Artist Highlight: Plastic Picnic

Hey jammers,

I'm starting a new series called "Artist Highlights" where I will write short snippets of less-known artists that I think are worth looking into! Keep a look out for upcoming features! To start us off, Plastic Picnic is a band that needs to be in your summer queue. They are out of Brooklyn, NY and a band you probably haven't heard of, but need to. They give me summery, beachy vibes that automatically put me in a good mood. Each band member is from the Pacific Northwest, so they have roots in our area. Their sound is a mix of pop and indie rock that perfects the mixture of catchy with low-key. The couple EPs they have are small, which means each song has been worked to perfection.

My favorite track by this quartet is called "Bite" from their 2017 EP. The constant beat created by the clinking of drumsticks and guitar riffs initially caught my attention and reminded me of some Foster the People beats that I love. As the song continues, the quick beats get louder and faster as Emile Panerio's voice gets higher which just gets at the heartstrings as he sings the heartbreaking lyrics. I get serious Mac Demarco influence when I hear this band, especially in the song "Berkeley" from that same record. The soft guitar and smooth, low voice that sounds like he's singing to someone makes you feel fuzzy inside, like you want to sing along right away even though you don't know the words. The keyboard chords are catchy too- something that will probably get stuck in your head like they did me.

Unlike most of their tracks, their latest release begins with Emile's voice right off the bat. "Awake," which was released in April of this year, highlights Lincoln Lute on the guitar with his beautiful chords in between verses. This is another song directed at somebody, perhaps a true love, as he says "I could wait for you for ages" and "But even if I had to crawl, I would crawl to you." AW. His voice is so soothing and calm I just want to close my eyes and lay on the beach.

Seriously- give these guys some love. They're an easy listen and good music to enjoy while cleaning the house or going for a run!