Portland four‑piece Kallai (sounds like ‘call-eye’) announced The Wave, the first look at the band’s highly anticipated debut LP, We Are Forever, due this fall via Little Cloud Records. Kallai emerged in 2024 with a distinct alt/shoegaze sound, debuting with the single Always/Never in March, followed by the post-punk-infused Palisades, which earned a spot on the Audioasis on KEXP Best of PNW 2024 list.
Their self-titled EP arrived in June to critical praise, including being listed among the Best of 2024 by Shoegazer Alive. The Wave blends shoegaze with alt-rock elements to tell a compelling story of the transformational power of rage. Drawing inspiration from historian Susan Stryker’s paper “My Words to Victor Frankenstein Above the Village of Chamounix,” the song delves into the emotional experience of being treated like a monster by society. Cate Hukle’s ethereal vocals intertwine with towering guitar layers and a driving rhythm section to deliver a narrative of how—by embracing the monster’s rage—the marginalized can bring renewal to society and the self.
The song and forthcoming album show the band delving further into what Gabriel Mazza of Mesmerized describes as a “decisively eclectic artistic formula.” The Wave and We Are Forever were recorded at Revolver Studios by Collin Hegna (The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Federale) and by the band at their own Synthetikit Studio. The album promises to exhibit expanded electronic textures, string sections, and emotive piano arrangements along with their shoegaze sound.
SOURCE: Official Bio
LINKS:
https://kallaipdx.com/
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https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552848821771
https://kallai.bandcamp.com/