PREMIERE: Prinze George “Thunder In My Head”

A well-timed bath may have a greater impact on one’s mood than exercise (or so says science). Prinze George tap into the same relaxing effect of pulling your head under warm water on their latest single, “Thunder In My Head,” off their new EP Airborne. Over Kenny Grimm’s cool production and Isabelle De Leon’s liquid beats, vocalist Naomi Almquist coos, “I am only sweet / when you are next to me / and resting on my knee.”

The video for the song, premiering today on Audiofemme, finds Almquist sitting in a tub as the scenery around her changes, her sultry lyrics enough to generate a little steam on their own. While the EP’s previous single, “Mind Over,” was a clubby, operatic affair (sung in French, no less), “Thunder In My Head” embraces simplicity (and feels ripe for a remix).

Watch “Thunder In My Head” and read our interview with Naomi below:

AF: You grew up in Prince George’s County and played together in a rock band named Kinheads. What subject matter did you focus on during that project?

NA: “Kinheads” was a rock fusion project. We were a five-, sometimes six-piece. Our current drummer, Isabelle, was also in our old band and she is jazz trained, so that was a component that was pretty different for your typical rock band. We had a killer bass player and Kenny and his brother Erik played guitar/keys. There was a lot going on sonically, but we were just having fun. We took turns writing and experimenting with different styles and ended up with a wide array of rock fusion.

AF: How would you describe each person’s role in Prinze George?

NA: Kenny is the producer and plays almost all the instruments. I handle the vocals, and Isabelle and Kenny work together on a blend of electronic and acoustic drums.

AF: You’ve said previously that your lyrics are based on your own personal relationships. Is this true for your new EP?

NA: It is. It’s much easier to write what you know. Sometimes I have fun embellishing the truth, or playing more of a narrator role, but for this EP in particular I was addressing my relationships with specific people at a specific time.

AF: Did ya’ll have any particular feel or focus for Airborne?

NA: Kenny started the track for “Airborne” when we were on a flight to Minneapolis, where our manager lives and where we tracked our first album. Both the setting and the title that Kenny chose for the track, before there were vocals, informed what I came up with. It’s a love song about a hypothetical plane crash. We are partners in every way and we’ve been through a lot.  I wrote it about us.

AF: What’s changed since your debut album, Illiterate Synth Pop? In terms of the band as a whole and where you each are emotionally as artists.

NA: We’re older. We’re less in our heads, I think. We are creating more content and better content in less time, because we’ve kept at it. We have lived more life… we’ve all grown as people, together, over time; all of that informs the music.

AF: Tell us about your single “Thunder In My Head.” I’m dying to know what the bathtub is all about…

NA: Haha! The bathtub idea came to me as a visual expression of what it’s like to perform a song to the public that makes you feel naked. I’m sharing this intimate experience, I’m having this private moment in all of these outdoor spaces, and while my experience is personal and terrifying and feels magnanimous, I’m just one person in the wilderness. The spaces are bigger than I am and by the end of the song; my individual experience becomes a collective one.

AF: What can fans expect from a Prinze George show? Is there an impromptu element to your live show or do you stay true to your recordings?

NA: I think Isabelle is probably the most exciting element of our live show. We sound solid live, but she is the most exciting performer to watch. I have my moments too, but I tend to focus on just being a sound when we’re performing. Kenny exists somewhere in between.

Prinze George’s latest EP Airborne is out now. 

PREVIEW: Prinze George @ Baby’s All Right 8/19

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Prinze George will play Baby’s All Right on Friday, August 19 in support of their recently released debut album Illiterate Synth Pop.

The pop trio is made up of producer Kenny Grimm, drummer Isabelle De Leon, and vocalist Naomi Almquist. Formed in 2013, Prinze George has quickly exploded onto the indie scene.

“Kenny is the producer, so a lot of the sound comes from his mad scientist brain and his excellent taste, musicianship and obsession with having the coolest and most current toys and sounds. All three of us are very inspired by the home that we share and by this journey we are on together,” Naomi said in an interview with AudioFemme.

The two singles from the record have been praised by Stereogum and SPIN, with the latter calling their song “Wait Up” a “cinematic ballad from retro-pop heaven.” Check out their latest visuals for “Wait Up” below.

This show starts at 8pm and is 18 and up. Purchase your ticket here!

 

ALBUM REVIEW + ARTIST INTERVIEW: Prinze George “Illiterate Synth Pop”

The Brooklyn-based pop trio Prinze George just blessed us with the celestial sounds of their debut album, Illiterate Synth Pop.

The band is made up of Kenny Grimm working production, Isabelle De Leon working the drums, and Naomi Almquist working the mic. The three got together in Prince George’s County, Maryland in 2013 and have been inching their way to damn-near perfection ever since.

Illiterate Synth Pop takes its listeners on the divine journey of life, with its authentic narratives about feeling stuck, feeling love and finding a way to move forward.

The album left me with two take-aways: motivation and tranquility. After listening to tracks like “Move It” and “Wait Up,” you can’t help but feel inspired to do better and become greater.

Each song embodies a flawless sequence of Almquist’s heavenly voice floating over unique electronic synths and the dope beat of De Leon’s drums. It’s quite the combination, as you realize that each track is not only sensationally soothing, but super raw.

You can feel this in “Angels,” as the songs starts with choir-like electronics that get you in a daze, and then the beat of drums comes in hard, switching up the entire style of what you think the song is going to be. The vocals on this song make you feel like you are in the clouds, and angels are serenading you, protecting you. This track is eclectic, and can be appreciated by anyone, regardless of what music genre they’re into.

The album stays upbeat with tracks like “Kisses” and “Freeze” while interweaving the more chill songs like “The Water Main” and “Gonna Get You Out.”

There’s a line in “The Water Main” where Almquists says, “I’m awake and I find it exhausting,” – this is one of my favorite lines, because it shows the feeling of melancholy we all experience at certain times in our life, and kind of just feeling confused.

Illiterate Synth Pop is an impressively moving project, and I got a chance to speak with vocalist Naomi Almquist about its creation.

AudioFemme: I’m obsessed with the title of this album. The term ‘illiterate’ is usually not seen as a positive thing. What did you guys intend for the meaning behind the title “Illiterate Synth Pop?”

Naomi Almquist: Thank you! When we released our second single “Victor” in 2014, there was a blog that reposted the song with the headline “Illiterate synth pop.” They were making fun of the way we spell our name, but we thought it was funny and would make a good album name.

What were your main inspirations for the sound, flow & lyrics in creating this project?

Kenny is the producer, so a lot of the sound comes from his mad scientist brain and his excellent taste, musicianship and obsession with having the coolest and most current toys and sounds. All three of us are very inspired by the home that we share and by this journey we are on together. I write the vocals; most of the lyrics are inspired by the earliest experiences and relationships of my life here.

What does it feel like to be releasing “Illiterate Synth Pop” as your debut LP?

It is very emotional for all of us. It’s been a weird in-between year and a half for the three of us, we’ve been picking up steam professionally, but it doesn’t happen overnight. We took a year to make the record. We’re still living with our parents. We love Maryland but we’re ready to get the fuck out. Making this record was such an incredible experience; we recorded it in Minneapolis and I recorded the vocals in an airstream inside our managers warehouse. Prince’s former engineer, Evan Bakke, tracked the drums and vocals. It was a surreal and wonderful way to make a first record. There were good vibes in the creative space and we are so excited to finally be able to share it.

What type of energy would you like this album to create for people? What would you like people to take away from it after listening?

I just want people to hear it. We don’t get to control the way that people respond to our music and that is the beauty of making something that you mean and releasing it to the world. We’re not on some huge major label, we’re not trying to stuff this down people’s throats. It’s our first record. I’m curious to see what people think of it but I expect nothing. I’m stoked every time someone likes a song. I mainly just don’t want people to lie about the way our music makes them feel. Just don’t lie to me. (Lol)

Who are some of your inspirations creatively and musically?

PG: Kenny’s earliest inspirations were AC/DC and movie scores, Isabelle’s was MUSE, mine were predominantly female singer-songwriters; namely Lauryn Hill. Isabelle and I are both Beyonce fans as well and are obsessed with her new record. I love jack white and the white stripes; they led me to the decision to select and commit to a relentless color scheme in everything we do.

For people who aren’t familiar with Prinze George, what would you like them to know about Prinze George and your music?

We make synth pop, but there is a large range to what we can do. We have a lot of Hometown pride, family pride, and love for one another. We hope that it shows.

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TRACK REVIEW: Prinze George “Make me”

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If you’ve been getting bored by listening to the same playlist on repeat, consider refreshing it with Prinze George’s newest: “Make Me,” an extremely satisfying and likable offering from the Brooklyn-based quartet who brought you “Victor” back in January. Within the first seconds of the dreamy intro, you’ll be captivated by Naomi Almquist’s airy vocals wafting over a dreamy synth intro, knowing it’s the start of something good.

Beginning with soft whispering repetition, the song sets off with subtle flirtation, but as it progresses, the mood (and Almquist’s delivery) shifts into something much more assertive, the longing in her voice at full tilt over the breezy and sweet production. The simplicity of its structure belies its lyrical complexity; at first blush the song’s narrative is rooted in romantic desire, but a careful listen reveals that it’s not so much about crushing hard as it is about being exhausted by said crush, and in a sick, stubborn way, finding pleasure in having it go unrequited.

“Make Me” is perhaps the foursome’s most straightforward and accessible track, but that’s not to say it’s dull. Their previous singles, “Victor” and “This Time,” while rooted in a pop sensibility, are more uptempo, aggressive, and dramatic, with dynamic, interchanging intensity. “Make Me” sees Prinze George making a foray into an almost bubblegum territory, but this new direction seems to be a good one. The sublime vocals and ethereal electro-pop harmony make it a light-hearted, summery tune. There are no big surprises, or crazy beat drops – just a relaxing, effervescent melody buoyed by playful vocals and sweeping synth textures that emphasize Almquist’s patient provocations. What she’s yearning for is up to the listener’s imagination, but the track is enough to make us ditch those tired playlists for good.

Visit the band’s Facebook page for a free download of the song. And if you’re in Brooklyn, check out their upcoming show at Brooklyn Bowl on 6/1, which is free with RSVP.

 

TRACK REVIEW: Prinze George “This Time”

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Brooklyn’s own Prinze George are an indie-pop group that specialize in thumping synths and sweetly catchy melodies. We’ve featured them before for their last single, “Victor,” and now they’ve come out with a new song, “This Time.”

“This Time” features a driving, upbeat rhythm that begs to be played on the dance floor. Naomi Almquist’s plum vocals repeat the line “There you are after all this time” over electronic pop that blends elements from the ’80s and ’90s—it brings acts both old and new to mind, from Ace of Base to Banks. This year is looking promising for Prinze George, so keep your eye on the foursome and check out “This Time” below.

TRACK OF THE WEEK: Prinze George’s Victor

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Prinze George is an exciting new electronic pop trio from right here in New York. Their latest single, “Victor,” is anchored by lush sounding beats and singer Naomi Almquist’s beguiling vocals. The song is a soulful slow burner for the most part, but it steadily unfurls and picks up the pace near its end. It’s only the band’s second released track and it shows a lot of promise from these up and comers. Here’s to hoping we get some more material from Prinze George soon!

Stream “Victor” below or through today’s mix of the day on Spotify!

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