Currently Listening: Migrant Kids

Amped up dance-rock acrobatics dazzle, in fact, rattle, the listener, right out of the gate, for this single from ¡Migrant Kids! - stirring and spilling the bombastic, bubbly formula of accelerated(/agitated) disco-friendly beats under tightly flexed, guitar shreds, with fuzzy low ends, under gleaming surf toned riffs. (See comparably: early Franz Ferdinand, early Arctic Monkeys, or even, potentially a contemporary in Detroit's Millions of Brazilians, at least their first EP).

In just 2 ½ minutes, we jump up to this cardio kicking beat that leads into zesty vocals that blend solemnity, solidarity and theatricality - covering the plight of various immigrant workers, Mexican, Native American ("the sweat from the People of the Sun makes the labor cheaper...") and Jewish workers as well (the latter veers the song from its southwest tinged rock raucousness into indulging the clarinet-lead melody of "Hava Nagila").


MK features John Zakoor and Miguel Ojeda of Ann-Arbor-based Manolete -

whereas that band had a similar tendency for up-and-at-em rhythms and crashing crescendos, it was a bit more into atmospherics, Jonny-Greenwood type guitar swirls and eclectic instrumentation. With their more heady, cathartic rock disertations exerted through this band, it's been pared down to tighter, punchier, get in and get it done pop rock (with eletronic flares here and there). The pair switch off: vocals/guitars/bass/drums.



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"We kinda grew up in this identity crisis mode of being mexican and living in Michigan," Miguel Ojeda said. "I love it here and the people are amazing in the midwest. There's just sometimes a part of us that we don't get to explore or express and that's what we wanted to do because it's who we are.

We started working with producer Michael McCarthy who is a whiz at mixing and mastering. He's here in Ann Arbor at U of M and we're staying here with him to finish out the 3 song ep we are putting out next month. So for now, we are still here in Ann Arbor, freezing with the rest of Michigan."