BY EVENTSEEKER STAFF
With beats that blur the lines between pop, electronica and dubstep, Katy B’s sound slips into an R&B style that is all her own. This week she makes her first ever tour stop in the Bay Area at the Rickshaw Stop. It has been a long time coming. Already a big fan of UK-bass and dubstep producers/DJs Skream and Benga, I discovered Katy B on her collaboration with Magnetic Man on “Perfect Stranger.” Magnetic Man itself is a dubstep project-collaboration comprised of Skream, Benga and Artwork.
Vocals on dance music tracks sometimes border on hokey or just plain terrible, really terrible. But there was something deftly unique about this “Perfect Stranger” when I first heard it–it was as soulful as it was sonic. There’s something to be said about the company that you keep, and considering the fact that Skream and Benga are her producers, it was only natural that my curiosity for Katy B’s work was piqued.
In 2010, Katy released her debut LP On a Mission in the UK, with the Benga-produced “Katy on a Mission” as the lead single. The song is an unequivocal banger, and like “Perfect Stranger,” is the result of stirring vocals and amazing production work. As much as I can’t wait to hear her perform both of these tracks live, I’m even more anxious to hear just how “Go Away” will sound in a live setting. A ballad with haunting lyrics about a relationship that cannot be fixed and just isn’t meant to be, the song is sung so beautifully that it tugs on your heart strings. These two aspects of the track are hallmarks of how a really good pop song has the ability to make a strong impression on a listener.
Although Katy B’s star is steadily rising around the world, she is still largely an under the radar figure here in the United States. 2012 will change all that.
Opening up for Katy B will be the Good Natured, also from the UK. The best way to describe the Good Natured’s music would be to call it dark, goth electro-pop, or as the band writes on its Facebook page: “pop noir.” One track to familiarize yourself with is “Skeleton,” which is synth-pop at its finest, with a nice, hard edge to boot.
RELATED LINKS
The Good Natured Official Website
The Good Natured Official Facebook
If you want to pretend for a minute that you know more than we do about music, go ahead, send us your thoughts. Hit us with your best shot, we dare you.
Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook to give us a shout. You can also stay on top of exciting events from around the world by downloading the eventseeker app for iPhone, Android or Windows.