Photo Credit Sophie Prettyman Beauchamp
Ever been so infatuated with someone that it left you breathless and weak in the knees? Taleen Kali captures these overwhelming emotions in “Crusher.” Drawing inspiration from the likes of Chapterhouse, Lush, Ride, and Curve, this impassioned love song delves into the whirlwind of butterflies, clammy hands, and euphoric dopamine surges that accompany intense attraction.
Taleen Kali’s captivating sound straddles the boundary between ’90s alternative and dream pop, with her enchanting voice echoing the bewitching blend of Debbie Harry and Toni Halliday. To further elevate this entrancing track, Jeff Schroeder of Smashing Pumpkins graces it with his presence, adding an exhilarating twist to an already dizzying musical journey.
Ahead of their show together in Chicago on May 19th, Shoegaze legend Astrobrite (aka Scott Cortez) has remixed this track: roughing the edges a bit, and enveloping it in a haze of distorted, dissonant shoegaze guitar, as if we are listening to a version of the song embedded in our subconscious, in the liminal embrace of sleep. Astrobrite’s remix zaps out some of the saccharine of the original song, giving it a strange…perhaps slightly unhinged…bend.
Emerging from the heart of Los Angeles, Taleen Kali (Tülips crafts an ethereal, cosmic sound that is both dreamlike and resolutely defiant. Drawing inspiration from her Armenian heritage, as well as her parents’ Lebanese and Ethiopian roots, Kali weaves a sonic tapestry that fuses her lineage with the modern countercultures she has passionately embraced – from punk to Brit-pop.
With their incendiary live performances and mesmerizing soundscapes, Kali’s band has rapidly established itself as a cornerstone of the L.A. underground music scene. Evolving from her early riot grrrl roots, Kali’s sound has matured into a polished, multi-dimensional punk aesthetic, infused with elements of noise pop and new wave
Kali is also the founder of experimental label Dum Dum Records and DUM DUM Zine. A sound healer who often leads group meditations, she briefly pivoted from punk psychedelia in late 2021 for the release of her soundbath album Songs For Meditation. Her poetry, essays, and visual art have appeared in digital and international publications including The Onion, SPIN, Razorcake, Los Angeleno, and The Bushwick Review.
Taleen Kali’s first full-length album, “Flower Of Life,” came out on March 3, 2023, on Dum Dum Records. It was produced by The Smashing Pumpkins’ Jeff Schroeder and Josiah Mazzaschi (Child Seat, Bizou, Light FM) and recorded at The Cave Studio.
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