"Backdrop" (The Kraken Quartet song) – Queen City Sounds and Art

The Kraken Quartet with Adobo, photo courtesy the artists

The Kraken Quartet worked with singer Adobo (Nay Wilkins of Hikes) on its single “Backdrop” bringing together intricate instrumental interplay with a deeply emotional, ethereal quality. The effect is like having multiple parts of your brain stimulated and transported to a better place. The vibraphone introduction leads you to think maybe you’re in for a more ambient work but it is just another layer of evocative sound as math-y guitar work brings in a wide-ranging dynamic that weaves together with the percussion perfectly. When Adobo’s winsome and reflective vocals come in the sound of gentle marimba joins in to create a rich tapestry of sounds. Fans of the more recent Rubblebucket recorrds will appreciate this maximalist approach to the composition that focuses on the emotional content rather than a display of technique as the latter speaks for itself if you want to dissect the song’s individual parts. But this song works as a whole experience with all parts seeming to contribute equally to the unfolding dramatic sweep of the song. Though clearly not stylistically beholden to classic 90s indie pop bands like Neutral Milk Hotel, Olivia Tremor Control and the Apples in Stereo nor more modern dream pop bands with similar instincts like the aforementioned Rubblebucket and Sound of Ceres, there is something about that creative ambition, attention to detail and imaginative execution that resonates with “Backdrop” as well. Listen to the song on Spotify and connect with The Kraken Quartet at the links below.