A kleptocracy is defined as a government comprised of leaders who exploit their people and natural resources; Kleptokrat embodies a benign representation of this dynamic. The band’s crime is a post-modern misdemeanor: Kleptokrat borrows from different genres, eras, and musical traditions to create a wholly unique sound.
True to the spirit of its name, Kleptokrat is always pulling a fast one, sneaking in intricate musical motifs and passages into soulful and highly listenable compositions.
The band formed in 2016 when mastermind and bassist, Danilo Randjic-Coleman Coleman assembled the quintet to perform a collection of songs he had written over the past decade. The group bonded over their love for such classic and contemporary cultural icons as Duke Ellington, Fiona Apple, Ingmar Bergman, and Roy Orbison. In addition to Coleman and vocalist Teagan Taylor, Kleptokrat is Alex Carter, saxophone; Graham Galatro, guitar; and Walker Esner, drums. The quintet’s musical dialogue includes vocabulary culled from rock, metal, jazz, soul, afrobeat, and psychedelic music. The band released its debut EP in August 2017 and followed that with a summer tour of the Northeast.
Today Glide is excited to premiere the quintet’s latest EP, Momentarily, to Grace, which is out on June 14th. As subversive as it is accessible, the band’s synergy is on full display as the musicians navigate the deceptively complex compositions with ease. Blending a sound that is proggy, worldly and avant garde, the album takes many twists and turns as the band experiments with an array of instruments and sounds. The band cites influences from an array of acts ranging from Naked City and the Talking Heads to Fiona Apple, but they take things even further as they incorporate a seemingly endless array of genres into their songs while still managing to make accessible music.
Danilo Randjic-Coleman shares some insight behind the album:
“Our first record was a collection of songs I had written over the years that had been gathering dust. As a result, it sometimes was like fitting a round object into a square peg; trying to get the band to interpret these disparate songs and make them their own.
With this one, I had a much more keen sense of our strengths as players and people, and it was written specifically for us. It feels like we’ve found our voice, one that’s made up of really disparate influences but becomes coherent throughout the course of the record. The songs careen between heavy interludes and more melodic, meditative passages – but feel united in spirit and tone.”
LISTEN:
For more music and info visit the band on Facebook.
June 14th // Brooklyn, NY // Alphaville
July 11th // Philadelphia, PA // Tralfamadore
July 12th // Richmond, VA // Gallery 5
July 13th // Asheville, NC // Fleetwoods
July 14th // Boone, NC // Tapp Room
July 15th // Raleigh, NC // The Wicked Witch
July 18th // Saratoga Springs, NY // Super Dark Collective @ Deperate Annies
July 19th // Boston, MA // ONCE Ballroom
July 20th // Peekskill, NY // Peekskill Brewery
Photo credit: Julia Drummond
