Breaking into the mainstream music scene was the next logical step for Bay-area Kalin and Myles, the duo behind the song “Trampoline.” They use a mix of hip-hop and pop, which brings a lot of energy to their music and is sure to make listeners hum their tunes all day.
Kalin White and Myles Parrish said their influences come from many artists, including Usher, Chris Brown and Michael Jackson. White added that fellow Bay-area group The Heart Break Gang also inspires him.
Their current “Just for Fun” tour with hip-hop duo Timeflies stopped by Milwaukee to do a show at the Rave Oct. 24. The two said they enjoyed Milwaukee because it had a lot to offer and the Rave was a change of audience for them.
“(The Rave) was awesome,” Parrish said. “There was more of a college crowd. It was an older audience, which we like, even though we usually perform for high school crowds.”
They also said the crowd from the Rave had a lot of energy, something that they love to feed off of.
The group’s full-length, self-titled album is scheduled to be released Nov. 20 and they said they are excited for the release. This album promises to bring their signature clash of R&B and pop. The duo said “Out of my Mind,” a song coming out on the album release, was one of the most fun songs they have ever created in their musical career.
“It has a fun beat and energy to match. (The rhythm) feels good,” White said.
When creating their sound, the two follow a basic approach while adding their own flair. They start with a simple beat then add a melody and later, vocals tracks. Parrish is more of the beat creator while White does his part to create the vocals. They said they tweak the sound until they turn to each other and say, “Oh yeah, this is tight.”
As of now, their hit is the song “Trampoline.” The song is bright, poppy and almost hypnotic. The tune is, as Parrish puts it, “old school.”
The song also has quite the backstory. Kalin and Myles first thought “Trampoline” to be a loving serenade, but the sound changed when their manager arranged for the group to work with another producer. They met at his studio, a refashioned garage with music equipment and met Marlin “Hookman” Bonds, who helped them with the lyrics. Kalin and Myles said they “were hesitant at first” about the lyrics. The word trampoline was used as a verb, causing something to sound strange initially, but it paid off in the end and after one session, the song was completed.
Kalin and Myles are just getting started. I bet we will hear more of them in the future. But for now, “Trampoline” will be that song that will bounce around in our heads for the next month.
