Kiwi Jr./DACEY
Kiwi Jr.
Cooler Returns // Sub Pop
Toronto, Ontario band Kiwi Jr. have released their second full-length album and it is refreshing. They have a carefully curated sound throughout and have mastered the art of songwriting, while still somehow making is seem effortless and relaxed. The four-member band is made up of Jeremy Gaudet (mic, guitar), Brohan Moore (drums), Mike Walker (bass), and Brian Murphy (guitar), who all seamlessly mesh together to create the wonderful indie-pop sound heard in Cooler Returns.
The band has stated that Cooler Returns ‘goes down easier thanks to meaningful changes enacted in 2019’s KiwiCares Pledge: delivering on a promise to transition from Crunchy to Smooth by 2021.’ They have definitely delivered and bring an album that is easy to listen to, while still be super interesting. A contributor of this smoother sound are more relaxed vocals. Gaudet, who sings for the band, does such a great job of story-telling and captivating the listener through his witty lyrics. He has a great voice, and just puts it in the spotlight enough. Intertwining with the awesome instrumentals, their sound is absolutely fresh and alive.
The album opener, “Tyler”, is one of my favourite tracks. It tells a fun story through memorable lyrics and nostalgic feeling instrumentals. The song is mellow, yet playful and has a charm that is perfect for the opening track. Just to give you more context, here are the lyrics from the opening verse: “There’s a crowd gathering, outside our apartment. ‘Cuz they know my history, yeah and they like our rent. So, I have to prove it to both you and the landlord. Hell yeah! The new game is insane, but I’m stuck keeping the old score.” I’m sure they have a fun background story that can only be imaged by the listener. I think they’re quite fun and intriguing.
Another track worth mentioning is “Dodger”. It mentions everything from answering machines to Jack the Ripper, and gives me big Andy Shauf vibes. They have many colourful chords played on acoustic guitar and that classic piano sound Andy Shauf is known for. “Dodger” is an upbeat tune that will have you dancing around your living room in no time.
Kiwi Jr. have released music videos for a few of the songs, including title track, “Cooler Returns”. They are all pretty amusing to watch, especially the mock half-time show portrayed in “Cooler Returns”. With flying motorcycles and alien invasions, this video does not disappoint. This sophomore album from Kiwi Jr. is one you won’t want to miss out on. Bright instrumentals and fun lyrics have paired well for this Toronto band. They have really nailed down their sound and perfect it throughout their thirteen-track release, Cooler Returns.
- Holly-Anne Gilroy
DACEY
SATIN PLAYGROUND EP // Independent
On their debut EP release SATIN PLAYGROUND, Vancouver neo-soul wunderkinds DACEY take their favourite flavours from alt R&B, hip-hop, indie pop, and jazz, and blend them together into a silky mélange. The end result offers up the best kind of barely-past-teenage heartbreak, spilled onto diary pages and brought to boppable life by deft players with seasoned musical taste.
Live 5-piece instrumentation is at the core of DACEY’s sound. An impeccably tight rhythm section immediately sets the head-bobbing pulse, with a thumping bass groove so reliably in the pocket that you’re likely to find it next to your keys; add a warm Rhodes-y piano that puts a touch of jazz in all the best spots, and a melodic guitar line that shimmies in and out of the foreground. Check the track “I’ll Be There” for a prime example of these instruments melding together at their purest, while DACEY’s more hip-hop-forward tracks (like “SUMMERTIMEISDONE”) rely on layering samples of those core organic sounds. Overtop, vocalist Dacey Andrada sings with a SZA-esque meter and a smooth nonchalant flow, and brings forth smart lyrics that feel honest but never saccharine. Collectively, these skilled musicians create a laid-back slacker-soul vibe that sounds deceptively easy. As a collaborative effort, it’s clear that the group is putting their best ideas into each song. The studio production comes across as similarly disciplined, with production flourishes and the use of samples being controlled and deliberate. As a result, SATIN PLAYGROUND has a complex and multi-layered sound that still feels intimate and genuine.
At 7 tracks across a breezy 21 minutes, any of these songs could be pulled out as a highlight, but the best moments showcase Andrada’s heart-on-her-sleeve songwriting. Stripped-down track “Night Calls” features a finger-plucked electric guitar and her lonely caramel vocals, delivering a confession directed at a former lover but brimming with introspective honesty: “What am I supposed to do? / Without you, there’s nothing new / I’ve burnt the pages I wrote about us / Though that’s okay / ‘Cause they’ll never get lost.” She evokes the hard realization that deleting the remnants of a soured relationship still might not get someone out of your damn head. On “See Thru Me”, Andrada nails the stinging hindsight of allowing oneself vulnerability (“You only see through me / ‘Cause I let you in”) along with the mental treadmill we find ourselves stuck on after things don’t work out, as the song closes out with the refrain, "If I see you that’s when I turn to stone / I keep on reminiscing what we had that’s gone”. In some places, the sunny sounds of DACEY shine onto some real gloomy-weather feels (“I got hella shade / ‘Cause I got rainy days”) but SATIN PLAYGROUND offers plenty of day-dreamy escapism as well — perhaps nowhere more clearly than on stoner anthem “Broccoli’s Keeper”.
Escapism is definitely something we can all use a bit more of these days, and while SATIN PLAYGROUND is full of wistful sentiment, it is also joyful, fun, and packed with bops. So until we can get back to enjoying live musical performances, here’s the next best thing I can think of: put this record on through your headphones, close your eyes, and imagine being outside on a blue sky day, with a Solo cup in your hand and a slight buzz going, while you sway in the crowded pit at a DACEY show.
- Julie Maier
