Pristine sound design allows a bass-heavy introduction to contrast rather blissfully with some opposing, lighter layers of vocals, synths, details, to kick off a surprisingly creative Kisses from the one and only SO.
The bass sound has a powerful warmth to it, almost distant and thunderous but crucial to the overall weight of the song. Then we get these fragments of vocal and effects, the character in the voice being enough in itself to give the song an original flavor, yet emerging soaked in electronic embrace nonetheless. Then there’s this mildly jazz-like chord progression, again juxtaposing lower moments with those that reach a little higher.
Lyrically and conceptually the whole thing takes a little effort to connect with, purely because the sound features such an unusual blending of elements and styles. Once you focus on the voice, the story is given intention, the title represented through and through, and the whole thing kicking in with a certain late-night darkness and intimacy.
Words like kisses are again contrasted by others like vicious, the flow meanders unpredictably, sometimes delivering short lines, other times venturing off into a stream of consciousness.
Without a doubt, the whole thing is loaded with character, creative freedom and recognizable traits. Another step in a new direction from the ever versatile SO – these punk-rock vocals taking a few steps down a somewhat calmer road.
Download or stream Kisses here. Find & follow SO on Twitter & Instagram.
