Fusing the fuzz-fueled guitars and loose rhythms of acts like Dinosaur Jr. To the experimental soundscapes of artists such as Sonic Youth and The Cure, Koalra is an emerging indie rock band who recently moved to Portland from their native Chicago.
The 90’s influenced four-piece released their self-titled album in December of 2019. The eight track debut is a noise-fest of uplifting, yet thrashing guitar tracks full of grungy melodies. In 2020, Koalra moved on to more introspective themes with the follow up EP “Surprise Lights”, this change inspired by the steadily growing uncertainty of our time. A trend that has slowly evolved through their next releases.
Later that year, they released “The Wakes”, which featured more hopeful themes in tracks like “Hold On” and “Lifting”. Early 2021’s “Into The Everything” finds the band dip into new wave territory with the glimmering shades of “Torture” and the cathartic gloom of “The Scene”. And the 2021 release of “Love Songs To Remind Us That We Can’t Stand Each Other” is a collection of love songs fueled by the disenchantment of our current social and political climate.
The Portland-based rock outfit has been constantly evolving through the years, capturing a skillset steeped in noise rock, krautrock, and post-punk. For their 5th release we watched them dive deeply into the kosmische-Musik side of their multifaceted identity, with a never one to shy against social and political album entitled “The fires burned everything we had. When the dust settles, They will do it again.”
With their latest release Koalra return with a collection of odds, ends and extras titled “Nihilism and Analog Tape.” The album is an assembly of melancholy noise-rock with upbeat psych-vibes. The single “Center of the World” is out now and is receiving high praise from media outlets, gaining new listeners all while supplying the current fanbase with an ear fire dose of Koalra’s signature sounds.
-Official bio
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