We all went through a pretty rough spot starting 2020. Some of us had it harder than others, but the realities of the pandemic and the global lockdown were something none of us could escape, and even to this day we can still feel and see the consequences of that period, so much so that art is still being made to reflect and cope with it. Enter LAKOOKALA and her newest song: "Outside of Your Body" Self-described as an "Avant-Punk" artist, this L.A. based singer and songwriter comes as a breath of fresh air, bringing tons of attitude and trailblazing under-explored pathways of sound where Pop glades meet punk jungles with a DIY approach that seems to ditch the notions of anything being set in stone, choosing instead to do things her way.
Lakookala's alt-pop takes a shockingly raw post-punk twist for those who don't know her. One second you think you got her figured out, but then the menacing bass and her resonant hazy vocals come into play with a song that's got a real cheeky attitude to it, driving the track in a very strange and fascinating direction. The irreverence does not stop with just the lyrics though, what is a true punk sound too far from matching visuals? The fantastic music video -co-directed by her friend "Cojo"- eschews conventional music video tropes and styles, opting instead to make a fun, gonzo-style aerobics presentation in the vein of those 80's work-out tapes, but this time featuring muppet-like characters instead of models in neon tights and big hairdos "sweating" next to Lakookala herself. This new song is all about coping mechanisms in response to the changes -traumatic and otherwise- brought on by the pandemic period and the convoluted global political climate that followed, something which makes it immediately relevant and relatable even if you're not quite familiar with the punk-ish sound yet. Lakookala herself confides that the song itself is "about daydreaming, celebrating coping mechanisms, facing shadows, and expressing rage. It is an ode to my younger self, watching MTV, living in a fantasy and dancing it off.” All in all, the proposal that we're hearing right one is one that has all the sonic plasticity of broad-spectrum Pop with the grittier edge of punk-rock embedded into it, setting it very much apart from that same Pop umbrella. Lakookala's music is not necessarily hostile but it doesn't suffer any sugar-coating either. it bops hard enough to be featured on any mainstream airtime playlist you can think of, but it doesn't settle or compromise in attitude or bite for the sake of having broad appeal. Lakookala knows exactly what she's all about and she's comfortable and comfortable enough to share it with us in a very impactful and memorable way.
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