Music Now On Spotify! Moving back to New York!

Hey All!

Sorry it's been a while since I've been on here! I've been making some big plans, both for my music and for finishing out my time here at Northwestern.

As of last week, I have accepted an internship with Warner Brother Records, which will allow me to return to NY for January through the spring to finish out my credits!

Meanwhile, I have been beefing up all of my social media, and continuing to record and write songs with my producer friend Ken Ross and am hoping to have some new tracks out by January! With my music continuing to evolve and taking a bit of a turn toward R&B and Jazz sensibility, I'm incredibly excited about what we've been working on. My first two EPs, "Time Grasp" and "Lake Michigan's Chill" are now available for stream on Spotify as well as for purchase on iTunes.

I also did a photoshoot a few weeks back with the one and only Justin Barbin. He really had an interesting take on my image and we were able to come up with some beautiful photos seen in this post. You check out some more on my facebook page!

As I make plans to move back to NY, I will not only be interning, but of course continuing to make music, linking back up with my buddies at Soundwaves and their new venue 10th Street Live, and finishing out a few last gigs here with The Cables. We will be playing for Chicago Acoustic Underground with full bellies the Monday after Thanksgiving Weekend and planning a few more last gigs.

Stay tuned for a video for "Until Tomorrow's Day" dropping later this week. Shot and edited on the RED by my dear, talented friend Rebecca Montag!

Peace.Love.Music

Kara Ali

Recording, Live Shows, and INTERVIEWS

Hey all! Sorry it's been a little while since I've posted.

Wow, have I been busy. Between planning Rock at the Rock, rehearsing with The Cables, writing new songs and doing some studio time it has been really busy and exciting.

The Cables actually have a gig coming up tomorrow, Friday night, down at The Horseshoe on Lincoln. We will hit at around 11pm so if you happen to be in the area, drop by to hear some new bluesy, folky, rocky jams.

Meanwhile, I've been working with my awesome producer friend, Ken Ross, on laying down some tracks in his Wicker Park home studio. Getting set to record some vocals this weekend and it will be completely exhilarating. It feels so great to use the piano to write again--it had been so long since I wrote a song starting with the keys. I haven't been this psyched in a while. Check out this track and music video for "New World" off of Ken's last release, Zzzz

With midterms on the horizon here at Northwestern, I am still going downtown Saturday night to interview The Rosebuds at Schubas for WNUR. The band, most well-known perhaps for opening for Bon Iver, will be headlining this weekend and I will have the opportunity to sit down with the North Carolina-based duo. Their new album, Loud Planes Fly Low is incredibly relaxing, with a mix of male and female vocals and chilled-out instrumentals. I will play the interview on my next radio show from 2-4pm on CST on WNUR.

Between artist interviews, writing for CollegeDJ, and recording and gigging with my own stuff, I am delightfully busy.

Now to plan out studying for midterms.

Peace.Love.Music

Kara Ali

Toro Y Moi Interview and Awesome New Artist Discoveries!

Hey All!

Hope the week has been going well! Personally, it's been HUGE for me!

In addition to working for CollegeDJ, I have been busy with my radio show, planning Niteskool's Rock at the Rock, and going to shows.

This past Saturday, I had the opportunity to see Toro Y Moi perform at Lincoln Hall and interview Chaz Bundick for my weekly radio show, which airs Wednesdays on WNUR from 2-4pm CST. Additionally, I got to chat with Becca Kauffman, one of three female vocalists from Brooklyn-based group Ava Luna. (A picture of me with Chaz and Becca can be found above.) In addition to Kauffman, the impressive 7-piece soul band consisted of Ethan Bassford on Bass, Julian Fader on Drums, Nathan Tompkins on Synth, Felicia Douglass on Vocals, Anna Sian on Vocals, and Carlos Hernandez as the only male vocalist. I enjoyed their mix of funky, offbeat and soulful sounds so much that I bought their 3rd Avenue Island /Services EP on vinyl at the show. So sonically pleasing--I hope that they come in to Airplay to do a live session next time they come to the Chicagoland area. Check them out on bandcamp please!

Unknown Mortal Orchestra, who had come from playing a gig at Reckless Records was also part of the line-up that evening and the crowd went WILD when they came on stage. On the heels of their Self-Titled album, the three-piece, Fat Possum Records band played some of their most popular tracks, "How Can U Luv Me" and "Boy Witch" with drummer Julien Ehrich going nuts. (Check them out here!)

As for Chaz Bundick, the mastermind behind Toro Y Moi, the man had a few interesting things to say. He wanted to call me "Hooty", which I found totally amusing. When asked what his dream show would be, he said that his dream show would be at the superbowl with Kanye and Taylor Swift!

I aired exclusive audio clips from my time with Chaz yesterday.

Listen to some exclusive clips from Lincoln Hall 9/24 below:

Rock at the Rock, Chaos and Clatter, Amazing Times.

Hey All!

Sorry it's been a little while since I've updated my personal blog. Between writing for Collegedj, working at WNUR as outreach chair, getting the freshmen revved up by planning events for Niteskool, and fitting in class somewhere it's been a pretty hectic few weeks back in Chicago.

Despite the chaos, I've managed to write a bunch of new songs that I can't wait to play with The Cables during our first reunited band practice this coming Monday! Bass major and a great friend of mine, Andy Henley will be filling in for Nic Park while he's abroad in New Zealand (lucky duck!)

The Cables will be playing along with Brandon Daley, The Aurelia Trio, and Fuzzy Moon at Niteskool's first event of the year, Rock at the Rock! If you haven't checked out Daley's mixtape yet, I sincerely recommend it. Come check us all out on October 6th on the Northwestern Campus at Rock at the Rock!

For now, I won't reveal the new songs I've written (mostly because they haven't been recorded yet--even in a lo-fi environment.

For now, enjoy this crazy little cover of Radiohead's "Creep" that I did over the summer:

Oh, and a crazy experimental electronic project I did called, "Playing By Ear":

Playing By Ear by karaalimusic

Peace.Love.Music

Kara Ali

Sufjan Stevens Has Scored a Film--And Will Be Performing It Live!

Last May, Pitchfork announced that Brooklyn-based folk/electro/avant-garde singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens would score a movie in collaboration with Castanet's Raymond Raposa for the film Beyond This Place.

Now, the artist is scheduled to perform the soundtrack live at a screening of the film at Brooklyn Academy of Music. After having scored and created his own film piece, The BQE, Stevens is no stranger to composing for film and becoming in touch with visuals. In fact, his latest tour for Age of Adz (Steven's sixth studio album released this past October) featured a visual/light show that portrayed work by schizophrenic artist Royal Robertson around whom the album was based.

From Michigan and Illinoise beginnings, the classically trained composer continues to stretch boundaries and experiment with sounds.

Trailer for the film Beyond This Place below:

Toro Y Moi releases new EP, "Freaking Out"

Adding to the Chillwave Scene, Chazwick Bundick (aka Toro Y Moi) has brought us Freaking Out, a new EP released yesterday on Carpak Records. Often compared to Washed Out and Neon Indian (both of which released albums just a bit earlier this year), Toro Y Moi has released a solid 5 tracks that fuse funk and electronic beats, with reverb-infused and spacious vocals.

Following his release of "Underneath the Pines" this past February, this EP is a bit more dance-y, reminiscent of the '80's. Pitchfork gave the album an 8 out of 10, comparing some tracks to work by Chromeo.

Excited to see what comes next from this California-based Filipino composer.

Peace.Love.Music

Kara Ali

"Art School Girls" Hip Hop Trio to do a show in Evanston

Just today, my facebook event requests reported that Minneapolis-based hip-hop trio, Art School Girls, will be coming to Evanston to do a live apartment show. The group, consisting of Cory Grindberg (instrumentals), Julian Fairbanks (instrumentals), and Chantz Erolin (vox) started up after the boys had been dropping beats and making music in High School. Soon, the three went their separate ways to college but still wanted to make music a priority. During a winter break, "Art School Girls" was born.

Fairbanks and Grindberg are both producers of Audio Perm as well, along with fellow producer Taylor Madrigal. They have just released their sophomore album, "Audio Perm in Full Effect". Grindberg, a Jazz Studies Major and bass player at Northwestern, is also a solo artist. Check out some of his tracks here on myspace.

Art School Girls will be performing Saturday, Oct 1st in Evanston, IL. Details on openers and exact location to follow here on facebook.

Peace.Love.Music

Kara Ali