Kicking into gear with a brilliantly crisp yet energizing, amply distorted indie rock riff – Pumpkin Love starts off on a high and continues to keep things moving with brightness and swagger.
Kota Kembang introduces his songwriting and musicality in a bold way with this single. The soundscape is on point, a great indie rock track needs a great riff and effective production to quickly bring it to life – and those building blocks are right there from the offset. It’s an addictive ditty, and further guitar flickers later on, harmonic alternatives, help further that likability.
Vocally the song brings through a notably effected, almost electronic-rock style finish. The voice is distant, hidden in the telephone-like fuzz of production, which essentially adds a touch of nostalgia – suiting the indie rock aura on the one hand, but also giving the song an additional layer of recognizability. It will be interesting to hear where else Kota takes this sound, and whether these are qualities that will remain consistent, or are simply part of the underlying expression at hand.
At its core, Pumpkin Love is a celebration life and love. The good vibes that pour through make you want to move, the rhythm of the vocal furthers this, and the lyrics take simple poetic references to declare a sense of admiration and desire. It’s a quirky, catchy little hit. Nicely done.
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