Country: Germany
Berlin alt-pop band Rikas have been on the move for some years now. Since forming, the band has released two EPs, and just recently released their second full-length album, Soundtrack for a Movie That Has Not Been Written Yet. Recorded while on the move, in Berlin, Los Angeles, and Amsterdam, this movement is one of the themes of the group’s breezy, softly rocking new album.
Songs like “Barcelona (Learning to Love Myself)” bring to mind jazz-influenced groups like Steely Dan, with it’s funky guitar lines, lounge piano and breathy harmonies. These are songs you can easily imagine listening to while on a casual stroll or lying in the sun. There’s a particularly ‘island’ vibe to “Strangers” that drifts along like clouds across a blue sky.
The piano takes center stage on the pop rock number “Bike in L.A.”. Even when the music is breezy, tracks like this show that the band still has heavier subjects on their mind, addressing mental health issues (“I fell right on my face, I think I’m not okay. You know I’ve been in a strange place, and I don’t like myself when I’m in this mood”).
Start becoming familiar with Rikas‘ music by checking out a couple of their songs in our World Watch Playlist.
The Indy Review 