Walla

Indie pop band WALLA came together from all different places, both metaphorically and physically.

The quintet — frontman Jonathan Hoonch Kim, keyboardist Gabriel Nava Rodrigues, guitarist Ian Charlie, bassist Mauricio "Moebeats" Carcamo and drummer Alessio Balsemin — hail from Mexico, El Salvador, Italy, Indonesia, Brazil and South Korea. They fused their musical influences, which include pop, funk, samba, rock, metal, folk, disco and psychedelia, to create their unique approach to the overcrowded indie pop genre. Their EP, Nature, is out now.

"Listeners have described us as a indie pop, synth-based, retro-influenced, indie rock, or something along those lines," the band says on their website. "But we welcome you to call us whatever you feel, because there are no lines to a feeling, it just has to be genuinely felt." - USA Today

There’s nothing quite like a success story to add more intrigue to a band. Some bands just fall into working together out of conveniencce, and some really spawn out of some hard times. Los Angeles based WALLA is definitely the latter. This five piece formed out of different times, places, and hardships. By some divine chance, they ended up finding eachother out of love for inventing new wavelengths.

Today we find ourselves talking about the Pistols and Pints remix of WALLA’s tune “Nature.” While WALLA has little information out there about them, P&P have even less. This LA based duo (we’re assuming) have crafted one blast of a indie dance tune, infusing uplifting synths and a four to the floor beat. The end result is an energetic house tune that will surely carry your party into the wee hours of the morning. - The Music Ninja

Reblogged from Backseat Mafia:

So I'm accident prone, what of it? The whole reason I started this....whatever its grown into, is (and you'll know this story backwards by now if you read Backseat Mafia at all regularly) I fell over, and broke a whole range of things in my left hand. Several months, and several loads of inserted metal into my wrist later, I went back to work but carried on writing about things that I liked. - Miami Swamp

So I’m accident prone, what of it? The whole reason I started this….whatever its grown into, is (and you’ll know this story backwards by now if you read Backseat Mafia at all regularly) I fell over, and broke a whole range of things in my left hand. Several months, and several loads of inserted metal into my wrist later, I went back to work but carried on writing about things that I liked. That wasn’t the first time though. I broke toes, fingers ruptured knees, ripped tendons off my ankle, fractured my skull.

The new video from Walla, Nature see’s a poor human/robot – I know, an increasingly common sight on our streets these days, suffer similar accidents/misadventures along the way, being dunked, chased and the like through the course of the (very enjoyable) video. More than that though, it’s a fantastically catchy, summery and memorable record. It’s from the bands recent Nature EP

The band themselves hail from the four corners of the world. They firstly ran into each other through the worldwide web and formed friendships, before it developed into (eventually) a musical partnership based on a myriad of influences, but broadly synth-based indie-pop.

Sounds like something I can’t quite comprehend. A happy accident.

http://www.thewallaband.com - BACKSEAT MAFIA

Traffic. A time for self reflection, road rage, steering wheel drumming, all kinds of “other” things you think no one can see you doing…when really we can. We have all found ourselves in the frustrating gridlock at one time or another which is reason #4,507 to have a plethora of free playlists right at your fingertips. For the most part, we all have a smartphone that allows us to stream, cloud, etc. etc..but if you run with the old school crowd..burn that shit on a compact disk. Whatever media you choose, you’ll be thanking us for dissipating the anger that comes with every brake light later… - The Music Ninja

LA based rockers, WALLA, released their first official video last week for ‘Nature’, the lead single off the Nature EP. The video is really creative and a great start for the bands first visual presentation.

If you want a free download, head over to the band’s Facebook page and follow the instructions. - Site of Sound

'Nature Ep' From Walla Out Now!
WALLA's Nature EP is out now! Billboard interviewed the band this week, writing that the EP is "an upbeat blend of synth-pop and spiky guitar work, in the vein of groups such as Passion Pit or Vampire Weekend."
MTV Buzzworthy loved the recent "Crazy World" single, writing "don't think that WALLA's musical prowess is limited to a smattering of indie-pop comparisons (Passion Pit, Johnny Stimson) -- somehow the international five-piece has managed to channel Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start The Fire" with similar rhythmic chants..."
The "Nature" single went to #1 on the Hype Machine and has over 125,000 plays. Consequence of Sound wrote, "If the effort's title track is any indication, these gents have some staying power."
HillyDilly said, "'Nature' is just too good to leave any lingering questions whether this band is going to stick around or not."
Indie Shuffle loved "No Time" and wrote "the setup is ripe, and execution thus far thoroughly infectious..." All Things Go described, "The production and arrangement perfectionism of these pop fusionists shines through..."
WALLA formed out of different times, places, and hardships. By random chance, we found each other through digital means and a common love for inventing new wavelengths. After forming a strong friendship and working tirelessly on different prototypes of songs, we finally decided to begin the project, now officially called, WALLA. The name is a reference to the sound and murmur resulting from a large crowd of people. The sound also reflected our confusion and hopelessness during a time of tough life decisions and rough financial circumstances. But through sheer perseverance and the culmination of different influences (everything from pop, funk, samba, rock, metal, folk, disco, and psychedelia) we were able to fuse them all together to create a NEW promising sound... and so it began... We quickly made an indestructible pact to always maintain strong melodies and lyrics, putting above and beyond care and effort into each decibel of sound we produce (almost to the point of neuroticism), and allowing each song to breathe its own life and soul. We loved the idea of not knowing what type of song we would come up with next...
Listen to 'Nature' EP here: - Contact Music

Morning, folks! OK, so after long and exhausting trip it is time to catch up on some of the hyped music from last week. One of the most catchy and definitely worth noting songs is WALLA's "Nature". Bits of indie rock, pop, synths and a touch of retro - the track is a big bowl of well-produced delicious sounds.

The LA-based band has quite an interesting background as well. All the members are from a different places - Mexico/El Salvador, Italy, Indonesia, Brazil, Korea. Now that's what I call a giant melting pot! However, the VISA restrictions and distance haven't stopped the quartet and their forthcoming EP Nature will be officially released on 4th of June! - Stereofox.com

WALLA is an infectious synth –pop band whose Nature EP, created a phenomenal indie rock EP perfect for the summertime. With their first EP, Animals of Love already under their belt WALLA has secured their footing and their sound into a polished synthy electro pop which will undoubtedly get you moving. The five members of this eclectic indie band morph together the influences of their mother countries (Brazil, Mexico/El Salvador, Italy, Indonesia, Korea) to create music under the time crunch before the time on their student visas run out. But, this race against time has definitely been won with Nature EP.


1) Crazy World

2) Nature

3) No Time

4) Neon Love

The peppy opening track “Crazy World” is an upbeat declaration love that completely hooked me in. Spiraling synth reverb floats underneath the melodic electro pulses that find their way flowing between the tracks on the entire EP. The vocals, in a high falsetto for the chorus, have a rhythmic feel throughout the verses. It leads to the perfect feel good summer moment, but it’s really the title track “Nature” that pushes the momentum of Nature EP into high gear and is a must listen off of this EP. The energy is electric and shines a spotlight on the passion that drives Nature EP. Hopping guitar riffs, perky synth and excited vocals have had me dancing around my bed room for a good portion of the morning – and I’m not even embarrassed to say so. “Nature” is the cure for any morning blues with its strong dose of peppy electro indie rock.

Just one calming step away from rave music is “No Time”. When the first chorus breaks through all the instrumentation drops down like mist as they sing “There’s no time for anger/no time love” leading to the question what is their time for? A short mid-section breakdown that utterly grooves near the end of the “No Time” has ‘baby making music’ written all over it until it picks speed back into dance music. “Neon Love” wraps up the four song EP which was released earlier this summer and showcases a chill enthusiasm. The lead guitarist of this five piece band, who is hilariously only referred to as “Charlie” on the band’s web page, sets the calmer tone with a delicate lullaby guitar intro before the drums and synth crash through. Lead singer Jonathan Hoonch Kim’s subdued vocals almost whisper with the emotion behind this song of losing love.

Although there are many comparisons to Passion Pit’s Gossamer – it is definitely of the same breed – WALLA’s self-released Nature EP reminds me of one of my favourite bands, Stepdad. Sugary, energetic mixture of synth and pop melodies combine in the Los Angeles based band, WALLA, to create something that leaves me expectantly waiting for what next they will put out. Folks: With rumors of attending SXSW and Coachella this year, WALLA is a band to keep your eyes and ears on. (9.2/10)

By: Sarah Thompson - Bland Cinema

WALLA released their Nature EP earlier this month, and from said release is a track of the same name. “Nature” is a joyful and infectious cut, and the band recently released the video for the track. Complete with absurd dress-up facial hair and a partying grandma, the video shows that even if you have a cathode ray tube television as a head, you’re not guaranteed any friends. Quite the opposite it would seem in the case of the protagonist here. Watch it below, and head over to the band’s Facebook page where you can download the song for free for a limited time. - Beats Per Minute

80s inspired Electronica synth is making a come back in the form of WALLA’s newest single, ‘Crazy World’ off their NATURE EP. WALLA was formed and is based in Los Angeles but their members range from Mexico to Indonesia!

Danger World’s heady mix of synth and pop melodies is an irresistible combination that throws you straight into their music. Their newest single is nothing but a perfect example of it, lobbing you straight into the track with their catchy, feel-good beats. Then toss in the silkily smooth vocals; creating a beautiful melody that will have you wanting more even after only hearing it once.

So if you enjoyed their track, show them your support, hopefully they will still be around because as they are from around the world, their visas for America will soon expire! Best of luck to WALLA I say.

By Liam Apter - adam not eve

Take a look at WALLA’s Soundcloud page and you’ll notice quite a significant difference between the play counts of the songs from their recently released Nature EP and their Animal of Love EP that preceded it. While one could say that this simply down to some effective publicity management, it seems more accurate to put this down to the fact that WALLA’s latest output is noticeably better. While the songs from Animal of Love were promising upon their initial release, it was the sound of a band finding its footing. With five different members from impressively widespread locations (Mexico/El Salvador, Italy, Indonesia, Brazil, Korea), there was a lot of influence to feed off from. They managed to put out songs with hooks and likeability, but that fusing of minds was yet to come.
Second time round, WALLA hit the nail on the head. The production of Josh Monroy undoubtedly has a significant role here, putting the four tracks here through the channels of a shiny studio, acting almost as the band’s sixth member here. As a consequence, the brightest moments of Nature shine like blinding strobe lights at a party. EP highlight “Crazy World” and it’s falsetto-led chorus sounds like the most refreshing summer moment to come this year while also being a track it’s impossible to not move to. Comparisons to Passion Pit’s Michael Angelakos are inevitable, and if you’re looking for something to wean you off of Gossamer, or just the next best thing to move onto, then you’d be hard pressed to say “Crazy World” isn’t just that.
It is that sheen that makes it though; the sound that is cast over these four songs is the kind that does sound like it has come from a mixing board with thousands of dials. But before that, it sounds like music that has come from the heart. When “Nature” jumps into the final lap full of energetic hiccupping guitars, noodling synths and up-an-octave chorus lines, it’s the sound of real momentum created by a band that has a driving and focused impetus. The other two tracks here don’t quite equal the vitality of “Nature” and “Crazy World,” but they help frame these two tracks, if not showing that that the five-piece can slide easily between more guitar-driven moments (the Phoenix-like chug on “Neon Love”) and rave-ready synth riffs (opening track “No Time,” before it serves up a quietly ambitious, if not almost anthemic chorus).
As sugary as this stuff is (and it can feel very syrupy when you’re dancing about in your living room to “Crazy World,” which may or may have not been me these past few weeks gone by after first hearing the track), there is substance here too. “Nature” has lead singer Jonathan Hoonch Kim singing with about finding out if “nature really make[s] us that way?” before climaxing with a delivery that has him sounding like he’s somewhere between precipitousness, revelation, and sheer joy, asking, “Does nature really care tonight?” It’s a sentiment that can wiggle its way into the philosophical side of things while also acting as a line that partying-until-dawn people can sing along to while trashing up some place of natural beauty. I’m not implying the band condone the destruction of forests, or anything like that, but merely that the joy of life (or music) can coexist, no matter what our intended purposes might be on this earth. Even the EP cover depicts a sort of nativity-like Eden where tapes, records, and CDs are part of the grassy land.
Also up on the band’s Soundcloud is a pair of pleasant and somewhat informative interviews which reveal the band to be a down to earth, but intent in their purpose to follow the path made by the joy of creating music. Nature, as a whole, is a sort of mission statement that shows what happens when you bring together minds from all over, and how they can come together to seep in their influences, but also keep things (for a band on their second minor release, that is) extraordinary tight. Whether or not nature cares is a question beyond my reach, but as those play counts increase, it’s hard to deny that people out there definitely care – and definitely want to listen to the music of WALLA. - Beats Per Minute

Take a look at WALLA’s Soundcloud page and you’ll notice quite a significant difference between the play counts of the songs from their recently released Nature EP and their Animal of Love EP that preceded it. While one could say that this simply down to some effective publicity management, it seems more accurate to put this down to the fact that WALLA’s latest output is noticeably better. While the songs from Animal of Love were promising upon their initial release, it was the sound of a band finding its footing. With five different members from impressively widespread locations (Mexico/El Salvador, Italy, Indonesia, Brazil, Korea), there was a lot of influence to feed off from. They managed to put out songs with hooks and likeability, but that fusing of minds was yet to come.
Second time round, WALLA hit the nail on the head. The production of Josh Monroy undoubtedly has a significant role here, putting the four tracks here through the channels of a shiny studio, acting almost as the band’s sixth member here. As a consequence, the brightest moments of Nature shine like blinding strobe lights at a party. EP highlight “Crazy World” and it’s falsetto-led chorus sounds like the most refreshing summer moment to come this year while also being a track it’s impossible to not move to. Comparisons to Passion Pit’s Michael Angelakos are inevitable, and if you’re looking for something to wean you off of Gossamer, or just the next best thing to move onto, then you’d be hard pressed to say “Crazy World” isn’t just that.
It is that sheen that makes it though; the sound that is cast over these four songs is the kind that does sound like it has come from a mixing board with thousands of dials. But before that, it sounds like music that has come from the heart. When “Nature” jumps into the final lap full of energetic hiccupping guitars, noodling synths and up-an-octave chorus lines, it’s the sound of real momentum created by a band that has a driving and focused impetus. The other two tracks here don’t quite equal the vitality of “Nature” and “Crazy World,” but they help frame these two tracks, if not showing that that the five-piece can slide easily between more guitar-driven moments (the Phoenix-like chug on “Neon Love”) and rave-ready synth riffs (opening track “No Time,” before it serves up a quietly ambitious, if not almost anthemic chorus).
As sugary as this stuff is (and it can feel very syrupy when you’re dancing about in your living room to “Crazy World,” which may or may have not been me these past few weeks gone by after first hearing the track), there is substance here too. “Nature” has lead singer Jonathan Hoonch Kim singing with about finding out if “nature really make[s] us that way?” before climaxing with a delivery that has him sounding like he’s somewhere between precipitousness, revelation, and sheer joy, asking, “Does nature really care tonight?” It’s a sentiment that can wiggle its way into the philosophical side of things while also acting as a line that partying-until-dawn people can sing along to while trashing up some place of natural beauty. I’m not implying the band condone the destruction of forests, or anything like that, but merely that the joy of life (or music) can coexist, no matter what our intended purposes might be on this earth. Even the EP cover depicts a sort of nativity-like Eden where tapes, records, and CDs are part of the grassy land.
Also up on the band’s Soundcloud is a pair of pleasant and somewhat informative interviews which reveal the band to be a down to earth, but intent in their purpose to follow the path made by the joy of creating music. Nature, as a whole, is a sort of mission statement that shows what happens when you bring together minds from all over, and how they can come together to seep in their influences, but also keep things (for a band on their second minor release, that is) extraordinary tight. Whether or not nature cares is a question beyond my reach, but as those play counts increase, it’s hard to deny that people out there definitely care – and definitely want to listen to the music of WALLA. - Beats Per Minute

The members of Walla - Ian Charlie, Alessio Balsemin, Mauricio Carcamo, Jonathan Hoonch Kim and Gabriel Nava Rodrigues - found each other through digital means and a common love for inventing new wavelengths. By fusing pop, funk, samba, rock, metal, folk, disco and psychedelia, they were able to create a new and exciting sound which defies description. Listeners have described us as indie pop, synth-based, retro-influenced, indie rock or something along those lines," they've said. "But we welcome you to call us whatever you feel, because there are no lines to a feeling, it just has to be genuinely felt." The Los Angeles-based band's sound continues to resonate with listeners, as evidenced by the success of their new EP, Nature, which Billboard recently premiered and described as "an upbeat blend of synth-pop and spiky guitar work, in the vein of groups such as Passion Pit or Vampire Weekend." - BMI

Free Download Limited Time - MILP

This video sees the protagonist as a computer head traversing the trials of modern life while emoticoning his feelings on the screen.

The band is giving away a free download of the song through their Facebook page

WALLA formed out of different times, places, and hardships. By random chance, we found each other through digital means and a common love for inventing new wavelengths. After forming a strong friendship and working tirelessly on different prototypes of songs, we finally decided to begin the project, now officially called, WALLA. The name is a reference to the sound and murmur resulting from a large crowd of people. The sound also reflected our confusion and hopelessness during a time of tough life decisions and rough financial circumstances. But through sheer perseverance and the culmination of different influences (everything from pop, funk, samba, rock, metal, folk, disco, and psychedelia) we were able to fuse them all together to create a NEW promising sound… and so it began… We quickly made an indestructible pact to always maintain strong melodies and lyrics, putting above and beyond care and effort into each decibel of sound we produce (almost to the point of neuroticism), and allowing each song to breathe its own life and soul. We loved the idea of not knowing what type of song we would come up with next… - Hellhound Music

WALLA released their Nature EP earlier this month, and from said release is a track of the same name. “Nature” is a joyful and infectious cut, and the band recently released the video for the track. Complete with absurd dress-up facial hair and a partying grandma, the video shows that even if you have a cathode ray tube television as a head, you’re not guaranteed any friends. Quite the opposite it would seem in the case of the protagonist here. Watch it below, and head over to the band’s Facebook page where you can download the song for free for a limited time.

- Beats Per Minute

Los Angeles’s WALLA just dropped the Nature EP but have been mixing up sweet jams for a while now (See the year old “Rising Tide” above”). Some seriously smooth and catchy indie rock that forgoes gimmicks in favor of tight production, big hooks, and the occasional guitar solo. Get into it now and then come out to LA for their set at Blind Date #10 with TBE faves Donora! - The Burning Ear

WALLA is one of those special bands to me. Every song they release is full of life and completely original. Their EP “Nature” has received recognition from MTV & Billboard and the lead single is climbing the charts. This interview was a lot of fun and the guys were very interesting. I see a bright future for this witty group! Check out the interview below and make sure to connect with them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

WALLA!! Tell us a little bit about your origin. Where are the FIVE of you from?

Originally we are from 5 different parts of the world.. Brazil, Korea, Italy, Indonesia, Mexico/El Salvador. Somehow after walking very different paths in life we all managed to meet each other in a “small” little town called Los Angeles, it was very serendipitous.

Did any awkwardness arise from all of you first meeting on the Internet? Was there a moment where you all finally “clicked” and realized you had formed something special?

Yeah, you know that feeling when you go on a blind date and its extremely awkward in the beginning, you don’t know what to say next, you don’t know if the other person likes you. That’s the best way to describe how we all first met. The moment where everything first clicked is when we all went to ‘Happy Endings’ (its a bar name) and partook in multiple alcoholic beverages. That’s when we really started to open up, oh and you can’t forget the crap talking, we love talking crap to each other. Girls bond over shopping, guys bond over talking crap to each other.

Is there a captain of the ship or are the duties evenly distributed between all of you?

Each one of us has their own strengths (and weaknesses), thankfully there’s been a good balance so far. Which is also one of the main reasons we chose the democratic and capitalistic approach. Although there are power struggles at times, if anyone tries to become a dictator, we all try to dethrone him immediately.

What has been the most exciting part about your quick ascent in the industry?

Yeah things are moving very fast and suddenly for us. The best part of becoming more involved in the industry is that you get to see what really happens behind the scenes, some of it is pretty, some of it not. Before this all got started, we had our preconceived notions of what the industry was about, but now that we are in the middle of it, its very entertaining to see what really happens behind the scenes, there’s a whole other type of entertainment behind the entertainment, if that makes sense..

Where does your name originate? How did you all agree on it?

We got to give credit to the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens for helping us with the name, specifically ‘The Wallaby’ section. That was name we were originally gonna go with, until we democratically agreed that it was too cheesy. This lead to a typo where we temporarily referred to our project as ‘WALLA.’ Which then lead us to look up the meaning which according to ‘wikipedia’ is the sound effect imitating the murmur of a crowd in the background. The word and the meaning of it had just enough quirkiness, character, and whimsy for us to all agree upon it.

“Nature” is a fantastic EP. Where was that album recorded and what was the writing process like? When did it become apparent that “Nature” would be the hit from the project?

The album was recorded in two different studios in Burbank and Silverlake. The studio in Silverlake was nice on the inside but the surrounding area was one of those places where you might have to carry a firearm for protection. The writing process was very smooth, we had been working on those songs live for a while, so when our producer approached us, we were ready to go and cranked out and recorded all 4 songs in about under 2 weeks.

And we didn’t know people would respond so well to “Nature” actually, I don’t think most artists do know which songs are going to be hits or not, if they did everyone would be millionaires.

Purchase ‘Nature’

You’ve been featured on MTV & Billboard. Describe what its like to see major publications use such kind words when talking about your music.

Were very grateful for any kind words said about us, big or small publications. We all come from very humble beginnings so even if a random stranger says something nice about our music, we still turn red.

Can you fill us in about what will be coming next? Will we be seeing an official music video anytime soon?

We are releasing an official music video for ‘Nature’ and those who check out the video will also get a free gift from us, so make sure to watch it once its out.

Leave us with some words of wisdom.

Theres 5% of life that should be taken very seriously and the rest not so much.. - DML

I’ve decided to break Vol. III up into two parts, since it’s been about 5 months since our last one and I figured we’d might as well kill two birds with one stone and get two up right away. And I just wanna say, I hope your’re enjoying all these catch-up posts. I’m always hesitant to post them because a lot of the music is a few months old, which is a lot in blogging time and we do strive to stay relevant. A lot goes into putting these together and I do enjoy having them up on the blog so I hope you do too. I really don’t want to go into detail on every track listed but I will tell you what albums you must listen to if you haven’t already. Vampire Weekend‘s Modern Vampires of the City, which is probably my favorite album release so far this year, Crystal Fighters‘ follow-up album Cave Rave which comes in not too far behind, and Portugal. The Man‘s recent release Evil Friends which includes some really awesomely produced tracks courtesy of Danger Mouse. So, without further adieu, here is Part I of our third installment of the OHD Indie Mix. - OH HEY DOCTOR

I’ve decided to break Vol. III up into two parts, since it’s been about 5 months since our last one and I figured we’d might as well kill two birds with one stone and get two up right away. And I just wanna say, I hope your’re enjoying all these catch-up posts. I’m always hesitant to post them because a lot of the music is a few months old, which is a lot in blogging time and we do strive to stay relevant. A lot goes into putting these together and I do enjoy having them up on the blog so I hope you do too. I really don’t want to go into detail on every track listed but I will tell you what albums you must listen to if you haven’t already. Vampire Weekend‘s Modern Vampires of the City, which is probably my favorite album release so far this year, Crystal Fighters‘ follow-up album Cave Rave which comes in not too far behind, and Portugal. The Man‘s recent release Evil Friends which includes some really awesomely produced tracks courtesy of Danger Mouse. So, without further adieu, here is Part I of our third installment of the OHD Indie Mix. - OH HEY DOCTOR

As far as indie pop bands go, WALLA are up there with the best. Based in Los Angeles, each of the five band members originates from a different corner of the world, from Italy to Korea, making for a diverse musical palette. Though WALLA are novices in many ways, having only been together since 2012, they are kicking high-energy dance riffs into the music industry’s face.

WALLA’s latest E.P ‘Nature,’ is their second release in seven months. The E.P is the ultimate collection of summery beats and dance choruses, with indie pop at its very core. In May we explored their single ‘No Time,’ and we didn’t want to waste any more before giving them a little more attention. The single opens the E.P and remains a highly catchy and memorable track. ‘Nature’ bubbles with pop beats and snappy electro guitars that explode power and energy. The song focuses on L.A, journeys and the evolution of people. The song went to number one on web site ‘Hype Machine,’ earning over 100,000 plays. Not surprising when you give the track a listen; it is as fun and upbeat as it is mature and eloquent. ‘Crazy World’ is a stand out track on the E.P and is a pure summer anthem. With a sing-along chorus and energy fuelled riffs, it is an instant classic. Before you know it you will be singing and dancing along, before inevitably hitting ‘repeat.’ The track echoes the brilliance of The Shins, yet has a hint more synth-pop to it, which by the way, is a very good thing.

‘Neon Love’ closes the E.P and is a wonderful song full of expressive guitars and deep dreamy vocals. When the track first begins there is a soft subtly beneath the main drumbeat. There is definitely a gentler side to this track, but it is still full of the same life as the others. With sounds of Theme Park, the E.P definitely ends on a high with ‘Neon Love.’

Here at Right Chord Music we know a good thing when we see it. Bands like WALLA don’t come around very often, with well-written and tirelessly crafted music that each member put his hearts and souls into. Strong melodies and contagious lyrics, with a highly addictive quality, ‘Nature’ will have you hooked for weeks.

Jen Grimble - Right Chord Music

Another synth pop jam worth your time. - AZLTRON

It’s Friday. It’s Mixtape time; with not even a sniff of Kanye. HURRAH!

Kick start your weekend with more summery goodness; from Gypsy and the Cat to Two Door Cinema Club and even an old favourite from Klankarussell.

Enjoy the weekend. - repeat button

Walla is a Los-Angeles-based indie-rock/synth-pop outfit that unites five young men from different countries all over the world: Alessio Balsemin from Italy [drums], Ian Charlie from Indonesia, Gabriel Nava Rodrigues from Brazil, Jonathan Hoonch Kim from Korea and Mauricio Carcamo from Mexico/El Salvador. And to make things even more complicated, three are currently in the US on student visas that will be running out shortly, and Walla’s future is not secured. But for now the guys have self-released their second EP in seven months. It’s entitled ‘Nature’ and dropped via the band’s Soundcloud on July 09, 2013. It contains four uplifting, summery songs perfectly suited to get you hooked. The guys are supported by music promotion agency Danger Village, and the EP is streaming entirely below (via its Soundcloud). You can buy the EP worldwide on iTunes. The wonderful anthem-like Crazy World is taken off the short release as official single. Hope you enjoy the songs as much as I do! - MUSIC PICKINGS

Hear the Los Angeles band's buzzy new release.

Los Angeles indie rock band WALLA's rise has come naturally.

The group, which formed after singer/guitarist Jonathan Hoonch Kim put out a call online, self-released its "Animal of Love" EP in 2012. The set drew the attention of Josh "Igloo" Monroy (Ludacris, David Archuleta), who offered to produce the EP that became the band's "Nature," due on Tuesday and premiered below.

"Working with a producer from Sony, he really polished our sound, gave us great instruments to work with, a great studio to work in," Kim says, adding that the group remained independent for the moment. Monroy is signed to Sony/ATV publishing.

The resulting four songs are an upbeat blend of synth-pop and spiky guitar work, in the vein of groups such as Passion Pit or Vampire Weekend.

"I think our sound is pretty popular in Brooklyn and Canada, but not too many bands are doing it in L.A.," Kim says.

The EP's just debuted on the CMJ charts, with the title track having reached No. 6 on FMQB's Alternative Specialty Charts (as well as No. 1 online on blog aggregator the Hype Machine). WALLA plans to keep the momentum going with its debut album and planned appearances at CMJ, SXSW and perhaps Coachella in the coming year.

"I have tons of ideas for songs so it's just a matter of choosing the songs and cranking them out," Kim says.

Hear the band's "Nature" EP below:
https://soundcloud.com/thewallaband/sets/nature-ep - Billboard

WALLA nace en Los Angeles fruto del azar. Jonathan, su vocalista, recuerda en alguna entrevista cómo pasó tres años encerrado en su casa escribiendo y componiendo temas hasta que un día se puso en contacto con un tío llamado Mo. Ambos empezaron a encontrar a gente de distintas partes del mundo pero residiendo en L.A. y en busca de un mismo objetivo. ¿El resultado? Un puñado de melodías alegres y ritmos muy potentes.

Si repasamos algunos de los singles de su primer trabajo, "Animal of Love"(2012) empezamos a caer en la cuenta de que estamos ante una banda con mucho futuro. Es el caso de 2nd Chance, o el homónimo Animal of Love. Sonido indie pop muy característico de los Two Door, The Vaccines o la frescura de Foster the People.

Como adelanto, acaban de publicar este buenísimo single del que será su próximo EP, "Nature", y que verá la luz muy pronto. Atención, porque esta banda promete y mucho. - Long Brit Magazine

WALLA nace en Los Angeles fruto del azar. Jonathan, su vocalista, recuerda en alguna entrevista cómo pasó tres años encerrado en su casa escribiendo y componiendo temas hasta que un día se puso en contacto con un tío llamado Mo. Ambos empezaron a encontrar a gente de distintas partes del mundo pero residiendo en L.A. y en busca de un mismo objetivo. ¿El resultado? Un puñado de melodías alegres y ritmos muy potentes.

Si repasamos algunos de los singles de su primer trabajo, "Animal of Love"(2011) empezamos a caer en la cuenta de que estamos ante una banda con mucho futuro. Es el caso de 2nd Chance, o el homónimo Animal of Love. Sonido indie pop muy característico de los Two Door, The Vaccines o la frescura de Foster the People.

Como adelanto, acaban de publicar este buenísimo single del que será su próximo EP, "Nature", y que verá la luz muy pronto. Atención, porque esta banda promete y mucho. - LONG BRIT Magazine

LA Band Walla echoes how I feel a lot of the time with their upbeat poppy tune No Time. - AZLTRON BLOG

Assim como No Time, Crazy World foi mais uma canção liberada antecipadamente pelo quinteto WALLA para audição gratuita pela Web.

O Pop chiclete dos rapazes traz um refrão marcante e ritmo dançante do começo ao fim. A tal canção preencherá espaço em seu futuro EP intitulado como Nature que sai no próximo dia 9 de julho. A obra foi compartilhada para audição no Soundcloud da Danger Village. - Monkey Buzz

O esquema é aquele que todo mundo conhece: Banda começando agora, a melhor alternativa é lançar um EP caprichado e, com o tempo, colocar aquelas músicas dentro de um registro completo, com mais várias faixas novas, às vezes bem esquecíveis, para acompanhar as já conhecidas. Ao ouvir Nature EP, da banda californiana WALLA, temo que isso possa acontecer e resultar em um primeiro álbum fraquinho cheio das faixas irrelevantes. Por que? Pelo simples motivo de que estas quatro aqui são ótimas demais.

Entenda que não é falta de confiança na banda, mas coisa de quem vê muita gente comentendo esse erro, o de “ter que lançar um álbum” pra cumprir tabela e se esquecer da qualidade que algumas das suas composições possuem - e são elas que acabam sendo prejudicadas por essa ambição. Enfim, a questão é: WALLA vai ter que caprichar demais para criar músicas ao nível destas.

Não é exagero. São quatro pérolas muito bem feitinhas dentro daquela pegada festeira e livre que ronda os termos Indie, Indie Rock e Indie Pop. Formada por pessoas de diversas nacionalidades, inclusive um músico brasileiro, a banda sabe misturar guitarras e sintetizadores para criar ambientações bacanas, contemporâneas e convidativas para as pistas.

Crazy World faz as honras da abertura mostrando de cara essas qualidades. No Time, na sequência, parece baixar o ritmo da festa, mas logo mostra a que veio com riffs muito divertidos e um apelo Pop bem gostoso - mesma vibe da música seguinte, aquela que batiza o disco. Ensolarada e mais rápidinha que as outras, é a que dá mais destaque para as guitarras. Bela escolha.

Para encerrar, Neon Love vem com mais emoção que as anteriores, com o vocal mais sussurrado e o refrão que arrasta as vogais, deixando impossível você acompanhar a melodia depois de ouvir a música mesmo só uma vez. Com menos de 15 minutos de duração, é claro que você vai dar o replay e sorrir tudo de novo.

E o “problema” é justamente o quanto essas faixas sabem agradar. Fica a sensação que elas foram escolhidas muito a dedo dentre outras menos boas, justamente pra evitar o problema com o álbum fraco com muitas músicas. Mas o que vai acontecer, só o futuro pode dizer. Enquanto isso, a gente aproveita sem compromisso essas pequenas delícias da estética musical Indie. - Monkey Buzz

O esquema é aquele que todo mundo conhece: Banda começando agora, a melhor alternativa é lançar um EP caprichado e, com o tempo, colocar aquelas músicas dentro de um registro completo, com mais várias faixas novas, às vezes bem esquecíveis, para acompanhar as já conhecidas. Ao ouvir Nature EP, da banda californiana WALLA, temo que isso possa acontecer e resultar em um primeiro álbum fraquinho cheio das faixas irrelevantes. Por que? Pelo simples motivo de que estas quatro aqui são ótimas demais.

Entenda que não é falta de confiança na banda, mas coisa de quem vê muita gente comentendo esse erro, o de “ter que lançar um álbum” pra cumprir tabela e se esquecer da qualidade que algumas das suas composições possuem - e são elas que acabam sendo prejudicadas por essa ambição. Enfim, a questão é: WALLA vai ter que caprichar demais para criar músicas ao nível destas.

Não é exagero. São quatro pérolas muito bem feitinhas dentro daquela pegada festeira e livre que ronda os termos Indie, Indie Rock e Indie Pop. Formada por pessoas de diversas nacionalidades, inclusive um músico brasileiro, a banda sabe misturar guitarras e sintetizadores para criar ambientações bacanas, contemporâneas e convidativas para as pistas.

Crazy World faz as honras da abertura mostrando de cara essas qualidades. No Time, na sequência, parece baixar o ritmo da festa, mas logo mostra a que veio com riffs muito divertidos e um apelo Pop bem gostoso - mesma vibe da música seguinte, aquela que batiza o disco. Ensolarada e mais rápidinha que as outras, é a que dá mais destaque para as guitarras. Bela escolha.

Para encerrar, Neon Love vem com mais emoção que as anteriores, com o vocal mais sussurrado e o refrão que arrasta as vogais, deixando impossível você acompanhar a melodia depois de ouvir a música mesmo só uma vez. Com menos de 15 minutos de duração, é claro que você vai dar o replay e sorrir tudo de novo.

E o “problema” é justamente o quanto essas faixas sabem agradar. Fica a sensação que elas foram escolhidas muito a dedo dentre outras menos boas, justamente pra evitar o problema com o álbum fraco com muitas músicas. Mas o que vai acontecer, só o futuro pode dizer. Enquanto isso, a gente aproveita sem compromisso essas pequenas delícias da estética musical Indie. - Monkey Buzz

WALLA - Crazy World [AUDIO] - Music I like Peanuts

Check out WALLA’s new EP “Nature” featuring these two songs! - The Urbanized Forest

These guys from LA, bring an exciting, ‘Passion Pit-like’ sound that makes you feel like it’s summer, and you’re 22 years old..... ESPECIALLY Rising Tide, which you can listen to for FREE right here. “Rising tide, with no eyes, and everybody’s lovin’ so get in line.”


They describe themselves as: “From the four corners of the world, 5 individuals come together to bring you the sounds of the Universe reading you a legendary bed time tale.”

The three songs that are posted feature some tight harmonies, spacey sounds, great BGVs, extraordinary musicianship, and lyrical beauty. The tracks are mixed with professionalism (they are currently teamed up with Grammy Award winning producer, Andrew Weiss).

Before summer is over, check these guys out, they’ll have you bouncing your head as soon as the music starts, and don’t be surprised when you see them hit the big time. - faded jorts

It’s Friday. If you’ve been working all week, then you can be forgiven for needing a little pick me up and we all have our musical go-tos in these instances. But should you find yourself at a loss, then I highly recommend “Crazy World” from L.A. five-piece WALLA. Marrying Justin Vernon-like falsetto vocals to big blaring synths and an essentail drumbeat, you might well find yourself unexpectedly reinvigorated come the chorus. It’s big and syrupy, but like all sugar rushes, it’s irresistible once you’ve had a taste. Needless to say, the band’s forthcoming Nature EP (to be self-released on July 9th) is most probably going to be big. Listen below. - beats per minute

It’s Friday. If you’ve been working all week, then you can be forgiven for needing a little pick me up and we all have our musical go-tos in these instances. But should you find yourself at a loss, then I highly recommend “Crazy World” from L.A. five-piece WALLA. Marrying Justin Vernon-like falsetto vocals to big blaring synths and an essentail drumbeat, you might well find yourself unexpectedly reinvigorated come the chorus. It’s big and syrupy, but like all sugar rushes, it’s irresistible once you’ve had a taste. Needless to say, the band’s forthcoming Nature EP (to be self-released on July 9th) is most probably going to be big. Listen below. - beats per minute

Hear the Los Angeles band's buzzy new release.

Los Angeles indie rock band WALLA's rise has come naturally.

The group, which formed after singer/guitarist Jonathan Hoonch Kim put out a call online, self-released its "Animal of Love" EP in 2012. The set drew the attention of Josh "Igloo" Monroy (Ludacris, David Archuleta), who offered to produce the EP that became the band's "Nature," due on Tuesday and premiered below.

"Working with a producer from Sony, he really polished our sound, gave us great instruments to work with, a great studio to work in," Kim says, adding that the group remained independent for the moment. Monroy is signed to Sony/ATV publishing.

The resulting four songs are an upbeat blend of synth-pop and spiky guitar work, in the vein of groups such as Passion Pit or Vampire Weekend.

"I think our sound is pretty popular in Brooklyn and Canada, but not too many bands are doing it in L.A.," Kim says.

The EP's just debuted on the CMJ charts, with the title track having reached No. 6 on FMQB's Alternative Specialty Charts (as well as No. 1 online on blog aggregator the Hype Machine). WALLA plans to keep the momentum going with its debut album and planned appearances at CMJ, SXSW and perhaps Coachella in the coming year.

"I have tons of ideas for songs so it's just a matter of choosing the songs and cranking them out," Kim says.

Hear the band's "Nature" EP below:
https://soundcloud.com/thewallaband/sets/nature-ep - Billboard

Say hello to WALLA, the new Los Angeles based electronic rock band that is starting to get noticed.
Today WALLA introduced Nature, the group’s second EP after their debut album Animal of Love in 2012. Animal of Love got WALLA noticed by producer Josh ‘Igloo’ Monroy, who has previously worked with artists like Ludacris and David Archuleta, and Monroy offered to produce an album for them, according to Billboard.com. That album became Nature.
The result of the collaboration between WALLA and Monroy is music that is upbeat, synth-poppy and pretty good. So good that Nature has just debuted on the CMJ charts.
Working with Monroy, who is signed with SONY/ATV opened up some opportunities for WALLA. Singer/guitarist Jonothan Hoonch Kim said in an interview with Billboard, “Working with a producer from Sony, he really polished our sound, gave us great instruments to work with, a great studio to work in.”
WALLA is remaining independent for now, but they’re just getting started. “Nature,” the EP’s title track, has already reached number six on FMQB’s Alternative Specialty Charts and made it to number one on Hype Machine.
The group has plans to play at CMJ and SXSW to keep up their momentum and, who knows, we may even see them on the Coachella roster come Spring.
The band has a lot of ideas they hope to explore in their music as they move forward. According to Kim, “I have tons of ideas for songs so it’s just a matter of choosing the songs and cranking them out.”
According to their website, WALLA’s influences include pop, funk, samba, rock, metal, folk, disco, and psychedelia. Their music is meant to be a fusion of all of these influences into something new and promising. Listen above and tell us what you think. - ZUMIC

Los Angeles synth-pop outfit WALLA have only a short time left together. No, we're not being dramatic: Each member is actually from a different part of the world -- Italy, Indonesia, Brazil, Korea, and Mexico/El Salvador. And to make things even trickier, three WALLA members are in the U.S. on student visas, which as you know, tend to run out. (Just watch the ill-fated transcontinental love movie "Like Crazy." Or, on second thought, don't watch it. Not if you want to drown in used tissues.)

But don't cry for them, Argentina -- student visas won't stop WALLA from prepping their second EP in seven months, Nature, or from releasing a brand-new single: "Crazy World."

Listen to WALLA's "Crazy World" after the jump.


Set to an uptempo, synthy beat, "Crazy World" is a powerful declaration of love -- no matter what. Singing in high-pitched falsetto, the guys proclaim, "Every little thing that you wanted babe/ And every little thing that you wanted girl/ I can do it for you, in this crazy world."

And don't think that WALLA's musical prowess is limited to a smattering of indie-pop comparisons (Passion Pit, Johnny Stimson) -- somehow the international five-piece has managed to channel Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start The Fire" with similar rhythmic chants: "Social status, apparatus, paradox, and Veritas." Kinda sounds like "Joseph Stalin, Malenkov, Nasser, and Prokofiev," amiright? Well, minus the political name-drops. Other than that, we are ON TO YOUR BILLY JOEL SHOUT-OUT, WALLA!

Look out for WALLA's Nature EP, out July 9.

+ Listen to WALLA's "Crazy World."

Photo credit: Rajat Ghosh - MTV Buzzworthy Blog

Love it! - currently listening to

Hopefully great bands stick in your memory because I have shared these guys about 3 weeks ago with their single, "No Time" which somehow never left my thoughts. It has been a daily fix to my ears which brings me to their newest single, "Nature" released a little over a week ago and it will not disappoint. Happy to hear artists like these, still trying to get their name out but they have an amazing talent for music that will set them in the right path to a great music career, so all you have to do now is press play!

"so hard of letting go
i'm tired of wasting my mind" - Up All Night

I have a very specific type of woman. Ideally she's 5'3", Long brown hair, slender face, and weighs about 97-102 lbs. If a girl fits into this category, there's almost no shot of me not being attracted to her. This is musical equivalent to my type of woman. There was no way I was going to hear this and not like it. This was suppose to be the title track of their latest EP and it was suppose to be released June 4, 2013 however, it was delayed. Until then, enjoy this awesome track. - top of the roof

Hey Surf-heads, add this beat to your surfing playlist! Los Angeles-based band WALLA is releasing their new EP ‘Nature’ on June 4 this year. This song works wonders at the beach. If not the beach then enjoy it on the car ride home or on a plane! Okay, basically anywhere where you want your spirits lifted

For more info and music from WALLA check out their website, like them on Facebook, follow them…whatever floats your boat. - invisibeats

Remember when you listened to something new for the first time and it sounded so amazing that it nearly blew your mind?

This is the place where those first times are born.

The best of new music from Scandinavia and the rest of the world. - ALFITUDE

While you might not recognize the name just yet, chances are you’ll probably hear of WALLA soon if their new single “Nature” is any sign of the group’s staying power (it spent a couple days atop the Hypem charts recently). Pure indie-pop bliss abounds in the upbeat, sunny beats cooking within the single. With a sound that is reminiscent of popular acts such as Two Door Cinema Club or Phoenix, “Nature” is ripe for your summer playlist. Watch for more from the group as their debut EP, Nature, is due out in early June. Check out the jam and let us know what you think in the comments section below! - The Sights and Sounds

APES – HELLUVA TIME



YALE – NO ONE ELSE KNOWS



GOOD MURROWS – WATCH ME GO



EVAN AND THE BRAVE – STAY THIS WAY



WALLA – NATURE



BASS DRUM OF DEATH – CRAWLING AFTER YOU



TIJUANA PANTHERS – BOARDWALK (DELTA SPIRIT REMIX)



LIME CORDIALE – BULLSHIT ASIDE



COASTS – YOUR SOUL



WORLDS END PRESS – TO SEND OUR LOVE



DISCLOSURE – F FOR YOU



OLOFF – STOP



LEE’MON – ALBERT, ADAM & EVE



THE TOWNHOUSES – DIASPORA (JAPANESSE WALLPAPER REMIX)



WILLOW BEATS – BLUE



HEARTS – ALL THE DAYS

https://soundcloud.com/haertsmusic/all-the-days-haerts

REAL- SUPER MAGIC HATS REMIX



DANCING HEALS – SOMETHING



SAXON – BURN



WHAT SO NOT – THE QUACK



L D R U – THE TROPICS



NOBLESE OBLIGE – RUNAWAY (MUSEUM REMIX)



GO VIOLETS – JOSIE



MIDNIGHT JUGGERNAUGHTS – MEMORIUM (TURKISH PRISON REMIX)



RAFFERTIE – BUILD ME UP



GINUWINE – PONY (VICEROY REMIX)



DISCLOSURE – YOU AND ME (TORO Y MOI REMIX)



DANCING HEALS



REDSPENCER – NIGHT DRIVE



THE ORWELLS – HEAD



RYAN LEWIS AND MACKLEMORE – CANT HOLD US (MAJOR LAZER REMIX)



AALIYAH – 4 PAGE LETTER

—–

YOUTUBE LINKS

KIRIN J CALLING – LOVE DELAY - adam not eve

I just came across the Los Angeles based indie-rock band Walla and I am instantly hooked. With catchy melodies and hooks, they’ve come up with an incredibly fun summer song in “Nature”. While still unsigned, they’re quickly creeping up on the music industry and won’t go unnoticed for long. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for this band and keep a look out for their June 4 Nature EP !
- KOLLECTION

Hopefully great bands stick in your memory because I have shared these guys about 3 weeks ago with their single, "No Time" which somehow never left my thoughts. It has been a daily fix to my ears which brings me to their newest single, "Nature" released a little over a week ago and it will not disappoint. Happy to hear artists like these, still trying to get their name out but they have an amazing talent for music that will set them in the right path to a great music career, so all you have to do now is press play!

"so hard of letting go
i'm tired of wasting my mind" - uanmusic

You'd think I would have skipped this week's Hump Day Mix considering that the Summer Jamz 2013 was released last week. But there were so many good songs I just had to share with you guys, starting with the new Kylie Minogue! Other noteworthy tracks on this mix includes music by the new song from Jessie J, CHVRCHES, Canopy Climbers, HAERTS, Still Parade and Walla. Hit play and enjoy!

Complete tracklist include:

Canopy Climbers - Stuck
CHVRCHES - Gun
Denitia & Sene - The Nude
HAERTS - All The Days
Jessie J ft. Big Sean & Dizzee Rascal - Wild
Josh Schroeder - Paraglide
Kent Odessa - Spineless
Kentö - Complicated
Kylie Minogue - Skirt
Mark Owen - Stars
Matt Corby - Resolution
Still Parade - Actors
TV Girl - She Smokes In Bed
Walla - Nature
World's End Press - To Send Our Love - SUGARBANG

Why? Because it’s hard to find the ska-kissed cousin of “I’m Walking on Sunshine.” And WALLA’s “Nature” comes pretty damn close. This is off their upcoming EP, also titled Nature. - paperblog

This is one of my most favorite times of the year. Summer jams are in full force and I couldn’t be any happier.

I’m a sucker for a good pop anthem, some well placed synths, and catchy, driving choruses that remain in your head for days. A five piece consisting of L.A. based expats, WALLA bring power-pop to another level. I love the brit-rock guitars, loads of lo-fi, and bouncy percussion – these gentleman make up quite the combination.

Listen to their newest single, “Nature,” below and stay tuned, their forthcoming Nature EP is set to release on June 4, 2013. - What's Protocol?

Happy Memorial Day! Hope everyone is enjoying this extra day of relaxation and honoring our fallen troops in some way. I have quite the treat from Los Angeles based Indie/Rock group Walla. Their single “Nature” is making its way around the web and has reached nearly 45,000 plays in just a week. Good luck trying to contain yourself when listening, their noises are quite contagious. Be on the lookout for their upcoming EP dropping June 4th. Follow them on Twitter & Soundcloud. - DML fm

Why? Because it’s hard to find the ska-kissed cousin of “I’m Walking on Sunshine.” And WALLA’s “Nature” comes pretty damn close. This is off their upcoming EP, also titled Nature. - audiocred

Why? Because it’s hard to find the ska-kissed cousin of “I’m Walking on Sunshine.” And WALLA’s “Nature” comes pretty damn close. This is off their upcoming EP, also titled Nature. - audiocred

Morning, folks! OK, so after long and exhausting trip it is time to catch up on some of the hyped music from last week. One of the most catchy and definitely worth noting songs is WALLA's "Nature". Bits of indie rock, pop, synths and a touch of retro - the track is a big bowl of well-produced delicious sounds.

The LA-based band has quite an interesting background as well. All the members are from a different places - Mexico/El Salvador, Italy, Indonesia, Brazil, Korea. Now that's what I call a giant melting pot! However, the VISA restrictions and distance haven't stopped the quartet and their forthcoming EP Nature will be officially released on 4th of June! - Stereofox

What's so good?
By Jason Grishkoff | May 26th, 2013

Earlier this month we picked up on a new indie pop quartet out of LA called WALLA. The first song off their Nature EP was titled “No Time,” and had a sound not unlike Empire of the Sun.

Flash forward a couple weeks and the title track off the EP is now available. “Nature” has a slightly different tone to the former single — this one kicking things off with a distinctive and upbeat guitar lick. The sound is undeniably “Australia,” but not in that aforementioned Empire of The Sun Way; I’d have to peg this closer to Last Dinosaurs…

Comparisons aside, Walla appear to be forging a path of their own. Chances are you’ll be seeing more of them in the near future! - Indie Shufle

Earlier this month we debuted “No Time,” the lead single off Walla‘s forthcoming Nature EP. As it approaches 50,000 SoundCloud plays, the LA-based quartet returns with the album’s lovely eponymous track, a pitch-perfect happy sad guitar pop anthem that evokes Katrina and the Waves and the Kooks in the best possible way. Sunkissed shimmy-inducing riffs, ambling basslines and a peppy syncopated drum patter put a shiny gloss on the track’s introspective, bittersweet lyrics. Walla’s fixation with time as a theme continues on another track that’s all about seizing the moment and not letting good things slip away. Stream it below.

Walla’s Nature is due out June 4th. - All Things Go Music

Pick Your Poison: Thursday 5-23-13

It’s Thursday, which means it’s time for another weekly dip into the pool of music news, interviews and videos that I like to call This Week In Music! Yes, in addition to the normal Pick Your Poison mp3s and Soundcloud streams, I like to toss out links to a bunch of other music-related content that I’ve found interesting or worthwhile over the course of the week. I encourage you to check some, if not all of these things out, particularly if you’re looking to waste some time. There’s plenty to see, read and hear:

Download Class of 2013 artist Ryan Hemsworth’s 7-track Still Awake EP for free

Music Video: Charli XCX – Take My Hand

Watch Daft Punk get their own F1 racecar

Music Video: Boards of Canada – Reach for the Dead

Watch the trailer for the upcoming Washed Out record Paracosm

Music Video: She & Him – I Could’ve Been Your Girl

Watch the 15-minute short film for the upcoming Queens of the Stone Age record …Like Clockwork

Music Video: The Lonely Island – Diaper Money

Watch Grimes accept a Webby Award

Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington is the new frontman for Stone Temple Pilots

Besides that set of distractions, there’s a whole bunch of tracks lined up for you today as part of Pick Your Poison. I’m happy to recommend songs from Amanda Jo Williams, Broken Water, Emma Louise, Milk Music, Overseas, Quickbeam and Sombear. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream new songs from Airbird & Napolian, The Cairo Gang, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Jacques Greene (ft. How to Dress Well) and There’s Talk.

Amanda Jo Williams – Holster, The Gun It Hangs in There

Bestial Mouths – Earth

Broken Water – Web

Dream Panther – Chutes and the Latter

Emma Louise – Backseats

Francis and the Lights – ETC

Harness Flux – Room Service

Milk Music – Beyond Living

More Like Trees – Chilly Water (ft. Linden Jay Berelowitz)

Overseas – Old Love

Quickbeam – Grace

So Fresh – Eye Class (ft. Kazi)

Sombear – Love You in the Dark

Woody Pitney – You Can Stay

SOUNDCLOUD

Airbird & Napolian – Special


The Cairo Gang – Tiny Rebels


Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros – Better Days


Jacques Greene – On Your Side (ft. How to Dress Well)


There’s Talk – The Salt


WALLA – Nature


- Faronheit

WALLA on tavallaan Los Angelesista bändinä, mutta koko remmi on kansainvälinen: alkuperämaina jäsenistöllä mm. Meksiko/El Salvador, Brasilia, Korea, Italia ja Indonesia. WALLA julkaisee kaiken lisäksi toisen omakustanne EP:nsä kesäkuun alussa (4.6.).

Nature EP:n ensimmäinen kappale, No Time, on älyttömän viihdyttävä synapop-kappale. Mutta eepeen nimikkokappale Nature räjäyttää potin. Bändi onnistuu kuulostamaan paikoin Phoenixin ja alku-uran Strokesin epäpyhältä liitolta. Tähän lisäät vielä annoksen Shout Out Loudsin -kaltaisten ruotsalaisbändien kepeyttä, ja kieli poskessa vedetyt vertaukset tuntuvat jo turhilta. Kuulostele itse kesän odotuksen pyhittävä ihana pop-ralli Nature. Toivon että pojista kuullaan vielä isosti - ainakin ennen kuin jenkkiviisumit käyvät vanhoiksi. - Slow Show

song of the day - Music I like Peanuts

Picasso uma vez disse: “Toda criança é artista. O problema é como permanecer artista depois de crescer”. A frase pode não ser nova, mas é usada como um lema pelo quinteto de Los Angeles denominado WALLA que, diante de todas as dificuldades que uma banda nova costuma enfrentar, começa a despertar a atenção devido à bela sonoridade que possui e aos primeiros resultados positivos obtidos. Com integrantes de diferentes partes do mundo (México/El Salvador, Itália, Indonésia, Brasil e Coréia do Sul) que se conheceram através dos meios digitais, ano passado a banda conquistou o primeiro grande feito ao lançar um EP chamado Animal Of Love, que trouxe o single “Rising Tied”. E em 2013 a história não é diferente: no próximo dia 4 de junho o quinteto promete lançar o EP Nature, e eles já começam a tirar o nosso fôlego com o formidável single “No Time“, que apresentaremos agora.

Para você entender o quão fabulosa é “No Time”, imagine uma pool party ao som de “Hearts On Fire”, do Cut Copy. Em seguida, tomamos conhecimento de vocais agudos, sintetizadores funky e uma produção madura que soa como um casamento entre o Passion Pit e o Strange Talk. Para fechar com chave de ouro, solos de guitarra ensolarados e cheios de vida ao melhor estilo Two Door Cinema Club tornam o single apaixonante e indispensável em qualquer festa na piscina. O modelo pode até parecer nada inovador, já que citamos tantas referências conhecidas, mas o que há, de fato, é uma excelente apropriação da receita para a produção de um synth-pop de qualidade, singular e viciante. Esperamos que a banda cumpra o que promete através da frase de Picasso e mantenha a qualidade inicial nos próximos singles. - Oh My Rock

WALLA are to be massive. The L.A. expats (all five members of the band are international) have (at just the right levels and distribution) all the ingredients and rudiments of a breakout band. Not the least of which is WALLA’s impressive knack for creating sparkling pop melodies and fitting them to rock and instrumentals that select from and recall the greatest bits of the genre’s history. There’s great melodies, there’s impeccably crafted hooks, there’s an excellent infusion of familiarity that will instantly engage the listener. We might as well go forth and marry this band right now. WALLA, will you be our lawfully wedded? - Blah Blah Blah Science

WALLA are to be massive. The L.A. expats (all five members of the band are international) have (at just the right levels and distribution) all the ingredients and rudiments of a breakout band. Not the least of which is WALLA’s impressive knack for creating sparkling pop melodies and fitting them to rock and instrumentals that select from and recall the greatest bits of the genre’s history. There’s great melodies, there’s impeccably crafted hooks, there’s an excellent infusion of familiarity that will instantly engage the listener. We might as well go forth and marry this band right now. WALLA, will you be our lawfully wedded? - Blah Blah Blah Science

Indierockerzy z Los Angeles coraz prezniej promuja swoja epke. Nature ukaze sie juz 4 czerwca, a za wydaniem stac bedzie sam zespól. Dzis WALLA udostepnili nowy singiel, a przy okazji utwór tytulowy, "Nature". Wczesniej moglismy sluchac "No Time".
- Fuck You Hipsters!

The five members of WALLA met largely by happenstance, having all ended up in L.A. after coming to the U.S. from Italy, Indonesia, Brazil, Korea, and Mexico/El Salvador. A bond was formed over catchy melodies and a detailed work ethic, and within just a few months, they were working with Grammy-winning producer Andrew Weiss on their debut EP, Animal of Love.

But the fledgling band is on a bit of an advanced timetable. Turns out three of the fellas are here on student visas which expire sooner rather than later. The time to make their mark – and hopefully snag more workable paperwork for their bandmates – is limited, so they’re not wasting a second of it. On June 14th, they’ll self-release their second EP in seven months, Nature.

If the effort’s title track is any indication, these gents have some staying power. Part of it comes from their seamless blend of influences that breed into an undeniable pop mover; the guitars dust up like a jangly version of “Lust for Life”, while the synth-pop drama of a bridge breathes into a ferocious chorus that answers, “What does it sound like when Tokyo Police Club covers The Smiths”?

When Jonathan Hoonch Kim belts, “‘Cause in America / I get lost in the shuffle and grind / I feel there is no time,” even us natives can understand how the young immigrant feels, and join in hoping he and his band can find the time for more pop gems. Check out “Nature” below. - Consequence of Sound

LA’s WALLA follows up their first single “No Time” with the highly engergized second single “Nature” that might elicit a few head bangs or two. We were on the fence with this group after our initial listen, but with “Nature” we are fully sold on Walla.

“Nature” is just too good to leave any lingering questions whether this band is going to stick around or not.

Look out for WALLA to release their debut EP, Nature on June 4th. Stream “Nature” below. - Hilly Dilly

Based out of Los Angeles, the quartet WALLA formed amid turbulent circumstances, yet soon recognized a chemistry during the early stages of their collaborative process. Due June 4, the band’s EP “The Nature” is the result of the disparate tastes of members Ian Charlie, Alessio Balsemin, Mauricio Carcamo, Jonathan Hoonch Kim and Gabriel Nava Rodrigues — a mix of pop, funk, samba, rock, metal, folk, disco, and psychedelia. The EP’s first single “No Time” uses dreamy lyrics and a catchy hook to relay the uplifting energy that carried WALLA as the pressures mounted of surviving as a band during a bleak financial period. An easily enjoyable, modern pop track, “No Time” sounds like guitar-driven Depeche Mode with a dash of electronica, and the same danceablity as recent material from Cassian and Passion Pit. - BUZZBANDS LA

Sounds like:
Strange Talk, Two Door Cinema Club

Song: No Time

Walla

What’s so good?

Who are Walla? I didn’t know until about five minutes, when I discovered their single “No Time” premiered by our buddies at All Things Go.

Based out of Los Angeles, the indie pop quartet are gearing up to release an EP titled Nature in early June. Their sound has hints of Empire of the Sun, Two Door Cinema Club, and a number of other awesome indie pop bands. So the setup is ripe, and execution thus far thoroughly infectious. - ChewBone

The members of Walla - Ian Charlie, Alessio Balsemin, Mauricio Carcamo, Jonathan Hoonch Kim and Gabriel Nava Rodrigues - found each other through digital means and a common love for inventing new wavelengths. By fusing pop, funk, samba, rock, metal, folk, disco and psychedelia, they were able to create a new and exciting sound which defies description. Listeners have described us as indie pop, synth-based, retro-influenced, indie rock or something along those lines," they've said. "But we welcome you to call us whatever you feel, because there are no lines to a feeling, it just has to be genuinely felt." The Los Angeles-based band's sound continues to resonate with listeners, as evidenced by the success of their new EP, Nature, which Billboard recently premiered and described as "an upbeat blend of synth-pop and spiky guitar work, in the vein of groups such as Passion Pit or Vampire Weekend." - BMI

indie pop at its finest. This song no time from a band called WALLA who come from the land of Los Angeles. And i have to say i am loving this 5 piece group i am loving there retro-indie-elctro feel they have which is hugely demonstrated in this song no time.



listening to their EP Animal of Love which i believe was released last year, i cannot see why they haven’t been heard of before, the only reason i can think of is possibly because they sound like so many great bands and no one wants to push them and then they end up to be the competition for these greats. - #1 Music Source

Indie pop band WALLA came together from all different places, both metaphorically and physically.

The quintet — frontman Jonathan Hoonch Kim, keyboardist Gabriel Nava Rodrigues, guitarist Ian Charlie, bassist Mauricio "Moebeats" Carcamo and drummer Alessio Balsemin — hail from Mexico, El Salvador, Italy, Indonesia, Brazil and South Korea. They fused their musical influences, which include pop, funk, samba, rock, metal, folk, disco and psychedelia, to create their unique approach to the overcrowded indie pop genre. Their EP, Nature, is out now.

"Listeners have described us as a indie pop, synth-based, retro-influenced, indie rock, or something along those lines," the band says on their website. "But we welcome you to call us whatever you feel, because there are no lines to a feeling, it just has to be genuinely felt." - USA Today

Eargasm /ir'gaz'em/ noun. the climax of musical excitement - Eargasm

"Very good stuff! Enjoy!"

07/07/2012 - nikspiks

"This is solid!"

7/27/2012 - Indie Pop Blog

Walla’s “No Time” is a track that grabs you immediately. Every layer is built with the intent to be (good) catchy, whether it’s the opening synth chords, anthemic falsetto chorus, groove-disco drums, or awesome guitar/synth sound that kicks in during the bridges, there are no weak links. LA-based Walla fit right into the current upswell of indie pop rock immediately standing alongside peers like Walk the Moon and Youngblood Hawke after only having released their debut EP Animal of Love last November. The song “No Time” will appear on the next EP Nature on June 4th. Enjoy the single below and grab the excellent Animal of Love for free HERE. - SLAP the BASS

Visit Indie Shuffle to download. Sounds like: Strange Talk, Two Door Cinema Club Song: Walla - No Time [download here] What's so good? Who are Walla? I didn’t know until about five minutes, when I discovered their single “No Time” premiered by our buddies at All Things Go. Based out of Los Angeles, the indie pop quartet are gearing up to release an EP titled Nature in early June. - Regator

The perfect track to begin this Friday and commencing the weekend! Which I know will be a good weekend! What are everyone's plans? Night in? Getting fucked? Discovering new passions? Whatever it might be Los Angeles natives, WALLA will take you to the place you need to be. With a vibe like Foster the People you can predict they've got the talent to make waves pumping. "No Time" is from their forthcoming EP, Nature which is set to be dropping June 4th so stayed tuned. I wish I was on top of a tall building, people watching while listening to this song, maybe it will lead my imagination to think what could these people possibly be doing. Catch my drift? - Up All Night

Who are Walla? I didn’t know until about five minutes, when I discovered their single “No Time” premiered by our buddies at All Things Go.

Based out of Los Angeles, the indie pop quartet are gearing up to release an EP titled Nature in early June. Their sound has hints of Empire of the Sun, Two Door Cinema Club, and a number of other awesome indie pop bands. So the setup is ripe, and execution thus far thoroughly infectious.

Ultimately, “No Time” is a cookie cutter indie pop song with few frills or experiments. And that’s probably why I find it so easy to identify with. - Indie Shufle

Walla est un jeune groupe qui a su mélanger comme il faut le pop-rock et la synth-pop. Venant tous des quatre coins du monde les cinq membres du groupe ont trouvé refuge sous le soleil de Los Angeles, un endroit surement propice pour composer des morceaux tels que les leurs. Je vous présente aujourd’hui leur premier EP et bonne nouvelle, les mecs de Walla sont quand même super sympas ! Vous pouvez vous le procurer gratuitement sur leur bandcamp.
On a droit à cinq morceaux originaux aux ambiances bien différentes mais faisant tous la part belle à la mélodie. Le plus appréciable pour moi est l’omniprésence du synthés sur toutes les tracks. Je vous laisse écouter et on en parle après !

Je pense que vous serez d’accord avec moi pour dire que cet EP démarre fort, le morceau « Rising Tide » est une merveille mélodique et ça tombe bien parce que c’est de saison. Les morceaux suivants sont peut-être un peu plus posés mais la recette de cuisine reste la même et c’est efficace. Comme je le disais cet EP était leur coup d’essai, le plus intéressant reste la suite. Après avoir été invité sur scène par un des membres de Depeche Mode et avoir travaillé avec le producteur Andrew Weiss, Walla a dévoilé un nouveau morceau il y a quelques jours. Il est annonciateur de la ligne de conduite choisie par le groupe, « No Time » est du niveau de « Rising Tide », donc excellente, ça s’annonce bien ! - a-cremerie

LA indie disco quartet WALLA made waves last year with their single “Rising Tide,” which racked up over 100,000 plays on SoundCloud. Now they’re back with “No Time,” the first glimpse of their forthcoming Nature EP. This diverse ensemble – hailing from far flung locales including Korea, Brazil, El Salvador and Indonesia – has a sharp, vocal-driven sound that combines electronica and live instrumentation, in the style of artists like Cut Copy, Work Drugs, Panama and Mitzi. The production and arrangement perfectionism of these pop fusionists shines through in the track’s crisp drums, shimmering vocals and retro house synth lines. This aptly titled anthem – WALLA are racing to coax as much musical goodness out of the project as possible before their student visas start to expire – will appear on Nature, out June 4th. - All Things Go

Pure infectious gold on LA indie-dance act Walla’s new single “No Time”. The bouncy synths coupled with sugary sweet melodies (that sound a lot like Mark Foster) on the chorus will melt your heart swiftly. This just gets better and better though as a glorious guitar solo leads into a electronic breakdown that will have all local creatures losing their mind. This is how dance music is supposed to be. All done by a an actual band that are fully confident in their beach-inspired party anthems. - Handclap Movement

Stuck in between being a song that might put you off and something becoming very catchy, this LA band just might hook you in with their new single “No Time”. This of course is up to you.

Maybe this song gets better with each listen or it doesn’t — for me I love some parts and not others. The verdict: listen to it 3 times then come back to it and then decide.

“No Time” is the first single from their new Nature EP that will be released on June 4th. - Hilly Dilly

"Dos quatro cantos do mundo, cinco indivíduos se reúnem para trazer a você os sons do Universo lendo uma lendária história de ninar". É dessa forma que a banda WALLA se apresenta ao público, assim como através da faixa No Time.

Residentes em Los Angeles, os músicos vem de diferentes locais (México/El Salvador, Itália, Indonésia, Brasil e Coreia) e agrupam suas referências e visões em um som animado e rico, dançante e festeiro.

O pequeno disco Nature EP, com quatro faixas, tem lançamento planejado para 4 de junho. - Monkey Buzz

Hand Clap Movement “Pure infectious gold on LA indie-dance act Walla’s new single “No Time”. The bouncy synths coupled with sugary sweet melodies…” Posted 4 hrs ago ?
All Things Go “LA indie disco quartet WALLA made waves last year with their single “Rising Tide,” which racked up over 100,000 plays…” Posted yesterday ?
Hilly Dilly “Stuck in between being a song that might put you off and something becoming very catchy, this LA band just…” Posted yesterday ? - HYPEM

"...some tight harmonies, spacey sounds, great BGVs, extraordinary musicianship, and lyrical beauty." - LiquidChance.com

"... Walla, an electronic/dance/rock band that is quite good." - Bill Lawrence

VentsMag, Walla Band - Vents Magazine