photograph by John Michael Fulton
We’ve been following Los Angeles based pop duo Kisses for a long time. It’s a cliché thing to admit, but they have been a regular soundtrack to our life for the last five years – since their extremely cool and sexy debut album, The Heart of the Nightlife. Sexy is the perfect way to describe Kisses – it’s their name, but it’s also the sound. Combining Jesse Kivel’s nonchalant, vintage-hued timbre and lyrics of youthful abandon and Zinzi Edmundson’s disco-inspired instrumentation, Kisses make undeniable magic for your ears and the dance floor. So, it was beyond exciting when we were asked if we wanted to exclusively premier a track off their upcoming album, Rest In Paradise (out October 9th), which sees Kisses collaborating with a live backing band, Midnight Magic, for the first time. This move from synth to live composition makes the record literally levitate with a new kind of aural luminance that harkens back to early Talking Heads, Orange Juice or even The English Beat. Below, we offer the first listen of the incredible track, entitled “Jam.” In what may be a first, the band has collaborated with L.A. based preserves company and eatery Sqirl to create a custom-made plum jam for the debut of the track. Lead singer Kivel describes the track as “…a song best served with a piece of Chloe Sevigney "toe-ast" – which is why we paired with our friend Jessica at Sqirl to debut this song and a limited edition, literal jam. The tune takes you on a complex and flavorful journey, much like our tasty jam. Fun fact, Erika Spring adds some vocal harmonies on this tune.” This weekend, you can get a taste of this delicious jam and a taste of Kisses’ new album at a special listening party held at Formerly Yes in Downtown Los Angeles – you can RSVP here. The jam is also available for purchase with Hit City USA, the label that takes these tasty grooves from the studio, to your earbuds, and straight down to your dancing feet. Turn up your speakers and press play below.
