Track Review: Karaoke // Desperate Electric
If you enjoy the work of The Dip, Parcels or Frank Ocean, the chances are you’ll love Desperate Karaoke. Inspired by the ups and downs of life, the US-based duo is described as “electronic soul brilliance”. Fusing elements of funk, rock ‘n roll and soul, Desperate Karaoke reaches various audiences with its unique sound. Known for engaging and energetic performances, they have a loyal live following, however, their presence on the internet increases the following daily. Featured on The Other Side Reviews, Taste Magazine, Sinusoidal Music and Karl Is My Unkle, Desperate Electric are turning heads across the globe. One of the more recent additions to their discography is the single ‘Karaoke’.
Chronicling the emotional rollercoaster that is life, ‘Karaoke’ dips into the beginning of a love story. In fact, it tells of the beginning of Ben Morris and Kayti Korte’s love story. Taste Magazine shares that “some bands have talent, others have character, but very few have soul. Desperate Electric is all of that in one”, and ‘Karaoke’ takes us on the journey that ignites their character.
As I said, ‘Karaoke’ is the beginning of a romance between the duo who originally met in college. Kayti’s roommate was a karaoke DJ at a local bar and Ben chose karaoke night to woo his love. The single explores all the silliness of small moments that reflects something much more significant. Yet, while the lyrical content has poignancy in its entertaining way, it is the combination with a high-powered melody that makes ‘Karaoke’ unforgettable.
Smooth guitars blend with steady drums creating a groovy funk-inspired arrangement. While I love the melody itself, it is the vocal execution that really adds an air of sensuality to the smooth tune. The interplay between Kayti and Ben’s vocals represents a type of sonic dance binding the pair with a kaleidoscopic sonic rope. It is, however, Ben’s gritty tones that brings an air of Marvin Gaye to the song.
So, what do I really think of ‘Karaoke’? Well, I love it. Desperate Electric probably describe my feelings for their music best when they sing, “I knew it from the start that you were gonna steal my heart.”