Photo Credit: Tonje Thilesen – (Click Image for High Res)
Berlin-based Still Parade has announced his debut full-length album, Concrete Vision, will be arriving June 10 via Lefse Records and Heist or Hit Records and premiered the video for the latest single, “Chamber” yesterday directed by Vinyl Williams via The Creators Project – click here to watch “Chamber” on Youtube. This will be a big year for Still Parade, who made his North American live debut at SXSW, and will be performing at this year’s Isle of Wight Festival in June.
Still Parade, aka Niklas Kramer, has garnered huge support since he became the, not quite “darling”, but perhaps the “alluring Femme Fatale” of The Hype Machine. Regularly described as enigmatic, his personality at first was shrouded under a veil of mystery, with the release of his debut single, “Anchors”, in 2013, which as since garnered over 700k plays on Soundcloud, and was featured last year in an ad campaign for Victoria Secret. 2014 brought the release of the Fields EP, along with live performances at festivals and headlining shows across Europe including London, Paris, Amsterdam, and of course, Berlin.
This period also saw Kramer become interested in experimenting with new recording techniques after receiving a tape recorder as a gift from his father. While his previous out put had all been recorded within fully equipped, professional studios, with experienced producers, he was now realizing he preferred the sound he was able to generate on his own, in his tiny Berlin apartment.
There is a softness and warmth to the songs on Concrete Vision, as featured in “Chamber” – a single perfectly timed to lead us into spring. But focusing squarely on that does this producer a disservice; the production is as smooth and refined as any burgeoning act in 2016.
The influences on display here are not always easy to decipher, with Kramer citing Todd Rundgren and Crosby, Stills & Nash as massive inspirations – but this is no mere testament to the past – the woozy production and ability to deftly marry various genres – hints at a forward-thinking and prodigious talent.
Still Parade
Concrete Vision
Lefse Records / Heist or Hit
Street Date: June 10, 2016
Track List:
01. Seasons
02. Walk In The Park
03. Concrete Vision
04. Let Go
05. 07:41
06. Everything Is Going Down (Again)
07. Chamber
08. Morning Light
09. True Love
10. Reason