featured artist | Blackbird Blackbird

BY SAMANTHA MULLETT

Photo Courtesy of Hartzine

Photo Courtesy of Hartzine

Blackbird Blackbird, the moniker of San Franciscan Mikey Maramag, has been flocking to international venues and spreading his chillwave wings. The native Hawaiian was working towards a degree in creative writing when the unexpected passing of a parent diverged his course. Turning to music for solace, he tributes his musical odyssey to his father, “I’m doing what I’m doing out of love for him, and remembrance of him,” Maramag stated with Interview Magazine. Now producing from Oakland, he’s exploring how, “one song can connect different kinds of people from different places.”

Maramag’s sound is similar to Washed Out or Caribou, but with more swift composition. Each two-minute song of his latest album, Boracay Planet, is refreshing as a whole, breathing organically with heavy drums and angelic guitars. The depth of his textured sound is found in tracks such as, “It’s A War” and “Hawaii,” where Maramag lightly dusts the pieces with pop for an additional upbeat lift. The calm build up of each track makes Maramag’s work easy listening for road trips, the work place, or spacing out after a long day.

With recent remixes of A$AP Rocky, Miguel and How to Dress Well, Maramag is expanding his coverage and making a name for himself. His subtle ear for atmosphere has been producing a new album behind the scenes, ready to be released this Spring. Blackbird Blackbird’s anthemic sound is flying to Europe this February, but snatch your tickets for his U.S. shows later this year.

RELATED LINKS

Get Tickets to see Blackbird Blackbird

Blackbird Blackbird Official Website

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