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Alysia Kraft Finds Solace Through Hardship With Debut Solo Single “Cold Mountain”

“Cold Mountain” is an earthy folk tune acknowledging the immensity of pain, loss, and struggle as a first step toward healing and making a change.

Singer-songwriter Alysia Kraft delivers a striking performance on her debut solo single, “Cold Mountain,” out February 18th. As the first song from her upcoming record First Light, out later this year, “Cold Mountain” introduces the project with a sonic breath of fresh air. The Wyoming born artist has made a beloved reputation for herself in the Wyoming and Colorado music scenes; “Cold Mountain” showcases a different side of Kraft’s artistry following her work with Whippoorwill and The Patti Fiasco, inviting listeners to experience the ethereal whimsy inherent to this track’s lush, bioluminescent folk soundscape. Fans of HAIM, Waxahatchee, and Kacey Musgraves will find themselves right at home immersed in Kraft’s lush vocals and melancholy-steeped poetry. “Cold Mountain” is set to make an emotional appearance in the short film, Be Still, premiering at the Front Range Film Festival in Longmont, CO, on February 19 for which it recently won the Indie Short Fest award for “Best Original Song”.

“Cold Mountain” came to Kraft like a breath of fresh air; having grown up in rural Wyoming, this song finds it’s roots in the same grandness of the windswept plains the queer artist took refuge in while enduring various struggles for acceptance and understanding throughout life. Kraft wrote this track “in a moment of fully feeling how brutal and beautiful life can be all at once.” For her, “Cold Mountain” is an exploration of the ways in which we “find the space to feel both the grief and hope we need to keep going.” As co-producer, Kraft made it a point to create something that felt true to the place and emotion of the song. In collaboration with J. Tom Hnatow (producer, mixing engineer) and Justin W. Craig (producer, mixing engineer), Kraft brought her vision to life as a brilliantly multi-dimensional final product. Alysia Kraft partnered with SonaBLAST! Records to create this project, adding her captivating artistic signature to their acclaimed catalog.

Fans can stream “Cold Mountain” on all major streaming platforms on February 18th. 

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More about Alysia Kraft:

Having amassed devoted regional followings for projects Whippoorwill and The Patti Fiasco as a celebrated songwriter and incomparably magnetic frontwoman, Kraft has sold out most of Colorado’s big stages and directly supported icons Bon Jovi, Blondie, Nathanial Rateliff and Bonnie Raitt on significantly bigger ones. Embracing the complexities of growing up queer on a cattle ranch in small-town Wyoming and choosing to love within a landscape that didn’t always love back, “First Light” is a triumphant homecoming and a defining solo debut. Smart, retro-influenced indie pop and lush, bioluminescent folk will find crossover appeal with fans of HAIM, Sheryl Crow, Sharon Van Etten, and Waxahatchee. Enlisting close collaborator J. Tom Hnatow & Grammy-nominated Justin Craig to produce and mix and acclaimed engineer, Sarah Register to master, “First Light” is open-hearted and thoughtfully hook-adorned– with soundscapes as dimensional as Kraft’s western upbringing and the liberated narratives contained therein.

Artist Spotlight

Lexi Berg stirs a soulful splash of intimacy with her recent single, “In So Deep”

Lexi Berg

A rare phenomenon exists within the music industry wherein a composition manifests as genuinely enchanting. Lexi Berg, originating from Stockholm and influenced by her distinctive upbringing on a houseboat, delivers an exemplary representation of such craftsmanship through her latest single, “In So Deep.” This Swedish-American singer-songwriter is noted for her hauntingly raspy vocal quality and her capacity for intricate poetic storytelling. Lexi envelops her audience in a cinematic experience, wherein the act of falling in love resembles a leap from an emotional precipice, infused with an atmosphere of warm sincerity, reminiscing about someone who once made you feel alive.

Co-written and produced by the accomplished Jim Eliot, a veteran producer with an impressive portfolio and collaborations with renowned artists such as Ellie Goulding and Kylie Minogue, “In So Deep” was meticulously crafted in the tranquil hills of Wales. The composition captures a sense of airy tranquility, blending sun-drenched sonic nostalgia from the classic 70s piano with heartfelt folk influences and the irresistible shimmer of Swedish pop. This results in a sonorous palette that envelops listeners in a comforting embrace.

Lexi Berg’s lyrics create vivid imagery, portraying scenarios that include hands submerged beneath water, laughter echoing through canyon walls, and hearts racing with each fleeting glance. These intimate vignettes embody the essence of daydreaming, further enriched by her raw, rich vocals, which glide seamlessly over luminous piano melodies complemented by subtle Americana nuances. It evokes the joy inherent in sharing moments with another individual.

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The track’s distinctive nature lies in celebrating the little things, which carry her free-spirited roots in authenticity. The verses convey a gentle, confessional tone, while the chorus unleashes a dynamic catharsis that promotes audience engagement, particularly in open-air settings.

In a music landscape increasingly characterized by cacophony and overwhelming stimuli, “In So Deep” provides an elegant respite. It enables listeners to escape into a realm of love and ephemeral, golden moments infused with genuine emotion, articulating a connection that resonates on a profound level.

 
CLICK HERE TO STREAM Lexi Berg’s In So Deep on Spotify.
CONNECT WITH Lexi Berg | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook |

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Album Review

Jangus Kangus shatters melodic boundaries with her debut album “Fortune Cookie”

Jangus Kangus

Jangus Kangus, the intriguing musical force helmed by Jasmine Sankaran, has just cracked open her most audacious project to date, “Fortune Cookie,” an album that intricately weaves genre fluidity and emotional resonances. This collection of eight tracks serves as both a sonic manifesto and a significant milestone in contemporary indie-pop, characterized by unvarnished lyricism and engaging, jangly hooks.

The album commences with You Only Love Me When,” a seemingly serene acoustic-pop track that establishes the thematic groundwork for a narrative exploration of desires, internal conflicts, and acts of defiance. It poignantly laments love that manifests only through revealed strength, portraying love as a timeless entity, even when entangled with the vices of broken individuals intoxicated by addictive substances. After this introduction, Kangus transitions into the introspective Double Lives,” a shimmering soul-infused piece that methodically dissects the paradoxes inherent in love and the subdued anguish that frequently accompanies the double lives.

Progressing to No Future In This,” the album’s melancholic yet assertive dive into romantic realism presents bold lyrical insights. This sentiment escalates into the heartbreak elegy Our Love Is Dead,” here, rhythmic piano chords evoke a mournful grace that encapsulates the heaviness of lost love, distrust, and betrayal. The track underscores the necessity of relinquishing specific attachments to pivot away from unsafe circumstances, echoing the fortune teller’s chilling proclamation: our love is, indeed, dead. Then comes the wild card Janakita Kirakita,” an intoxicating burst of sonic dynamism and gleeful experimental composition that injects curiosity and electric charm into the auditory tapestry, boldly challenging convention with every note.

Listeners will find Goldilocks particularly captivating; this genre-defying number draws from stylistic influences reminiscent of St. Vincent and The Smiths, skillfully merging nostalgia with contemporary innovation. It conveys an urgent yearning to reclaim lost love during periods of solitude. The penultimate track, Honeymooners in Venice,” narrates a cinematic experience rich in post-modern nuances. Finally, the concluding piece, High Rise,” offers a deep plunge into Sankaran’s introspections, leaving a reverberating and haunting impact.

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Meticulously crafted with the dexterity of a seasoned lyricist and the fervor of a punk priestess, “Fortune Cookie” commands attention as a contemporary coming-of-age narrative rich with lo-fi grit and artistic ambition, all presented through a unique lens.

Featuring an outstanding lineup that highlights the intricate interplay of Steph Anderson on keys and backing vocals, Antonio White on lead guitar, Dan Perdomo on drums, and Ryan Kellis on bass, Jangus Kangus delivers a performance that harmonizes technical proficiency with emotional transcendence. The music constitutes a distinctive addition to diverse playlists, serving as an ideal backdrop for a heartbreak soundtrack or late-night contemplation, thereby ensuring its relevance and recurrence among discerning audiences.

CLICK HERE TO STREAM Jangus Kangus’s Album Fortune Cookie on Spotify.
CONNECT WITH Jangus Kangus | Instagram | Facebook |

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