The KBCS – Popsicles

Popsicles, the debut single on Sonar Kollektiv from Hamburg based quartet, The KBCS, is best described by the band themselves as “a late summer teenage adventure”. Hazy guitars and warm keys playfully amuse each other over a solid, funky beat on what is an evocative and vivid introduction to this talented foursome.

Typical of their musical output, Popsicles started its life as a jam played by four session musicians stepping out of the shadows of their musical day jobs, and allowing themselves to enjoy the freedom of expression that their very own personal project would give them. This sunny, psychedelic groove exemplifies this band’s laidback attitude – allowing some refreshing naivety and innocence to shine through. If Wolfgang Petersen would have made his own version of Stand By Me, set in Northern Germany, this may well have been the perfect soundtrack.

The KBCS represent the coming together of four very uniquely gifted, but very complementary, musicians from Hamburg. Drummer Lucas Kochbeck spends much of his time obsessing about vintage recording equipment, tape machines and the like, whilst adding his talents to the recordings of retro-loving contemporaries such the Bacao Rhythm And Steel Band and the Colemine Records family.

Keyboard wiz Nicolas Börger is very much an in-demand, sound-centric master of the blacks and whites, in the same way that guitarist Lars Coelln lends his skills to a myriad of works across the sonic spectrum. Completing the quartet, bottom end provider Daniel Stritzke adds a little freeform jazz and hip hop attitude to the mix, but even then you can find his bass holding things down on crossover hits galore.

Popsicles is the first taster from the band’s forthcoming sophomore album, Color Box, due out in November on Sonar Kollektiv.

Keep an eye out too for their collaboration with Thomas D of Die Fantastischen Vier (The Fantastic Four) – also due out in 2021, which is sure to be a strong year for this terrific tetrad.