The Artist in Profile: Kissey Asplund (Audio Included)

News Type: Event — Thu Jun 5, 2008 5:39 PM EDT

entertainment, music, listen-in, kymlee-music, artist-profile, neo-soul, kissey-asplund

"Treat yourself to a future:rization!"
Kissey Asplund

This is a Newsvine Music: Listen In feature.

With the first wave of MySpace bands over and done with the novelty seems to have worn off. However, MySpace continues to be a place where otherwise overlooked artists can cultivate their talents and share them with the world independently. Kissey Asplund is one such artist and is quickly becoming known as a "Swedish soul sensation."

There is no doubt that her story started before MySpace, but it was through the social networking site that Asplund began connecting with various producers and beat makers, eventually establishing a formative bond with French producers Papa Jazz Crew. The result of this partnership is Asplund's debut LP Plethora, released May 28.

Described by Andy Kellman from AllMusic as a "Swedish space cadet…fading in and out of consciousness or singing in her sleep," Asplund's sound is futuristic and abstract, fusing jazz, hip hop and soul in ways both sensual and esoteric. As her voice flutters in a strange staccato over pulsating synth rhythms, Asplund fluidly straddles talking and singing; blurring the line between spoken word and vocal jazz.

While comparisons to Erykah Badu may be apropos, it doesn't take much to realize that Asplund is in a universe all her own. Listening to "Syntax Error" you'll find Asplund waxing poetic about traveling the world wondering where she belongs over looped French horns and screeching car alarm samples. "Entrapped" is a tale of one caught in a web of infatuation and on "So Good" (not on Plethora unfortunately), Asplund squeaks and scats about love so good it takes her "up, up, up, upupupup."

For anyone jonzing for something fresh in soul music, Kissey Asplund might just be the fix you need.

Read more music news, reviews and opinions by Kymlee.

Cross-posted to Listen In Music.

10 Votes
Enjoy this article? Help vote it up the 'Vine.

Published to:

kymlee's Column, All of Newsvine
Groups: Artsvine, BlackFolks, Entertainment Gateway, Hot-Chicks, Independent Music Fund, Newsvine Music: Listen In, Open Mic
Regions: none

What's this?

Who's leading the conversation?

This visualization below allows you to see the impact that each user has on the current conversation. The top row contains the group of users who have had the most impact, the 2nd row the group of users who have had the 2nd most impact (et cetera). Users with similar impact are grouped together, and the average score of the group is shown to the left of the group. The author of the article is also shown on the left, in their corresponding group. Each user's score is based on the number of comments the user has made plus the number of votes their comments have received. The scores are calculated relative one another, so while their absolute value is not particularly important, their relative difference does indicate a larger difference in impact on the conversation.

1.5

{"commentId":1904085,"authorDomain":"kymlee"}

kymlee

Her album is really interesting and genre bending. Definitely fresh and innovative. I love her nods to hip hop and R&B. I also made the relevant comparison to Erykah Badu, but Kissey really sounds nothing like Erykah.

I'm starting to think neo-soul is anything that resembles soul music with a futuristic twist.

{"commentId":1904085,"threadId":"280417","contentId":"1544617","authorDomain":"kymlee"}

1 vote

#1 - Thu Jun 5, 2008 5:42 PM EDT

{"canLink":false,"threadId":"280417","isPrivate":false}

KYMLEE

Backyard

The Artist in Profile: Kissey Asplund (Audio Included)

Published to:

FUN STUFF:

COMPANY STUFF:

LEGAL STUFF: