolorous, ethereal sound that evokes the resurrection of “a choir of ghosts who haven’t completely detached from the human experience.” Echoes of attachment and detachment permeate her debut album, Slow to Love, out February 14, 2012.
Paoro’s haunting vocals are strongly influenced by her in-depth study of Lhamo—a powerful, unusual, and vocally acrobatic Tibetan-style opera—that she encountered while traveling alone through the Himalayas this past year. During her travels, Paoro spent several weeks practicing silent meditation. The high-contrast nature of her music is directly influenced by these studies and experiences, as she was forced to reflect on the deep and expansive space between silence and sound. Upon returning to the U.S., Paoro sketched out Slow to Love while isolated in a cabin near her hometown of Syracuse, New York.
Paoro has been compared to Lykke Li and James Blake, but her haunting vocals and spacious arrangements are singular, realized in a state of sorrow without bitterness, passion without pretense. To add cliché to an artist otherwise devoid, Doe Paoro is going to make a huge mark in music in 2012.
KKS is proud to present Lucas Nord – Stockholm’s rising star within Swedish house music. As the grandchild of legendary jazz clarinet virtouse Putte Wickman, Lucas had music running through his veins at an early age, so the note-worthy buzz generating around his debut single “Let Us Stay Young” comes as no surprise. The song is quite addictive; a jittery a pulsating dance floor remedy and destined friend to the beloved strobe light. It also features vocals from Rasmus Flyckt and Emil Gustafsson from Urban Cone. Check out the video and download the Extended Mix, below.
My first thought on this video – Bearcelona is the best name for a club probably ever! The song is catchy as well and I love the shots of Snuggle the bear being his creepy yet adorable self and tucking babies into cribs. I had to do a bit of somewhat dangerous googling of the term ‘Daddy Bear’ to make sure I knew what I was getting into. Then I remembered the 30 Rock reference and it made it all the better. Finally Aurora Lies delivers a well-deserved tribute to Daddy Bears everywhere!
It’s the freakin’ weekend and here we have a sweet treat to send us off in style. Previously I had posted about the rather secretive preview video for Sucré‘s upcoming record. Now KKS presents their first track “When We Were Young.” Picture yourself flying over a downtown skyline Super Human style, or maybe driving down the PCH in a convertible (vintage, not some Sebring!) with your hand held out against the wind. Then you’ll smile bigger than a pup whose found a patch of sunlight to sleep in on a cold winter day. Sucré will be playing the Hotel Cafe on February 6th. Mark your calendars!
When I listen to Choice Notes I picture a gang of feisty winged pixies breaking into a record store and ransacking the place for Foster the People, Lykke Li, and maybe Fun. records leaving only a light sprinkling of glitter behind. Then they fly into an attic, dance around, and record the little gems that will comprise Alex Winston’s forthcoming LP King Con. The video matches the song’s quirky, joyful vibes by melding colorful albeit dilapidated sights and sounds with confetti and fireworks! It’s kind of the gritty hip-indie version of Michael Buble’s “Haven’t Met You Yet” video. And I mean that as a compliment because that video is a feel-good confetti party! It has 50 million views for a reason.
We are more than ecstatic to present our first in an on going series of EXCLUSIVE DJ sets from our favorite bicoastal production duo, The Soundmen. We have partnered with The Soundmen to take our monthly mixtapes and get inspired, take the best and brightest tracks we can find and work their magic on them. Each month KickKickSnare and The Soundmen will take you somewhere new and exciting, all based on what is the best in the world of music at the very moment they get behind their decks and start mixing. The one thing we can guarantee is that the mixes will be filled with The Soundmen signature energy and KicKickSnare‘s ear for exceptional new sounds.
The Soundmen took our January Mixtape, got inspired, added in some new tracks and have given us all 30 minutes of club ready beats – that run a musical spectrum from the epic indie sounds of M83, to the pulsing sounds of Skrillex, to the thumping hip-hop of A$AP Rocky & Rye Rye, to finally the psychedelic dance sounds of The Asteroids Galaxy Tour.
You’ll never be bored when KickKickSnare and The Soundmen come together to show you a good time.
Download the goodness for yourself and if you want to know what went into the track check out the tracklist after the jump.
Simple and uncluttered beauty is only how I can describe CAAN‘s cover of Japan‘s classic ‘Ghosts’.
CAAN, aka Caan Capan, has experienced massive and massive lows over the past years. As his band Ou Est Le Swimming Pool readied their debut album its lead singer and Caan‘s close friend tragically took his own life during a show in Denmark. To grieve Caan went back to music, to focus his emotions and attentions to creating incredible music again. Since then he released the hauntingly beautiful ‘Now Hear This My Friends‘ in September and is prepping to release his next single ‘Every Little Thing’ and Ghosts is the official b-side. I am truly happy to see that CAAN is continuing to do what he loves and is overcoming the pain of a friend gone too soon.
