Elena Charbila's latest album as Kid Moxie, 1888, was one of 2014's best-kept secrets, a first glimpse into the Greek-born, L.A.-based musician/actress's wide variety of talents. Charbila tackled everything from synth pop to retro cinematic work on the LP, yet managed to put a fresh spin on all of it, her sweet, haunting voice the common thread that tied the diverse songs together. Kid Moxie's work with prominent film composers like Clint Mansell and Angelo Badalamenti has drawn a lot of attention toward her lately, so you're likely to see more of her in the music world and on-screen before long.
On the other end of the spectrum, Brainfeeder producer The Gaslamp Killer was another standout collaborator on 1888, contributing to "Museum Motel" and the title track. Born William Bensussen, the wild-haired producer and Low End Theory resident DJ was one of Charbila's first friends in Los Angeles, the tracks emerging from an extended period in which the pair experimented and fused their two sounds together. "1888" is one of the album's more ambient pieces, Bensussen's ominous eastern-tinged drones overlapping with Charbila's vocals, which are actually reversed lyrics from her song "Jacqueline the Ripper."
After delivering visuals for previous Kid Moxie tracks "Lacuna" and "The Bailor," director Zan Tot has stepped up again for a gorgeous "1888" video. Simply depicting a journey by train through the mountains of Thessaly, Greece, the video's combination of grainy fuzz and eye-popping psychedelic brilliance is a perfect match for the track's ethereal malaise.
You can purchase 1888 here, and it's also still streaming in full over at Impose.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms7uOYHZDbo&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]
Kid Moxie
"1888" feat. The Gaslamp Killer [Video Premiere]
- Undo/EMI
- '1888' out now
