Walla---Waller in their tunes

Written by Matthew S. Persson

The culmination of effects and instrumentation that is Walla, represents a modern day Postal Service collaboration, although incomparable in terms of sound. By creating a bond via “digital means” the band’s five members came together to deliver a collection of interesting and inventive EP’s that sparked interest in the band on bill boards such as Hypemachine. Their diverse backgrounds coalesce to create catchy contributions to the ever growing music blogosphere.

Jonathan Hoonch Kim’s soft spoken vocals carry the band’s often synth laden tracks. The band’s effectively layered tracks each have a persona of their own, which can be seen as either a flaw or a strength, as the music sometimes lacks consistency. They feel vaguely reminiscent of other indie pop acts that made appearances early last year, such as The Wombats. Worth mentioning is the title track to their Gangsters of Suburbia EP, with its distinctly disco esque opening and steady beat. Collectively, their sound is best expressed by their Nature EP released in 2013.

With an interesting blend of electronic and acoustic, it wouldn’t be surprising to soon find Walla occupying the soundscapes of many alternative radio stations. They’ve explored a variety of different sounds, and it will be interesting to see which direction they choose to go. Their first four EPs have promise for the developing band, with the most recent representing their capacity to continually deliver upbeat and relevant releases.



M. Stuart
about.me/MS920