Music
Press
"Sit down. Stand up. It doesn’t matter, because this album has got it covered from end to end. No exaggeration. Kinion’s self-titled LP is the obvious mark of amazing things to come from a band that smatters dub reverb over reggae rock in a way that is as fresh as their record label’s apt namesake. This trio understands you got to get up to get down. They also understand you got to throw some old school hip-hop in there once in a while; kind of like salting the meat.
Should it gel the way it does? Reggae, Dub, Rock, Hip-Hop? Yes. And Kinion is no Sublime re-boot (Sublime is the strongest correlation made of those eclectic sounds without having listened to Kinion, so deal with the following comparison). Where Bradley and Co. were getting higher than Hubble from Long Beach, Kinion is actually gravitating back to earth from a mescaline fueled space voyage of old. Where Sublime’s music was about feeling, grasping, and trying to ascend out of a tangible mess, Kinion’s music is about bringing back that universal knowledge that’s been biding its time in the collective subconscious and applying it to the doldrums of every day existence.
The album starts off musically more astute compared to the leaning sounds found on the rest of the album. You receive baptism into the album with Freedom which definitely riffs off of Rage Against the Machine via their later, funkier work. After the initial salute, Kinion drops into Everybody, an obvious single, yet not an obvious representation of the album’s entirety. On Everybody, Kinion seems to channel Grand Master Flash and Sugar Hill Gang to produce what is a most infectious hip-hop tribute to some of the greatest lyricists of all time. It’s on this second track that it’s already noticed and appreciated the different modes the guitarist/vocalist George Garces can dip his voice in and out of. He leaps from mono-rhythmic MC to high pitched soul crooner in lesser steps than it takes to make any aforementioned leaps. He’s got that truly versatile voice that “is so” because it is perfectly imperfect. Its got rough edges… it’s not polished. It’s got grit, however. The grittiness is essentially Garces biting the grooves with his teeth and stretching it as it bounces onward. At least that’s how I’d describe it.
And grittiness is a big part of what makes Kinion’s sound unique. Once you get past these opening two tracks the album really switches gears into a much more adrift, somewhat “reggaeton”, complacency. This style of music is usually marked for blending reverb and staccato pulse. However, Kinion owns it with their urban style that embraces the imbalance of a live performance that is tweaked into nuance by the credibility that comes with great craftsmanship and exercise. When you listen to the album you can really imagine the street corners these guys were loitering at; banging on trash cans and strumming on street lights (yeah, I lifted that last fragment from Doug). It’s a really fun-as-hell trip well worth taking. This album belongs in the car, in the club, in your head." - Music-Reviewer.com
"Very tasty psychedelic guitar work leads [Pa Lalu Paya] off and wakes every electron in my body. This is excitement, and I love it. “I know that you’re taken in by everything life has got to give.” So, you caught me. And why not? I’m here for the duration, and I plan to spread the love around. The bass guitar is the star of this song. The singer sorta hangs out behind the corner, and when the lead guitar sneaks in he also sounds like he’s over in the other room, tho it is clear enough. Even the drums, while understandable, are outside in the yard. The description sounds weird, but this is great entertainment – worth seeking out. Shoutout for the equally exciting Freedom - “Isn’t it better to educate oneself than listen to the words of a wooden professor?” Interesting question." - Eartaste.com
Light up your blunts, sit back, and chill for a bit…
KINION has a MAJOR reggae sound to them. I am feeling this group, and I don’t even get stoned anymore! From the 3 songs they have on Sonic Bids, I can just tell this is a band that would be a blast to see live! And I can only imagine what the smell in the air would be as they took the stage!
KINION's music, although very deep in the style of reggae, has some very strong hints of old school east coast rap. YEEEEYAAA BOY! As they say in “Wild Cowboys”, my head keeps bobbin back and forth. If I had to compare this band to any other band or group, I would say they were a little bit of Bob, mixed with 311, and a dab of the Beastie Boys.
Can’t wait to hear more from these guys!
- Streetblast Radio
"There is defiantly something seductive about the rhythm of the voice and music, which grows after repeated listening." - Northeast In-Tune Magazine
"Let me start off by saying that the music of Kinion is unique. This trio from the streets of New York City takes the gritty attitude of a punk rock band while using a blend of hip-hop, rock, and reggae musical styles...At first the sounds my ears were hearing sounded a little bit strange, but they quickly adjusted and got into the groove of Kinion's unique music. I especially enjoyed the mixture of old school hip-hop against the backdrop of rock guitar riffs that the band uses. I like it when artists aren't afraid to mix it up and stretch a musical genre's envelope, and that's just what Kinion does very well on this release. If you’re looking for some gritty music with a mixture of world sounds, then Kinion is for you." - IndieMusicStop.com
Discography
KINION: KINION (Studio LP) 2006
KINION: The Brooklyn Sessions (Demo LP) 2005
Photos
Bio
KINION (kin-I-on)
From the streets of New York City, KINION has emerged as the leader of a new generation of musical rudeboys. With a power trio delivery and punk rock approach, they form a groundbreaking new sound by blending old school hip-hop, roots reggae, psychedelic rock, and Latin music. Defying the boundaries of traditional genre classification, KINION draws from a wide range of musical influences including Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Bob Marley, Public Enemy, Boogie Down Productions, and Manu Chao. They have performed at Philly’s Jam on the River music festival, rocked legendary venues from the Whisky a Go-Go on the West to CBGB’s on the East, received FM radio airplay for their song “Mrs. Brown”, and generated over 100,000 plays of their tunes on-line…all before they released their first album! Now they are proud to present their debut self-titled studio LP, an eleven-song kaleidoscopic journey that creates vibes reminiscent of psychedelic Greenwich Village of the 60’s, the birth of hip-hop in the Bronx in the 80’s, and the ever-present Latin soul of Uptown. Listen for yourself and let the journey begin…
"Sit down. Stand up. It doesn’t matter, because this album has got it covered from end to end. No exaggeration. Kinion’s self-titled LP is the obvious mark of amazing things to come from a band that smatters dub reverb over reggae rock in a way that is as fresh as their record label’s apt namesake. This trio understands you got to get up to get down. They also understand you got to throw some old school hip-hop in there once in a while; kind of like salting the meat.
Should it gel the way it does? Reggae, Dub, Rock, Hip-Hop? Yes. And Kinion is no Sublime re-boot (Sublime is the strongest correlation made of those eclectic sounds without having listened to Kinion, so deal with the following comparison). Where Bradley and Co. were getting higher than Hubble from Long Beach, Kinion is actually gravitating back to earth from a mescaline fueled space voyage of old. Where Sublime’s music was about feeling, grasping, and trying to ascend out of a tangible mess, Kinion’s music is about bringing back that universal knowledge that’s been biding its time in the collective subconscious and applying it to the doldrums of every day existence.
The album starts off musically more astute compared to the leaning sounds found on the rest of the album. You receive baptism into the album with Freedom which definitely riffs off of Rage Against the Machine via their later, funkier work. After the initial salute, Kinion drops into Everybody, an obvious single, yet not an obvious representation of the album’s entirety. On Everybody, Kinion seems to channel Grand Master Flash and Sugar Hill Gang to produce what is a most infectious hip-hop tribute to some of the greatest lyricists of all time. It’s on this second track that it’s already noticed and appreciated the different modes the guitarist/vocalist George Garces can dip his voice in and out of. He leaps from mono-rhythmic MC to high pitched soul crooner in lesser steps than it takes to make any aforementioned leaps. He’s got that truly versatile voice that “is so” because it is perfectly imperfect. Its got rough edges… it’s not polished. It’s got grit, however. The grittiness is essentially Garces biting the grooves with his teeth and stretching it as it bounces onward. At least that’s how I’d describe it.
And grittiness is a big part of what makes Kinion’s sound unique. Once you get past these opening two tracks the album really switches gears into a much more adrift, somewhat “reggaeton”, complacency. This style of music is usually marked for blending reverb and staccato pulse. However, Kinion owns it with their urban style that embraces the imbalance of a live performance that is tweaked into nuance by the credibility that comes with great craftsmanship and exercise. When you listen to the album you can really imagine the street corners these guys were loitering at; banging on trash cans and strumming on street lights (yeah, I lifted that last fragment from Doug). It’s a really fun-as-hell trip well worth taking. This album belongs in the car, in the club, in your head." - music-reviewer.com
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