COOL BAND ALERT! – Blak Emoji
Blak Emoji is the latest project from singer-songwriter-musician Kelsey Warren and they’ve just released a new EP called Intro.
Warren was the creative force behind the New York City-based band Pillow Theory; who released two excellent albums – Outpatience (produced and engineered by the legendary Steve Albini) and Meltdown (featuring production work from the equally epic Ron St. Germain). If you don’t know who either one of these producers are, go get a late pass…
The move from the guitar-driven sound of Pillow Theory to the electro-funk aesthetic of Blak Emoji was a natural one for Warren. Influenced by Dirty Mind-era Prince, Nine Inch Nails, Air and M83, Warren wanted Blak Emoji to have a decidedly more liquid, slinkier sound than his previous band. This can best be heard on EP’s lead track, “Sapiosexual”; a sexy come-on that champions intellect over the physical (“I love your brain just as much as I love your ass”). The song proves that you can be sensual without resorting to the usual love song clichés.
Carnal pleasures run throughout the EP. “Velvet Ropes and Dive Bars” threads the needle between VIP sections and seedy watering holes – all with that special someone, of course. “Baby Making Heels” and “Honey” are lusty grinders centering on what happens when the drinks are done and intimacy is in the air.
The EP’s closer, “Poison to Medicine” is also its centerpiece – A meditative, steady-building song that is speaks to a nation heading into uncharted waters, it has all of the makings of a huge across-the-board hit.
Anchored by Warren’s husky vocals, cool electronics and slashing guitars, Blak Emoji takes electro-funk, pop and rock to a decidedly sexier, cooler and higher level. Intro is available now through Itunes, Amazon and all major music outlets and streaming services. Get it immediately.
Love this band! Great live.
Excellent EP. Lyrically and musically Intro is like nothing else out there.