Quarantunes: A playlist by Hey, King!

on
0
Hey, King!

“Be Still,” the debut EP from L.A. duo Hey, King!, sounds perfectly titled for the COVID-19 lockdown, but emotionally it is anything but static. In today’s QUARANTUNES, Natalie London and Taylor Plecity talk about missing arcade games and touring, while sharing a playlist of golden old faves.

THE LATEST FROM HEY, KING!

Hey, King!, the indie-rock duo of songwriter-vocalist Natalie London and vocalist-percussionist Taylor Plecity, released their debut EP, “Be Still,” via ANTI- Records in late August. It’s a batch of four originals (plus a cover of “We Gotta Get Out of This Place”) that reflect the strong bond between London and Plecity — a relationship that helped London bounce back from a four-year battle with a serious illness. Their all-nerves-exposed originals, featuring their twining vocals, are thoroughly therapeutic. Like the album Hey, King! have planned for 2021, the EP was produced by Ben Harper.

HOW ARE YOU HOLDING UP AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MANAGE THE ‘STAY AT HOME’ EDICT?

London: In all honesty, if it wasn’t for the canceled shows, being two introverts who spend 99% of their time together anyway, not much has changed! At the beginning of the lockdown, there was something incredibly freeing about the world being on pause. I was able to stay up all night and write and create when I felt inspired without any expectations or limitations from the outside world. I feel very lucky that we’ve been able to stay above water and safe.

Plecity: It was kinda nice to feel allowed to be still right now and not have the fear that the world was moving ahead of you and your dreams at a rate too fast to catch up to. I’m an introvert, so the lockdown for me was like a break from the race it feels like us humans are constantly in, whether the race is with ourselves or deadlines, to be allowed to pause and reflect was something that I didn’t know I needed, but I did.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO WHEN THIS IS OVER?

London: Oh man, I cannot wait to play shows again and get on the road. We had to cancel a five-show tour in Japan, so I hope someday we will be able to reschedule it! Creating music videos and releasing music through this has been a trip and we are honored to be able to share our art right now but nothing can compare to the connection you feel when playing shows. Being back on the road, making friends … I can’t wait.

Plecity: Playing live music again, there’s really nothing else like it! That and being able to play DDR at arcades again!

London: OMG, completely, I don’t know how we have survived without Dave and Busters!

ANYTHING WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THIS PLAYLIST?

London: I think during this time I went back and spent time listening to bands that I haven’t focused on in a while, I’ve loved diving back into my old favorites.

Plecity: Everything from comfort to adventuring, these tracks really help ease and also inspire me (I would’ve added more anime/J-rock but something’s telling me one is enough for this playlist)!