by Em Moore (@eeemmoore)
Cincinnati-based rockers Strobobean are the very definition of electricity. Since the band was formed in 2018 by Katrina Eresman and Jake Langknecht of Pop Empire, they’ve wasted no time in introducing the world to their unique desert shoegaze sound. In short order, the band released their excellent debut EP Winter, their two-song single Walking Alone, a split with Cleveland's Forager, and another split with Scrunchies out of Minneapolis. Now, the band has welcomed singer-songwriter and visual artist Rae Fisher into the fold as their new bassist and are ready to conquer the dance floor (and the world) with their new single “Kitchen”.
“Kitchen” is an upbeat post-punk song with a strong bass line that will have you grooving along immediately. The band pulls out all the stops as they kick their desert shoegaze sound up a notch, adding in elements from grunge, indie rock, post-punk, and even “fun synth treats” which were created by their recording engineer Jon Delyeaux. The bass line is like a heartbeat, propelling the song forward and never wavering, giving the song a backbone that is steady even during the ensuing chaos. Lead vocalist Katrina delivers thought-provoking and playful lyrics about mental health with post-punk flair while Rae and Jake deliver complementary backing vocals that start out soft before becoming more insistent in their call and response. The mix of voices turns into glorious layers of disorder as their tones and melodies mix and mingle, urging you to join in. “Kitchen” is urgent yet dreamy, grungy yet bright, ordered yet chaotic, and Strobobean balances all of these contradictions perfectly. Dance along and sing the lyrics into the nearest hairbrush while you eagerly await more music from Strobobean.
Speaking about the song, Eresman said, “This track was so fun to make, from the earliest lyrics all the way to the choreographed music video. It was a playful, collaborative approach to songwriting, one that I want to keep recreating. Jake wrote some of the bass line, Rae wrote a guitar lead and some vocal melodies, and our recording engineer, Jon Delveaux, added some fun synth treats. I love how the lyrics turned out, as a kind of light-hearted description of what it's like to function with mental health struggles.”