That’s particularly true if the performers make music that emits an ecstatic jubilance whose mere tone can coax a smile from the sourest of pusses. You can do an in-home experiment by taking a look at the recent Tiny Desk Concert appearance by rootsy Seattle AltPop band Kuinka (pronounced “coo-wink-uh”). In it, the four musicians bounce around their tiny allotted space like a shower of unleashed ping-pong balls, conveying their vibrant Pop euphoria with colorful melodies, guitar, an electronic drums unit, mandolin, ukulele, banjo, cello and a mini Korg synth. Each of the players/singers invariably and consistently crack smiles throughout the 12-minute set, not in a forced, job-like chorus-line manner, but more in a way that says, “I would rather be here doing this than anywhere else on the planet right now.” It’s infectious, to say the least.
Kuinka formed in 2014 and quickly released its debut album, The Wild North. It’s fair to call the foursome an Americana band because of the instrumentation and parts of the song structures, but there’s also a strong and sharp Indie Pop element driving the music. It often sounds like the members of Kuinka got hopped up on Pixy Stix and spontaneously decided to form a Pop band, and there just happened to be banjos and synths lying around when the decision was made. The group’s 2016 album, The Heartland, was its breakthrough, drawing in fans and critics alike.
Last year, Kuinka kept the good vibes going with the release of Stay Up Late, a four-song EP that added clarinet and sax to their already delicious mix and also allowed the synth to sprinkle in more electronic spice than usual.
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