“Kramies Windt is something of an artist of the world. He’s a Dutch / American singer-singwriter, based out of Colorado that releases music latterly on the Australian Hidden Shoals Recordings label. He’s had a handful of releases to his credit, making this engaging brand of dreamy indie pop.
Out last October was his Kramies EP, for which he drafted in Grandaddy‘s Jason Lytle and Todd Tobias (Guided by Voices) to help him. The EP opens with ‘The Beginning’ this echoey, stripped back, piano led song, that really showcases Kramies ethereal voice. Only short, its something of a introduction to the rest of the EP.
Follow on Sea Otter Cottage is the first of the songs produced and played on by the Jason Lytle. It has this sort of sadness about it, melancholic in both nature and lyrically. There’s these bursts of colour provided by these guitar and synth lines that remind you of Lytle’s charges, and there’s enough melody there to keep your heart melting. Upon The Northern Isles is more electronic at the beginning, the simple guitar lines taking charge of the song as these rippling electronic sounds dissipate. It goes on to capture this hopeful feeling, despite being shrouded with doubt and nervousness and that recurring sadness.
The Wooden Heart is a much more traditional song, in indie rock format, losing the synth lines and replacing them with these blurry guitar lines, only the clarity of the piano parts seeming to hold things together. It ‘s also blessed with the best chorus and melodic lines of the EP, and (no surprise) is the most memorable track on the release.
The clocks were all broken heads back into the space territory Jason Lytle seems to have brought to the table, both on this and Sea Otter Cottage, (Tobias takes charge of all the other songs ) as things wash together, overlap and blend together into this electronic hue, only interrupted by Kramies vocal and these simple synth riffs. The EP closes with The Ending, this beautifully claustrophobic vignette, is a fitting end to an delightfully atmospheric release.
This man of the world is making it sit up and pay attention now. Quite rightly so.”