Rating: ****1/2
I have to admit I was pretty blown away by the sheer amount of credits that vocalist, songwriter, and musician Kari Kimmel and producer, songwriter and musician Joe Corcoran have between them. If I'm being honest, I hadn't heard of either of them before I discovered their PR in my inbox.
According to their one-sheet, they have a total of over 90 million streams between them. That's so many streams. Kimmel has sung on three platinum and five gold soundtracks with Corcoran famously producing Chris Hadfield's 2013 viral cover of David Bowie's “Space Oddity”, a cover that was praised by Bowie himself.
So these guys are legit af and combining their efforts to form a garage-electro band called LUC hailing from the city of angels, Los Angeles, California. Their new EP called "Glow" is out and I'm about to crank it to eleven and share my thoughts.
Is the build up too much? Did reading all about the amazing things they've done set me up for inevitable disappointment? There's only one way to find out.
BRB.
Watch the music video for "Glow" on Youtube here:
The title track "Glow" leads this one off and it's hella tight. This literally could be a top ten hit on the radio right now. It's modern electro-pop with a nostalgic 80's vibe. Absolutely perfect. Great way to start the EP. "Over It" has a Ting Tings feel and is super fun. It's not the masterpiece that "Glow" is but it's still rock solid. "Extraverdent" is dreamy and hypnotic and a great change-of-pace track. Decidedly less fun and more serious but it's a good sound. Kimmel has a perfect voice for this kind of music. "Ghost" is next and it's extra great. The arrangement here is on point and vocally it's one of my favorites on the album. "Running Down the Halls" is a slower-paced and poppy. It sounds a little like early Katy Perry which isn't a bad thing. This would be my choice for the second single. The EP concludes with "Lost in Love" is the only true ballad on the record and it's a fine one at that. Sultry vocals and hypnotic production really make this one a grand finale to remember. Perfect one to listen to in the headphones.
This one is nearly flawless. I could go on and on about how much I adore it, but I'd rather just tell you to download it right now. You won't regret it.