To say that singer-songwriter Ang Kerfoot—a former member of Lucky Cuss and frequent Moksha collaborator—has had a busy year would be an understatement. Between releasing an EP, writing and recording, performing at Las Vegas’ regional Burning Man event, (the Forgotten City) and compiling her latest LP (Kings), Kerfoot has finally found time to share her album with the world. A collaboration with electronic artist and producer Dana Dau, Kings has been out digitally since November 2, but the duo officially unveils it on December 5 at Artifice.
After meeting early this year during the Life Cube project, Kerfoot and Dau immediately started writing together. The result was enough songs to fill two records—10 of which made the cut on Kings. The others will end up on a follow-up LP in the spring. “We recorded Kings at [Dau’s] house and my house in very small home studios,” Kerfoot says over the phone during Thanksgiving weekend. And although they used “quality equipment,” she says they “totally did it on the cheap.” What came out, naturally, was a group of songs that fit into “this trip-hop blues fusion sound. The songs kind of grouped themselves together,” she says. They call it “Urban Psy.”
Kerfoot adds: “There’s a really exciting new thing about our live set”—the debut of the group’s third member, Monica Sterling, whom Kerfoot calls “an exquisite classically trained pianist.” Other additions include didgeridoo player Ashley Michaud, who also contributed on the album. There will be a theatrical element to the show, too. “You can hear it on the album but you can’t see it.” Except now, you can.
Kings is the result of self-reflection. Through Dau’s warm production, thick, crackling, glitchy beats and Kerfoot’s bluesy, serpentine vocals, the duo’s debut LP is rooted in realism yet shrouded in mystic imagery. It’s an album by artists, for artists. “I always wanted to write music that lyrically forced aspiring artists to think about what they were doing with their art,” Kerfoot says, “basically to make the artist question themselves [and encourage] artists to pioneer avenues that aren’t being pursued.”
Kings release party December 5, 9 p.m., free. Artifice, 702-489-6339.
