Kevin Bronson on November 3rd, 2016

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New L.A. duo Lolahiko describe their debut EP as a cumulation of the emotional peaks and valleys they’ve experienced in the past year: “a rollercoaster that had to be yelled, cried, screamed — and then played/sung.” It’s titled “The Year We Died But Stayed Alive,” a brooding collection of dark synth-pop that combines the talents of singer-songwriter Lauren Marie and producer Ike Kawaguchi. Their first single “Funeral” is not exactly a pick-me-upper: Over oozing synths, spare beats and a choral backdrop, Lauren Marie broaches the topic of suicide, solemnly pleading “don’t cry at my funeral.” “Murderer” is similarly funereal, if more symbolic; the murder here is betrayal. It’s a theme that recurs in “Guts,” with the singer soberly confessing: “You took a part of me that I’ll never get back / I try to do those things to make up for what I lack.” The result, of course, is repeated in the chorus: “I hate your guts.” File under bloodletting with faint hopes of catharsis, anguish without the histrionics, and wear black.

||| Stream: “Funeral” and “Murderer”

||| Live: Lolahiko celebrate their EP release with a show at Grandpa Johnson’s on Nov. 11, joined by Badtooth, Future Feats and Zebulon Krol.