KickBoy release Vision Shakes - out now

Vision Shakes is the soundtrack to 2023’s alternative Halloween party.

And what’s spookier than ghouls, ghosts, vampires and werewolves? Why it’s the mental-health crisis!

The track keeps to KickBoy’s record of regaling devastating tales of poor wellbeing, packaged with their trademark surrealist post-punk whimsy. This time though their sound has shifted to one of chilling synths and dissonant saxophones, creating a haunting soundscape to compare a dissociative episode to a ghostly possession or curse.

The first in a series of 5 tracks to expect from the band, the debut EP was recorded with Conor Kearney (Home Counties - Alcopop!/Subcat ecords) at his studio in London. As the mixer and engineer for his own band, the collaboration stemmed from similarities between the eclectic sounds Home Counties are well known for and the breadth in genres the band aimed to cover.

About the Song

The track features the same unpredictability as the live reputation they have garnered in London over the last year. Not a single section of the song is repeated more than once, twisting and turning to convey the desperation of a panic attack. Desperate cries of “I’m feeling spooky all the time” resonate throughout the chorus accompanied by persistent scraping guitar riffs - the kind only found in the genre’s more chaotic peripheries (Saloon Dion, Gag Salon). Each round is interspersed with ethereal verses spoken by new member Jules, representing the dialogue of a spirit detached from its earthly body (Drahla, Goat Girl). The sporadic yelps of the pre-chorus bring the energy back in. These disconnected mantras convey a lack of control, as if possessed, with the titular “vision shakes” referring to the inability to focus on any one thought for more than a moment.

The synth and saxophone are key aspects of the song. Returning listeners will notice the new sound and faces on the single art. Since their last release, the band have acquired two new members, bringing the team up to 5 and deepening their soundscape. The track was selected as the first release of the EP due to the presence of these new instruments in the mix, signalling to expect something different from the refreshed sound.

The Band and EP

Vision Shakes is the first in a series of 5 tracks to expect from the South-London “milk-punk” unit’s debut EP. The theme is chaos. There are no rules with this EP. All the tracks have the same bizarre lyricism, but the overall genre cannot be pinned down to anything more concise than “disco/funk-influenced egg-punk/garage-rock”. The subject matters don’t align either, touching on cultural gentrification, the climate crisis, mental health and even dating “icks”. What unites these tracks is their delivery; KickBoy’s own brand of chaotic humour in approaching these dark topics and ambiguous genre bending song-writing.

Vision Shakes releases on 25th October in the run-up to Halloween - I hope you’re feeling spooky.

“[They] refuse to be walked over and limited to one style. Completely bonkers, KickBoy feel like innovators on a mission to change the indie scene.” - Clout Magazine

FFO: Egyptian Blue, Drahla, Gag Salon, Folly Group, Goat Girl, Unschooling, Saloon Dion, Home Counties Genre: Egg-Punk / Post-Punk / Garage Rock / Synth-Punk

Members Jamie - Bass+Synth+Vocals

Jules - Guitar+Synth+Vocals

Chris - Guitar+Synth

Connie - Sax

Owen - Drums