Click Here To Listen To “Affair” (Free Download)
Hot and heavy are two of the first words that come to mind when describing Kinky Love’s debut EP Promise—and that’s exactly how this Chicago synth pop duo likes it. While a rare Nancy Sinatra song first inspired the band’s name, it soon became synonymous with more than the quick gratification their music provides. “It represents our overt and unnatural writing style,” says singer Xoe Wise of the “collaborative poetry” she creates with keyboardist Dan Zima. The two met through mutual friends in 2013 and set out to bring their distinct backgrounds to the five songs on Promise, which will be self released in April.
Combining Wise’s lust for pop bombast with Zima’s predilection for 80s programming, songs like the dance single “Affair” and the breathy ballad “Impression” sound like Madonna and Giorgio Moroder re-soundtracking “Scarface,” in a Michael Mann sequel. “I get these images in my head, and I like to think of worlds I’d want to go to after hearing the songs,” says Zima, reflecting further on the cinematic overtones of Kinky Love’s music. “There’s a real sense of intuition that guides each one.”
Intuition also guided the duo’s choice of production help, acquiring Neal Ostrovsky (Urge Overkill, Local H, Plush, Hushdrops, Caviar) to record and mix the album, with additional talent provided by My Gold Mask’s Jack Armondo on guitar and KSRA’s Rachel Thomas, co-writer on two of the tracks. The stage, too, is another chance for Kinky Love to expand with additional personnel on keyboards and drums to amp up their sound.
Look for this act to grow their reputation as one to watch. “It’s hard to ignore our chemistry,” laughs Wise—but then again you wouldn’t expect any less from a band like Kinky Love. -Selena Fragassi
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John Sargeant, writing on NeuFutur as Sargeant, is the founder and editor-in-chief of NeuFutur Magazine, where he has covered independent music, PC hardware, consumer tech, and gaming culture since 1998. With over 25 years of continuous digital publishing experience, he has written thousands of hands-on game and record reviews, conducted in-depth hardware field testing, and analyzed digital media monetization trends. His work prioritizes first-hand evaluation and long-term product testing.
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