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Today, Miami/NYC-based musician, producer and multimedia artist Stranger Cat embraces all parts of herself with sultry track and whimsical video, "Doin It Right," out now. The artist's resilient, self-produced sophomore album Slow Jam Love Letters To My Body In Pieces due out November 15 and is available for pre-order now.
A soulful slice of art pop, slinky and steady, "Doin It Right," smoothly sits within the greater message of the forthcoming body of work. Its spacious, careful production leaves room to let the lyrics simmer as the artist unabashedly explores various sides of herself. FLOOD Magazine, who premiered "Doin It Right" says the new single "gradually stacks layers of vocals and other near-ambient pop sounds atop each other until the recording’s stark conclusion. Meanwhile, the single’s video keeps the camera rolling for another couple minutes as Cat-the-performer completes the track’s inspired interpretive dance."
In her own practice of self-discovery, Stranger Cat hopes to inspire other listeners to do the same, sharing, "It is my hope that engagers will feel permission to be fully free in expression, even if just for a moment, and wave your freak flag to celebrate whoever you are fully." After a serious accident left the artist bedridden the song and video came about after the artist's morphine-induced recovery time in the hospital produced visions of all her alter egos living freely, and giving her life advice through song and dance.
Sonically, Stranger Cat cites Frank Ocean as inspiration, and used a Prophet synthesizer and beats processed through a real space echo and analog gear. Co-produced by Stranger Cat and Radio Déserte in Paris’ Studio Guillame Tell, she adds, "I brought it to a space of real surrender in myself, again, on the edge praying and asking the real questions: “Am I doin it right?”
Its accompanying dance video introduces viewers to all of Stranger Cat's inner characters, featuring various wigs and accessories. Conceived and directed by the artist, made in collaboration with videographer and cinematographer Tom Trainer, and lighting and production by William Kennedy, the video is a celebration of the layered, multi-faceted artist, as well as the human behind the creative process. It's a defiant declaration of autonomy, and a commitment to be in an eternal state of self-discovery. Stranger Cat says the filming process was cathartic and the group worked tirelessly to bring the visual to life. "We ran the one shot over and over until we discovered what it really is, from 8pm until 5am. Creating and performing this video in it's entirety says a big piece of what I want to say as an artist at this time, and reveals a bit more of who Stranger Cat is, a process I'll forever be exploring. The video concluding in silence says more in movement than I could ever say in sound and words, like my own version of a Charlie Chapman film, with the photography work of Cindy Sherman also as an inspiration."
Watch "Doin It Right" (Official Video)
The synthy dance track "Hollow Heartbreak," shared earlier this month, emerged in the aftermath of a devastating breakup as Stranger Cat learned to move through the heartache. Building layers of auto-tuned voices, Stranger Cat taps into her authentic soulful croon, speaking directly to the chaotic relationship, and concludes with the layered release, “I need you, I don’t need you anymore,” a cleansing, a realization, a joy and cry all at once. Ultimately, the creation of the track led her to the other side of the pain, prompting a significant, necessary self-reclamation.
The resonant forthcoming album, produced from bed while recovering from a serious accident, allowed the artist to feel it all. Putting the pieces of her body back together, both physically and emotionally, produced a collection of work that required careful reflection and complete surrender. Delving into the challenging experience, Stranger Cat shares, "These songs were written during a three year period when I was forced to sort of drop out of life and recover, first dealing with difficult dance injury which required 1.5 years of rehab, followed by a serious accident which left me healing in a wheelchair for five months with both legs casted." As she grew accustomed to a new relationship to her body, she set out to put her pain on display, but make it sexy, through art.
Confined to a bed, the ten tracks that emerged was an accumulation of the pain, frustration and yearning for a brighter future. "I channeled the longing for connection into these songs of desire." The result is a cornucopia of orchestral synth pop with layered vocals, sparkly synths and 808 beat driven dance parties. "I wanted to give myself and the listener permission to feel everything–then dance and let it all go–the kind of dance you do alone when no one is looking."
The project's previously shared first single "Witness" is a raw, lush pop song that came together in a particularly painful period. Recorded at the historic Guillaume Tell studio where everyone from Radiohead to Serge Gainsbourg recorded, the final vocals were done on vintage mics, and the musician played all the additional instruments heard on the track including: B3 organ, electric and grand piano, the echo effects and more.
Stranger Cat is Brooklyn-born, Miami-based vocalist, producer, composer, light artist, video maker, DJ, dancer, and sound healer Cat Martino. She has collaborated with the likes of Sufjan Stevens, Sharon Van Etten, Son Lux, Lucius, and The Shins and as well as supporting Empress Of, Marissa Nadler, and performing at iii Points Festival and Art Basel in Miami. In The Wilderness, the artist's soulful electronic art-pop debut album, arrived in 2015 and garnered support from Brooklyn Vegan, Stereogum, New Noise Magazine, and more, as well as high praise from NPR. Earlier this year, Stranger Cat collaborated bringing captivating vocals to author and musician's Scott Guild's debut album Plastic: The Album which now has over 250K streams across platforms. Despite such substantial setbacks in recent years, Stranger Cat is more than ready to bring her healing second album into the world, one that turns her isolation into hope and pain into power.
Stranger Cat allows all parts of herself to shine in her ever-lasting pursuit of self-discovery with "Doin It Right" out now. The multimedia artist's self-produced, vulnerable second album, Slow Jam Love Letters To My Body In Pieces, is due out November 15 and is available for pre-order now. Keep up with Stranger Cat on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, and stay tuned for much more.
Listen "Hollow Heartbreak"
Watch "Witness" (Official Lyric Video) | Listen
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