Like a mix of L7, Melissa Auf Der Maur, and The Bangles…that is to say, Soul Songs by Taleen Kali is this perfect blend of dirty punk, desert rock, and shimmering Pop. Wrap your head around that one, okay?
“Half Lie” which drops in the middle of the album, embodies those sounds wholeheartedly. Fueled by attitude, driving beats and Kali’s distinct pipes, the track has all the makings of the absolute best kind of summer single or any kind of anthemic single, really. Add some great riffing and Kali’s siren-like vocals at the end and the song is truly the most sublime slice of awesome.
But to get there, you must first experience the somber tones of “Bluets” which start Soul Songs and the scattered guitar strums that build and build into this THING! Kali’s soulful croon coupled with her guitar work (Alongside Nara Bahama) gives a Chelsea Wolfe feel to this opening salvo. “Evil Eye II” just hums from the synthetic wall of sound (Provided by Miles Marsico and Kristin Kontrol) that starts it off as Kali’s voice cries out in these airy passages with Rhys Hastings providing this barrage of spectacular percussive hits.
“Lost & Bound” is a beats heavy beast that shows off Hastings even more and flows from the aforementioned “Half Lie” nicely while “Miles Away” finishes the album with solid melodies and an all around sense of wonder trading in the fuzz for some acoustic strumming giving the track a dreamy feel.
Soul Songs is out on June 22nd through Lollipop Records. Pre-orders are available by clicking here and here. For more on Taleen Kali, including live outings, head on over here.