Chicagoan singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Joe Kenkel – of Styrofoam Winos – will drop his sophomore LP, ‘Naturale’ on January 13th and today, PopWrapped are delighted to offer a taste of what fans can expect from the collection by premiering his new single – the first to be lifted from the collection – called “Sweeping” and its video.
Chiming in with swirling synth-led grooves, reminiscent of a warm summer day, the track is soft-spoken and airy, making it feel familiar and welcoming from the gate. Its all-too-catchy melodies make it impossible to ignore as Joe croons, “But I / I could sweep / I could sweep forever,” and the backtrack breaks down into a psychedelic haze. The video sees him perform alongside his band and serenade a cardboard robot.
Speaking about the meaning of the track and the message behind it, Joe shares: “’Sweeping’ is one of five love songs on ‘Naturale’. It’s one of the oldest on the album. Originally, it was written and performed as an electric-heavy rock song. It found a new meaning with this nylon-led version, surrounded with electronic elements. Once Ross and I stumbled upon the feel of this song, we chased that direction for the remainder of the album. ‘Sweeping’ is inspired by the mundane acts of kindness that we perform, without huffing and puffing, for those we care for. Acts of friendship and love don’t have to be some grand gesture. They are most often: sharing a meal, giving a ride to the airport, lending a book, sweeping the cat hair from the floor, etc.”
He goes on to add: “It’s an oddball love song inspired by small acts of kindness performed gladly for the ones you love. Love inserts itself into unconscious, mundane acts and can transform even household chores into deep expressions of affection. This expression can be felt in the repetition of the song’s chord progression and expansion of its atmospheric elements.”
Recorded primarily at home 2019-20, ‘Naturale’ was co-produced, recorded and mixed by frequent collaborator Ross Collier (Katy Kirby, Bea Troxel) and mastered by Trevor Richardson (Bantug, October Tooth). Kenkel plays the majority of instruments, joined by Collier on synth, gong and background vocals, Dave Meyer on clarinet (“Like A Sweater Unsewn,” “Pond”) and Styrofoam Winos bandmates Collier, Lou Turner, Trevor Nikrant, on vocals (“Sick Day In Bed”.)
Where Kenkel’s 2019 solo debut ‘Dream Creator’ presented his songs in a world of focused grooves which explore an inner dialogue with the self, the ten songs that comprise ‘Naturale’ run the gamut from his most athletic composition yet – an instrumental pulsing with electronics (“Sudden Returning”) – to his most direct love song yet (“Like A Sweater Unsewn”) – a voice reaching a new plane of tenderness. Naturale reaches outward both lyrically and musically, moving from the head and toward others – in form as well as content, with Collier as a co-producer. However wide they span, the songs are strikingly cohesive byway of Kenkel’s intuitive melodies, confident, casual vocal delivery, and the subtly-layered textures of electronic and acoustic instruments that effortlessly blend and undulate throughout the record.
Check out the video for “Sweeping” above and for more information on Joe Kenkel, give his page a like on Facebook or follow him on Twitter and Instagram.
Author
