[Download] Noah Kittinger - All I Know"

Good news everyone! I've stopped avoiding the Soundcloud inbox! Honestly I've been avoiding basically all SKOA inboxes like the plague lately because the increasing unread messages that I can't get to give me major anxiety.

I'm happy to report, however, that while testing the waters to see if I could re-train my brain to not be so stressed out that something wonderful happened: I had a mini-SKOA Family reunion! 

Nashville based Noah Kittinger used to go by the name BEDROOM. The homey Adrian extensively showed it all of the love throughout its existence. And rightfully so, the sleepy melancholic jams that I've since rediscovered were as befitting for love as they were the project's name. 

At any rate, Kittinger has re-emerged, this time choosing to release new songs under his own name. Of the two that he's released so far, "All I Know" quickly became my favorite. I especially love his minimalist approach and how the song manages to be effortlessly peppy despite how distressing the lyrics are. 

Kittinger is currently prepping an EP that's slated for a spring/summer release. In the meantime, peep "All I Know" below. Be sure to also check out "N.Y.E" in addition to his BEDROOM creations. 

[Listen] Bedroom - "Grow"

It has been a few months since we've heard from SKOA friend Bedroom, aka Nashville's Noah Kittinger. The bedroom artist is back, though, bringing with him an appropriately titled new single. "Grow" has Kittinger reflecting on his past, pairing his reminiscing with delicate acoustic guitar riffs. As the song progresses, his lyrics begin aiming towards the future just as the instrumentation expands and flourishes. It's a subtle touch, but the literal "growth" of both the lyrics and the sounds adds great depth to the song. Check it out below or on SoundCloud.

"Grow" is simply stated as being "off of an upcoming album", so expect more from Bedroom in the near future.

[SKOA Premiere] Bedroom - "In my Head"

Bedroom, the bedroom-born project of Nashville resident Noah Kittinger, has been featured numerous times on SKOA ever since he appeared on our radar almost one year ago, and for good reason. Although still a high school student, Bedroom's sound and talent is beyond his years. Kittinger consistently impresses, employing a diverse array of sounds and inspirations that encapsulate the atmospheric haziness and angst many of us felt yet maintaining a cohesion that grounds the sounds in reality. Through reverbed vocals with guitar in hand, the young artist draws you in to his simple yet engaging compositions, and his latest single "In my Head" does not stray from that formula, a formula that he has proven and solidified. As always, we are pleased to premiere the newest release from Bedroom's growing catalogue.

Beginning with a solitary, sullen acoustic guitar riff, "In my Head" is simple in its execution, and it is in this that it works so well. Kittinger's vocals drift in and out seamlessly, as if in a dream-like trance, with echoing synthesizers pulling your attention deeper into the song; "In my Head" exemplifies what Bedroom does best. Stream the song below, and head over to Bedroom's SoundCloud page or Bandcamp page to download the track for free.

[SKOA Premiere & Interview] Bedroom Debuts a Stream of His New Album 'Vivid' and Talks Instrumentation, His New Akai MPD26, and Favorite Movies

Bedroom, aka Noah Kittinger, has been a SKOA favorite since we premiered his Toys EP back in February, and since then our musician/blogger bond has grown much stronger. That isn't the only thing that has grown, as Kittinger's talent and abilities have come a long way over the course of five months. He has been experimenting in his bedroom, taking the sounds he established with his debut EP and tinkering with them, expanding them. The result is Vivid, the debut LP from Kittinger, who is now signed on Furious Hooves Records. The LP sees him exploring darker territory, delving into a myriad of instrumentation that evokes a sense of addictive tension. As a whole, the album is a captivating piece of work, one that finds thoughtful provocation in its simplicity, and we here at SKOA are pleased to premiere the debut stream of Bedroom's Vivid. Listen to the album in its entirety below, and make sure to head over to Bedroom's Bandcamp in a few hours to download it for yourself.

Along with the premiere stream of his new album, I took the opportunity to interview Kittinger, asking him a number of questions that have been on my mind these past few months. In the interview, he and I discuss his song-making process, the progression from his EP to his LP, the possibilities of live performances, as well as which movie in The Mummy trilogy is best. Read the interview in full after the jump.

Adrian: The Bedroom music project has always, to me, evoked a nostalgic quality. What is it that you want to portray in your music, and how do you achieve this?

Noah Kittinger: I just want an outlet for my thoughts and experiences. I write music about my thoughts or situations I find or have found myself in.  Other than that I just love making music and sharing it with people. I think I achieve that by just being honest with myself when I write. I don’t write something and think “oh is it too this or is it too that, Do I need to change this to make it sound like that” or anything. I just make everything the way I hear it in my head, I don’t try to make it sound a certain way. Music can be received in different ways for different people. For instance, you find my music to be nostalgic, which is awesome. Someone else might find my music to be completely different. It’s cool to see how people take in my music.

A: Each of your songs carries with it a certain mood, and it generally comes across in the instrumentation. What goes into your song-making process, and how much importance do you place on instrumentation as opposed to, say, lyrics and vocals?

NK: When I make a song, I usually start with a melody of some sort and begin to build somewhat of an instrumental, and I add in vocals later. Like for my song “Trees,” I had that done as an instrumental for like three weeks and one day found a vocal pattern I liked and wrote lyrics up on the spot and recorded them. That’s really how I do each of my songs. Some vocal patterns come easier than others, some don’t. My song “Cmptr” was intended to have vocals in it, but I felt it sounded better with none. I’d say both the vocals and instrumentations are at the same level of importance to me. I give each an equal amount of energy. My lyrics aren’t really that deep or anything, if anything they’re extremely simple and plainly put. Like I said, I write them on the spot and they come from whatever I’m dealing with or thinking of at that moment.

A: Your Toys EP is special in that, no matter what, it always reminds me of childhood, of simple times. Vivid, your debut LP, on the other hand, is much darker in its tone and sound. Describe the differences between the EP and the LP, and the progression of your music between then and now.

NK: I feel like the LP is more experimental than the EP. I tried a lot of new stuff on this album, such as recording techniques and even some field recording of people talking and stuff. I’d say the progression is pretty much just experimentation. Both releases were recorded in the same way, just me and some recording equipment in my bedroom. I think the EP was kind of just me finding my sound, and the LP is me capitalizing on it.

A: What went into influencing this new album? Whether it is life, friends, school, or other musicians, lay it all out there.

NK: A lot influenced the album. Hard to point them all out actually, but I know summer had a pretty big influence on it. The people I’ve sent it to say it has a beachy vibe to it. I dunno. But I also listened to a lot of electronic music while making it. There’s a label in Orlando called Relief in Abstract records, and they have some incredible stuff on there. XXYYXX, GRANT, and Fortune Howl. I got really into that whole scene during the recording of the album. I’d say that influenced me in some ways, to use more electronic sounding drum kits and stuff I guess.  

A: Now that the debut full release is out, what is it that you hope will come of it, and how do you hope fans and friends will respond to it?

NK: I hope this album just brings me more listeners and that people will really enjoy it. I made the album I wanted to make. I just hope people dig it haha. I have a pretty good feeling about this album, though.

A: I know you’ve been tinkering with the idea of live performances, even getting your hands on Ableton and an Akai MPD26. How will you be applying your music to a live setting, and what excites you about the idea of performing live?

NK: Yeah I got that. I’ve been practicing using it in a live aspect, and will hopefully play some shows soon. Like house shows and such, whatever I can get, I’ll take it. I’m excited to just take each song and re-create it live using my MPD. So far it’s working out pretty well.

A: If there is one goal you want to achieve musically, one major aspiration, what is it and why?

NK: I just want to tour and meet people, meet fans.  I think it’d be cool to tour and see the aftermath of what the internet does for me.

A: Growth is an important part of music, so if there is an area that you wanted to improve in or a genre or style you wished to explore, what would it be?

NK: It’s hard to say as of right now. I’m always listening and getting influenced by different types of music. I mean I could say in this moment that I wanted to make an acoustic based album, but over time I’d probably end up finding new artists and not be interested in making an acoustic based album anymore you know? So it’s really hard to tell. But, I’d like to make more beachy sounding music. (I’ve been listening to DIIV’s new record haha). I dunno. Time will tell.

A: Finally, just going to end on some quick-fire questions. Go. 

Favorite musician? Hmm.. Either Baths or Youth Lagoon. 

Favorite movie? Gummo or The Pursuit of Happyness.

Favorite TV show? Man, I’m not sure. I don’t watch TV much anymore. Like not much AT ALL. But, I do enjoy watching Adult Swim. There’s some funny stuff on there. I think it’s cool how they’re releasing music now too (laughs).

The Mummy 1, 2, or 3? 2.

[Watch] Bedroom - "Trees" (Official Video)

SKoA favorite Bedroom has unveiled the official video for his single "Trees," a captivating track whose accompanying video is equally as enthralling. Through simple editing techniques, the video presents an enticing array of nature shots, with footage of a light bulb layered overtop of footage of trees or the sprawling branches of trees being twisted in a mesmerizing kaleidoscope. It's fitting footage for a great song. Check it out above.

Bedroom's debut LP Vivid is set for release in the coming months.

[Listen] Bedroom - "Nostalgic Feel"

Nashville solo musician Bedroom, aka Noah Kittinger, fittingly released his brand new track "Nostalgic Feel," a soothing, summery jam, on the holiest of days for all the marijuana lovers out there, 4/20. The song is the third single from Bedroom's upcoming debut LP Vivid, and is what I described to him this morning as "perfect for a sunny morning before I go to write my last exam." Give it a listen below, courtesy of Earmilk, who also premiered the song along with an interview with Kittinger. Check out the interview here.

[Listen and Download] Bedroom - "Trees"

Keeping up with consistency, Nashville bedroom artist Noah Kittinger, aka Bedroom, has let loose yet another brand new single titled "Trees." Premiering today through our good friends at Vancouver-based blog Hearing Gold, the track is a melancholic soundscape driven along by despondent, reverbed vocals and a hauntingly beautiful guitar melody. Following in the footsteps of his Toys EP and his last single "Falling," Bedroom's latest work captures a simplistic grace that he somehow manages to convey time and time again.

"Trees" is available to stream and download below, and look for it on Bedroom's upcoming full length Vivid, which is set for release soon. As well, make sure to head over to his Bandcamp to purchase and download all of his amazing work (hint: the Toys EP is available for free for a short period of time).

[SKOA Premiere] Bedroom - "Falling"

In mid-February, we premiered a new EP from an up and coming artist from Nashville, Tennessee. His music is the kind that can catch your attention immediately, conjuring images and memories of childhood simplicity, the sort of audible trigger that makes you remember the days of adolescence, playing in the backyard, and running around with your friends. It's a unique talent to have, and Bedroom, the solo project of 16-year-old Noah Kittinger, doled it out with a refreshingly humble attitude in his Toys EP.

Now, fresh off the release of the EP and with a newfound buzz surrounding his music, as well as having his song "You'll See" on the latest edition of the Some Kind of Mixtape series, Bedroom is back with a brand new track titled "Falling." Unlike his previous work on the Toys EP, which despite being written in a time depression were quite blissful in their execution, the subject matter of "Falling" is fully befitting to the instrumentation surrounding it. The lyrics of the song are described by Kittinger as being "about someone really close to me who is slowly messing up," going further to say, "he/she is "Falling."" It is a touching song that delves into the emotional core of Kittinger, which not only comes through in lyrics but also in the atmospheric instrumentation. The result is a beautifully melancholic and alluring song that evokes distance and loss, all the while carrying a sense of hope. With that said, Some Kind of Awesome is once again proud to premiere Bedroom's work. "Falling" is available to stream and download below.

Head here to purchase Bedroom's Toys EP, and make sure to follow him on Facebook and Twitter.