A bittersweet grunge-infused anthem that tackles feelings of frustration, King Isis has shared their latest single ‘in my ways’. Taken from their upcoming debut EP, scales, which is set for release via Dirty Hit / No Matter later this year, the Oakland-based artist attempts to overcome their jaded thoughts through shimmering guitar sounds, driving beats and relatable lyrics on their new offering.
“‘in my ways’ is about being stuck in a cycle of your own creation,” King Isis explains. “You don’t quite know how to get out of it just yet, and you’re not really trying. It’s willfully ignoring shadows, but it’s ok cuz we’re dancing.” The multi-instrumentalist – whose name pays homage to their great-great-grandmother Omega King, one of the first Black opera singers in Chicago – seems to thrive in the uneasy space between light and shadow on their latest single. This is a theme that permeates their upcoming EP too.
“[My Grandmother’s] name holds a lot of power in my house and in my family,” Isis comments further, “A big part of the reason my artist name incorporates hers is to remind me that there is power in my voice, that music has always been a deep-rooted part of me, and to keep going.” This perseverance is reflected not just in King Isis’ sound, but in their activism too. They volunteer teaching music classes for low-income communities in Los Angeles, and have worked with the FreeStudio Program of Rikers Island, which creates a safe creative space for incarcerated youth and the children of incarcerated adults.
King Isis is an ardent believer in the empowering and healing nature of music, and their authentic and infectious indie-grunge sounds are a tonic for life’s more testing moments.
Listen to ‘in my ways’ below.
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Photo Credit: Cole Maslansky
Kate Crudgington
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