BEST NEW ARTIST - B O K E H

B O K E H has one of those voices the whole world could get behind, if they could only embrace that honesty often comes with a side of darkness. With stark lullaby production and a sing-songy way of belting out her dreary sadness, B O K E H has all the makings to be something really special. Like your dark little cousin’s favorite singer years before she wins some major award and you’re scratching your head wondering where she came from. Listen up now before I have to say “Told ya so!” I hate telling people that. We’ve got a more accessible Joanna Newsom on our hands here. Ditch the harp and the baby voice (I love them both) and strip the track down the bare essentials.

B O K E H  is  E V E R Y T H I N G.

I KNOW YOU KNOW

What does Bokeh mean exactly? Well, it’s a photography term of the a e s t h e t ic relating to blurred out, out of focus lights. Which is only fitting because this video for “I Know You Know” has two types of bokeh. The out of focus lights dancing across the screen and the singer songwriting pouring her heart out.

This song carries the haunting history of heartbreak that we’ve all hard to deal with at some point in our tumultuous lives. Feel like your drowning in lost love? That you’ll never get out of this love-lorn funk? That you’ll never love again, Crying Emoji? Listen to B O K E H and embrace her as the soundtrack to your break-up (or never had) that will bring you up and out of the muck and towards the hope of the tear-stained blurred out lights above.  

DON’T LEAVE THE FIRE

While "Don’t Leave the Fire" is a little more pop leaning, with its fun and fancy free choreographed dance music video and a hook that could play on XM radio, it only helps to service the multi-faceted range of our new favorite singer. Even though we’re at a go cart rink (a supposedly fun thing I’ll never do again*) we’ve still got a healthy dose of somber darkness and emotional weight on display. The muted under exposure and strange looks help underly B O K E H’s real emotions of discomfort at work here.

With only two tracks and a couple of remixes under her belt, make sure to get in while the getting is hot with this “New Zealand-raised, Berlin-based, actress/musician.”

Curated to your (and my) attention by MusicalheARTbeat. Bow down before the one you serve, you’re going to get what you deserve.**

*David Foster Wallace
**Nine Inch Nails

From deep within the murky depths of the Los Angeles River emerged a creature: 50% raver, 50% comedian, 10% Robotcop. Kurt Kroeber doesn’t own a dog, operates Soundbleed (the world’s only dance party comedy talk show rave), and is down to party with you. Come up some time and say “Hey dude!” But definitely make sure to casually drop the secret Illuminati password.