Year in Pop: 2016

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IC3PEAK

Introducing Moscow's IC3PEAK; press photo courtesy of the band.

Introducing Moscow’s IC3PEAK; press photo courtesy of the band.

Beyond the iron-ice freeze between the States & the former Soviet Republic, we introduce you to the Moscow duo IC3PEAK who present a debut listen to their single “Kawaii Warrior” via Manimal Records. Combining a penchant for ear catching Japanese pop maximalism with perhaps a word play riff on the infamous Ikari Warriors video game from the 80s—the duo makes an appeal to their western friends upon suffering controversial backlash at home in Russia. IC3PEAK make a sound that cherry picks & chooses elements from the east & west undergrounds to spin into new textures where every audio flash provide a new morsel of candy to feed your ADHD consciousness.

“Kawaii Warrior” engages in the power of the feminine spirit that is illustrated with a strong & fervent presence as someone that lives outside the expectations of others but rather according to the march of her own progressive steps. The war cry chant moves with both confidence & vulnerability to an arrangement that is anything but obvious or predictable in execution. IC3PEAK’s musical motions are in tune to the protests experienced in nearly all sectors of the world where the citizens of earth are both providing feedback & are then being punished in turn for their expressions of dissent in response to the surmounting hordes of despots that appear to be taking offices globally. IC3PEAK provided us with the following exclusive introduction to “Kawaii Warrior”:

“Kawaii Warrior” is both tender & pushy. While it explores female representation, as woman now is seen both independent & still aching for love, it first of all speaks out about human’s nature which is much more complicated, wishing to get closer to what’s hidden inside of our minds: from the darkness to the light.